2021 was another year of challenges, however, the difference from the previous year is that we have learned how to “live with” such challenges, rather than just being reactive.

We are so grateful for all the encouragement and support we have received from existing and new clients and partners this year.

We wish you a healthy and peaceful festive season.

We look forward to working with you in the new year.

Two innovative UK start-up companies supported by the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce (TVCC) have been selected by Osaka Chamber of Commerce (OCCI) to attend the GIF (Global Innovation Forum) Osaka 2021.  Our CEO Masako Eguchi-Bacon, as the Head of the Japan Desk at Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce, supported the recruitment and selection processes.

2021 marks the third year of this event, which will be held virtually. Pitch sessions will commence on the 27th October, followed by business meetings in early December.  Two UK companies are among the 35 start-ups from 12 countries, and we wish all participants success with their meetings with Japanese companies and investors.

The UK became the first major economy to embrace a legal obligation to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and set out several key milestones for decarbonisation.  The UK government has proactively worked on decarbonisation of the transport sector and one of the key players is the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC).  APC has recently released its “Technology Roadmap 2020” and supplementally narrative reports on six technology areas: - 

Electrical Energy Storage, Electric Machines, Power Electronics, Thermal Propulsion Systems, Lightweight Vehicle & Powertrain Structure, and Fuel Cell.  They are now available in multiple languages (English, Japanese, Chinese, Korean and German) and we trust they are useful not only for the automotive industry but also for other industries such as energy industry, where similar technologies are used.

JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) has established an SME Overseas Expansion Platform (for Asia, Americas, Europe, and the Middle East) so that Japanese SMEs can receive Japanese government support to establish their businesses outside Japan. On this Platform, JETRO has placed local coordinators by sector and our CEO Masako Eguchi-Bacon is appointed as the coordinator for the Environment and Energy sectors in the UK.

On 14th July 2021, the UK government published its plan for transport decarbonisation.  The plan sets out the Government’s priorities and actions to de-carbonise the UK’s entire transport system.  It includes the following headline announcements.

• A commitment to phase out of all new petrol and diesel road vehicles, from motorbikes to HGVs, by 2040
• A target to remove all diesel-only trains from the rail network by 2040
• Reforms to the way local transport infrastructure is funded to drive decarbonisation at a local level
• Investment to reduce the impact of aviation and shipping on the environment by 2050

We review what this means for the future of the transport in the UK.

Our partner, Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) will host another Global Innovation Forum with online pitch and business meetings for start-ups on the 26th-29th October 2021.  If you are a UK start-up within but not limited to these sectors: Smart City, Digital Transformation, Carbon Neutral, Food-Tech/Agri-Tech, Health-tech, Robotics and are interested in joining this event, please submit your application by the 19th June 2021.  

Integral Technology Ltd. (Integral Technology) and Ocean Bridge Management Ltd (OBM), a Global member of Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce (TVCC), have agreed to introduce Integral Technology’s innovative CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) solution to support UK and European manufacturing industry.

Integral Technology (Osaka, Japan) provides CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) automation software, which drastically improves modelling quality and reduces time spent on design and simulation.  Integral Technology’s software can review and modify CAD lines and assemble CAD parts.  This makes it possible to automate the entire modelling process after the CAD image through final reporting.  

We are delighted to have this opportunity thanks to invaluable efforts of the Japanese Cabinet office and the Osaka Business Development Agency. 

Investors may be interested to hear about the recent data published in this year’s report by Tech Nation, the UK government-funded research organisation, which shows that UK tech venture capital (VC) investment is now third in the world, after China and the US.  Venture capital investment in UK tech start-ups grew in 2020 despite uncertainties such as Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic.  In 2020, UK deep tech investment rose and is ranked third in the world, and UK tech investment by sector highlights large increases in transport, energy and security funding.  An interesting fact is that investment into seed stage companies is decreasing as a share of overall VC funding, which makes it more difficult for start-ups to raise funds.

On the 3rd March 2021, Chancellor Rishi Sunak delivered the UK’s 2021 budget, setting out the government’s tax, spending and coronavirus recovery plans.  Here is a summary of the policy decisions in the sectors which are of relevance to our clients.

- COVID support

- Taxation

- Investment

- The Green Economy 

- Technology

To expand and promote overseas exports of foods and beverages made in Japan, the Osaka Chamber of Commerce (OCCI), in collaboration with the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce (TVCC), will be running an online matching event. Aimed at targeting overseas buyers, the event will further strengthen the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the two countries.  A recruitment deadline has been set for the 18th February 2021. During this time, OCCI aims to establish the types of products buyers are interested in. Once confirmed, Japanese organisers will identify suitable suppliers who match the requirement before the virtual meetings take place in March.  Click here for registration details.

Our CEO Masako Eguchi-Bacon introduced some examples of the UK’s innovation and start-up ecosystem in an interview with Forbes Japan on the 6th January.