Milton Keynes Tech Week opened last night with a VIP reception at Bletchley Park, bringing together business leaders, academics, policymakers, and investors to celebrate the city’s growing reputation as one of the UK’s leading technology hubs.
The city’s tech economy is now worth more than £13 billion, with one in three local jobs in the sector. Milton Keynes has also become a test bed for innovation, hosting self-driving vehicle trials, delivery robots, and attracting major investment from global brands.
Santander is investing heavily in Milton Keynes, with the Unity Place campus designed as a technology-focussed HQ bringing together thousands of staff and built to support innovation and collaboration.
Luke Pearce, Chief Data Officer at Santander, said the city is already recognised as a hub for data science and one of the best places in the UK for businesses to collaborate.
Keynote speaker Dr Phil Budden of the MIT REAP Programme stressed that thriving innovation ecosystems depend on entrepreneurs, universities, corporates, investors, and government working together. “When central funding is available, it must be matched by regional activation,” he said. “The UK’s economic future lies in cities like Milton Keynes that lean into being regions for growth.”
He urged corporates to engage with start-ups, leaders to create space for experimentation, and individuals to reflect on how they will act differently after Tech Week. “The challenge now is to create the plans and collaborations that will shape the next decade of growth,” he added.
Bletchley MP Callum Anderson said Milton Keynes’ skills, location and ambition placed it at the heart of Britain’s innovation corridor. “A third of Milton Keynes’ workforce is already employed in tech, and the UK should be leading, not following,” he said.
Organisers said the programme was designed to deliver lasting impact. Lakechia Jeanne, Economic Development Officer at Milton Keynes City Council, said: “This is about supporting our local businesses, showcasing them, and creating a platform for growth. With 27 events still to come, this is just the beginning.”
Milton Keynes Tech Week continues across the city, shining a spotlight on its thriving digital ecosystem and reinforcing Milton Keynes’ position at the forefront of Britain’s technology sector.
