After the 2008 financial crash, there was much talk about the need to ‘rebalance’ the UK economy away from services, particularly financial services, towards manufacturing. Technologies promising various forms of a ‘New Industrial Revolution’ – like 3D printing, the Internet of Things (including drones and driverless cars) and nanotechnology – rely largely on existing infrastructure. Will the excitement around new technology translate into increased productivity and industrial dynamism? Or are UK businesses and government too wary of investing in the large-scale projects which could usher in a genuine revolution?
The speakers are Jeremy Dalton, digital and emerging technologies consultant at PwC and specialist in virtual reality; Christian May, editor, City AM; Dr Paul Reeves, engineering software designer, SolidWorks R&D; Hayaatun Silem, director of programmes and fellowship, Royal Academy of Engineering; Dr Jack Stilgoe, senior lecturer in science and technology policy, University College London, author of Experiment Earth: responsible innovation in geoengineering. The chair is Rob Killick, CEO of Clerkswell.
