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Was’S TIP:
“The UK’s hi-tech SMEs must increase their India focus in 2013.”
“So one of the first lessons to absorb - especially by UK SMEs that may not be familiar with India - is that the flow of expertise and ingenuity for applying technology innovation is likely to flow in both directions” As part of the research phase, a FICCI survey confirmed the potential, assessing Indian company demand for new technology, and the UK’s potential role in meeting this demand. More than 70% of respondents were looking to expand, with 37% seeing requirements for new technology - with the UK as a potential source - and 75% having the necessary funds to invest in new technology.
Was Rahman, Adviser - Global Technology Industry at UKTI Below: Image courtesy of the Technology Strategy Board’s marketing agency
Was sees another lesson from past technology industry work with India acknowledged in the programme; moving away from a work structure which ‘pushes’ ICT (information and communication technology) industry sub-sectors, such as electronics, and shifting towards a ‘pull’ from sectors enabled by the technology, such as renewable power. “ICT sub-sectors have often proved not to be particularly helpful labels when it comes to business discussions, at times even misleading,” he says. “Instead, our programme concentrates on the role of such technologies as enablers of other industries, segmenting our work around themes reflecting the underlying business problems the technology is trying to address.” While this could sound superficial, Was believes it has changed the day-to-day work of the programme. “We are now led by specific issues where Indian business is seeking new and innovative answers, and targeting UK technology SMEs who can demonstrate world-class capabilities,” he says. “Our broad themes are areas of long-term transformation and growth for India that represent significant, scaleable market opportunities - and specific needs where Indian firms are exploring new technologies and approaches.” The themes are Digitising Society, Accessible Healthcare, Renewable/Reliable Power, Smart Cities/ Smart Living, Enabling Innovation Ecosystems, and Evolution of IT Services. “For example, under Accessible Healthcare, UK SMEs have technology for remote monitoring and diagnosis of patient conditions, which could play a major role in the evolution of tele-medicine for rural India,” says Was. “Similarly, some of the SME technology innovations trialled within the NHS could underpin new, better