Dom Hallas, executive director of the Startup Coalition, reveals his top policy wishes for UK tech in the upcoming Autumn Statement and shares his assessment of the tech legislation agenda for 2024, including the Automated Vehicles Bill. Elsewhere in this episode, Hallas explains why he thinks the UK’s AI Safety Summit was a success, why he’s optimistic about either a Labour or Conservative government and what regions need to do to build a strong tech ecosystem.
Hallas leads the Startup Coalition, a lobby group that was formerly known as Coadec that acts as a conduit between Westminster and the UK’s startup ecosystem. Hallas, a former civil servant in the Brexit department, has been executive director of the Startup Coalition since 2018. He is also a member of the Digital Economy Council, a government advisory committee, and a member of Seedcamp’s advisory council. Hallas was a key figure in lobbying the government to save Silicon Valley Bank UK earlier this year, which resulted in HSBC acquiring the specialist lender in an eleventh-hour deal.
What is UKTN | The Podcast?
Each week, Jane Wakefield sits down with some of the key movers and shakers from the UK tech ecosystem for the UKTN Podcast. Learn growth strategies from both seasoned and up-and-coming founders, hear market sentiments from investors, and understand the tech policy affecting businesses across the country.
The UKTN Podcast provides insight into the most influential people in the UK’s innovation economy, exploring their personal and professional journeys and hearing their views on the hottest tech topics of the day.