Neil Martin, CEO of Vector Photonics, was invited to a reception at 10 Downing Street on Monday 20th May, hosted by Saqib Bhatti MP, Minister for Technology and Digital Economy. The reception was to celebrate the first anniversary of the National Semiconductor Strategy, which has successfully helped achieve growth and a clear vision for the sector. It was also to launch the independent, UK Semiconductor Institute; a new organisation set up to promote, steer and support the £1 billion strategy. The strategy’s success and relevance can partly be attributed to the involvement of industry, academia, and international stakeholders, during its development, which the institute also seeks to build on, as well as attracting UK and foreign investment.

Neil said, “The invitation to attend Downing Street’s National Semiconductor Strategy celebration and the launch of the independent, UK Semiconductor Institute, was a privilege. The UK has a highly innovative and rapidly growing semiconductor sector, spanning all regions. Its optics universities are feeding the industry with a highly skilled, engineering workforce. This is critical to the established semiconductor industry, and to start-up companies, like Vector Photonics, where the cluster environment created has attracted the government funding and equity investment necessary to succeed. The strategy and institute should help ensure the UK remains a world-leader in the global semiconductor industry; a huge contributor to the national economy and a creator of many, ‘high-value-add’ jobs.”