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| UK to help CES tech start-ups after expo chief's criticism | UK to help CES tech start-ups after expo chief's criticism |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The chief of the CES tech expo has revealed that the UK government is helping fund a selection of start-ups to attend its next event in January. | The chief of the CES tech expo has revealed that the UK government is helping fund a selection of start-ups to attend its next event in January. |
| The funding of a "pavilion" within the show's Eureka Park start-up zone represents a strategy shift for the UK. | The funding of a "pavilion" within the show's Eureka Park start-up zone represents a strategy shift for the UK. |
| Gary Shapiro had previously said it was "a source of embarrassment" that small UK companies had not received such support at the 2017 show. | Gary Shapiro had previously said it was "a source of embarrassment" that small UK companies had not received such support at the 2017 show. |
| Ministers had insisted that UK firms still had a "significant" presence. | Ministers had insisted that UK firms still had a "significant" presence. |
| TechUK - an industry group that has partnered with the government to run the stands - acknowledged that Mr Shapiro's intervention had made a difference. | TechUK - an industry group that has partnered with the government to run the stands - acknowledged that Mr Shapiro's intervention had made a difference. |
| "It definitely helped," Paul Hide, TechUK's director of market engagement, told the BBC. | "It definitely helped," Paul Hide, TechUK's director of market engagement, told the BBC. |
| "We've been pushing the DIT [Department for International Trade] for some time to give us additional support. | "We've been pushing the DIT [Department for International Trade] for some time to give us additional support. |
| "It gives us a stronger identity by having a hub of a number of UK companies and allows us to promote a central location." | "It gives us a stronger identity by having a hub of a number of UK companies and allows us to promote a central location." |
| More than 4,000 exhibitors and 180,000 people attended this year's CES expo. | |
| The event attracts both the media and retail buyers from across the globe, allowing manufacturers to attract publicity and strike business deals at the week-long event. | The event attracts both the media and retail buyers from across the globe, allowing manufacturers to attract publicity and strike business deals at the week-long event. |
| Last time, 55 UK companies booked show floor space. France fielded 248 companies and mainland China 1,314. | Last time, 55 UK companies booked show floor space. France fielded 248 companies and mainland China 1,314. |
| The Great Britain and Northern Ireland Pavilion will provide pods to about a dozen start-ups. The spaces will be smaller than a separate stand, but help is being provided to design the area and attract visitors. | The Great Britain and Northern Ireland Pavilion will provide pods to about a dozen start-ups. The spaces will be smaller than a separate stand, but help is being provided to design the area and attract visitors. |
| Mr Shapiro revealed the initiative at a CES preview event in London. | Mr Shapiro revealed the initiative at a CES preview event in London. |
| He later told the BBC that the British government and TechUK had "stepped up, [by] having a presence that they did not have last year". | He later told the BBC that the British government and TechUK had "stepped up, [by] having a presence that they did not have last year". |
| One beneficiary is Doppel, a five-person London-based firm that has created a wrist-based device designed to make wearers feel more alert or relaxed, depending on its setting. | One beneficiary is Doppel, a five-person London-based firm that has created a wrist-based device designed to make wearers feel more alert or relaxed, depending on its setting. |
| The company, which will pay its own travel and accommodation costs, said it expected its total bill to come to about £2,100. | The company, which will pay its own travel and accommodation costs, said it expected its total bill to come to about £2,100. |
| "Without this support we definitely wouldn't have been able to exhibit," said Doppel's head of marketing, Georgina Orso. | "Without this support we definitely wouldn't have been able to exhibit," said Doppel's head of marketing, Georgina Orso. |
| "Saving thousands of pounds makes the difference between attending and not attending for a pre-revenue company like us." | "Saving thousands of pounds makes the difference between attending and not attending for a pre-revenue company like us." |
| TechUK said that if the initiative was a success, it hoped to host an even bigger space in 2019. | TechUK said that if the initiative was a success, it hoped to host an even bigger space in 2019. |
| The DIT added in a statement: "We help exporters make the most of global opportunities... [including] trade missions for high value sectors like the tech sector and trade shows like CES, where we will be supporting a number of UK exhibitors next year." | The DIT added in a statement: "We help exporters make the most of global opportunities... [including] trade missions for high value sectors like the tech sector and trade shows like CES, where we will be supporting a number of UK exhibitors next year." |