CES 2017: UK’s lack of tech startup support labelled “an embarrassment”

Trade show’s organiser slams British gov’t for failing to back homegrown talent at CES.

Tom Mendelsohn – Jan 3, 2017 11:01 am | 7

Credit: Daniel Sorabji/AFP/Getty Images

The UK government’s lack of support for tech startups representing the country at this years’ CES show is a “source of embarrassment,” according to the man who organises the event.

Gary Shapiro told the BBC that the material support given to its technological standard bearers was eclipsed by that from countries like France, the Netherlands, and Israel.

“Britain’s been a little slow to the game honestly,” he said. “We have a minister from Britain coming but there’s not a lot of activity that we’ve seen at CES. I think it’s a source of embarrassment.”

According to data from the Consumer Technology Association, there are 55 British groups exhibiting at the show in Las Vegas this year, a fifth of the 248 French firms in attendance—all of which apparently have financial support and branding resources from their government.

One French startup told the BBC that “the regional governments also play their part.” Pavithra Govindarajan, marketing manager at Grenoble-based Bluemint Labs, said: “For the region Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, the body Minalogic is supporting select start-ups by paying back some part of the travel and accommodation costs. It is also helping set up meetings with major brands, which otherwise would have been very tough.”

In contrast, the UK has the seventh-largest contingent of companies at this year’s CES, behind the US, China, France, Taiwan, South Korea, and Canada.

“When I was in London recently,” he said, “I raised it with one of the ministers, and they said: ‘Yeah, it’s amazing. I can get approval to go to South by Southwest [which is in Texas], but because it’s Las Vegas, for some reason it’s frowned upon.’ And that’s a pretty short-sighted attitude,” Shapiro said.

In a statement, the department for international trade claimed that Britain “continues to be a world-leader in the tech and innovation industry,” adding: “We want to help UK businesses make the most of trade and investment opportunities including in the US, through targeted support and bespoke business matching that better maximises their presence to win vital contracts abroad.”

It insisted that the UK maintains “a strong presence at CES,” and that “the government is focusing on supporting UK businesses to make direct connections with other businesses and potential clients and supporting them to set up a presence in their own sector-specific areas.”

Digital minister Matt Hancock will attend the show for part of a day to meet businesses, exhibitors, and American investors, and he is on the bill to join a panel debating drones.

“Government support is just not funding, I want to make that very clear,” Shapiro told the BBC. “It’s political leadership. It’s showing up. It’s a matter of attention. We’re having the prince of the Netherlands show up, for example. I don’t know why the UK is not responding, because there is a tremendous amount of innovation there. I think there’s a great opportunity for the UK, which is untapped.”