TechWorks-AI Launches at Bletchley Park with Leading Industry, Academic, and Government Experts
TechWorks is pleased to announce the launch of TechWorks-AI, a new community dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) innovation across the UK’s deep tech sectors. The launch event took place at the historic home of AI, Bletchley Park on Tuesday, 25 February 2025 with the theme of “Engineering Trustworthy AI: From Concept to Reality,”.
TechWorks-AI founding members include British Standards Institution (BSI), Cadence, Copper Horse, Embecosm, Forti5, NquiringMinds , the Manufacturing Technology Centre, the University of Bristol and the University of Oxford illustrating the expertise within the network that spans academia, industry, and standards development.
After incubating for almost 12 months, TechWork-AI is now established as the leading engineering-based hub for collaboration, innovation, and best practices in AI across multiple applications, such as autonomous platforms, robotics, and semiconductor design to life sciences. It also embraces contemporary and emerging technology themes such as energy efficiency and neuromorphics.
Gareth Richards, Network Manager at TechWorks-AI, commented: “Having our expert founding partners on board is critical to shaping a robust AI ecosystem in the UK. TechWorks-AI is set to be the platform for engineering innovation, bringing together experts from across industry and academia to drive AI adoption, trustworthiness, and real-world impact.”
Max Greenwood, AI Governance Policy Advisor, Department of Science, Innovation & Technology who spoke at the launch,added, “It was a pleasure to speak at Techworks-AI recent event and meet a highly engaged group of trustworthy AI experts. I look forward to continuing the conversation between DSIT and the Techworks-AI community.”
TechWorks-AI announced 5 thematic areas of focus at the launch:
Thought Leadership – Engaging with key stakeholders to support AI strategies, drive innovation, and provide expert guidance on emerging AI trends.
Collaboration – Bringing together industry, academia, and policymakers to accelerate AI innovation, through focussed events, webinars and collaborative projects.
Knowledge Sharing – Creating Special Interest Groups (SIGs), best practices, open standards and case study platforms.
Standards and Policy – Working with regulatory bodies, standards development organisations and other key stakeholders to shape AI trustworthiness, security, and governance.
Professional Development – Supporting skills development through CPD, training, mentorship, and university partnerships.
Collaboration – Bringing together industry, academia, and policymakers to accelerate AI innovation, through focussed events, webinars and collaborative projects.
Knowledge Sharing – Creating Special Interest Groups (SIGs), best practices, open standards and case study platforms.
Standards and Policy – Working with regulatory bodies, standards development organisations and other key stakeholders to shape AI trustworthiness, security, and governance.
Professional Development – Supporting skills development through CPD, training, mentorship, and university partnerships.
John Moor, COO TechWorks “”We’re delighted to announce the official launch of TechWorks AI, the newest TechWorks ‘connected community’, addressing the critical need to foster UK capabilities. The launch marks a pivotal step in advancing our starting goal of engineering trustworthy AI, which is perfectly aligned to the UK’s AI vision for security and growth. TechWorks is uniquely positioned to do this as it draws on decades of expertise in building successful grass-roots innovation and technology networks. This community, in concert with its TechWorks siblings, will further strengthen our innovation system of industry, academics, entrepreneurs, funders and luminaries, and together, we will drive the advancement of AI technologies. We now invite all AI professionals to join us and help shape a future where AI can be deployed with integrity, delivering welcome benefits to business, society and the economy.”
Founder members of TechWorks-AI commented:
Professor Andrew Martin, Professor of Systems Security at the University of Oxford, “TechWorks-AI provides a platform where academia and industry can come together to tackle the most pressing challenges presented by AI in cybersecurity. The opportunities for knowledge-sharing and collaborative projects are exceptional, and we are very pleased to be a founder member of this vibrant community.”
Sheron Shamuilia, Program Manager EMEA, Cadence, “AI is transforming the EDA landscape, and as an early adopter, we see the immense value in being part of the TechWorks-AI community. The collaborative and diverse environment enables us to exchange insights, accelerate innovation, and develop smarter, more efficient tools for the semiconductor design process and beyond”
Professor Kerstin Eder, Professor of Computer Science at the University of Bristol, School of Computer Science, Trustworthy Systems Laboratory, “The University of Bristol has decades of experience in AI research, and we recognise the importance of collaboration between academia and industry. Being a founder member of the TechWorks-AI community helps us to bring our considerable research experience to bear on real-world applications, shaping the future of AI while fostering meaningful partnerships that drive innovation.”
Dr. Ivan Serwano, AI Consulting Manager, British Standards Institution (BSI), “BSI are excited to be founder member of TechWorks-AI, becoming part of a diverse and innovative community that is critical for shaping the future of AI standards. By collaborating with industry leaders and academic pioneers, we can develop frameworks to ensure AI technologies are trustworthy, reliable, future-proofed and globally aligned.”
David Rogers MBE, CEO of security technology research firm Copper Horse, “We are delighted to be a founding member of Techworks-AI and to be involved with this initiative, there is so much great innovation in the UK, especially in the AI space and we’re happy to be helping to drive that.”
Dr. Nick Allott, CEO NquiringMinds “Listen to the news and AI is either existential threat to life as we know it, or promises health, wealth and happiness for mankind. The UK’s response to date has been haphazard and contradictory. We urgently need a body where UK deep-tech community can convene, collaborate to help intelligently address this opportunity. NquiringMinds believes Techworks-AI is ideally placed to deliver this and is excited to be a founder member”
Professor Muthu Ramachandran PhD, Research Consultant, Forti5 “The TechWorks-AI community is dedicated to delivering world-class AI collaborations that tackle critical ethical challenges, including transparency, fairness, and bias detection, with a strong focus on applications in healthcare and cybersecurity. Forti5 are very pleased to be a founder member.”
Jeremy Bennett, CEO of compiler tool chain developer Embecosm “Embecosm is delighted to support and take an active role as a founder member of Techworks-AI. It represents a key opportunity for the electronic systems industry to disseminate best practice and trustworthiness in AI”
Dr. Yazan Qarout, Senior Research Engineer, Informatics – Digital Engineering, Manufacturing Technology Centre “At the MTC, we are committed to driving innovation in manufacturing by supporting businesses with the adoption of cutting-edge technology and expertise. AI is playing an increasingly vital role in industry, and by being a founder member of TechWorks-AI, we look forward to collaborating further with the UK’s leading AI innovators, exchange expertise and encouraging adoption.”
