The boss of the world’s biggest technology trade show has accused the government of failing to support British business at the event.
Gary Shapiro, chief executive of the US Consumer Technology Association (CTA), criticised Britain for its “spotty” participation at CES in Las Vegas.
The four-day exhibition, which begins this week, showcases the latest technology from thousands of companies and has about 100,000 visitors each year.
Gary Shapiro wants to see more British representation at CES
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Shapiro said: “Britain does not participate as strongly at CES as other western European countries like France and the Netherlands, which are really well represented. The British presence has been spotty, which is surprising to me.”
Shapiro has been consistent in calling for more British representation at CES, saying last year that the government was “kind of crazy” for failing to support the event.
The CTA chief said that in the past 12 months, the government “has not been responsive”, adding that “I think they’re so focused on just survival and other things”.
He was particularly critical of the lack of a senior political presence in Las Vegas. “Macron has been to the show twice. Even in the French government, which seems to be in some disarray, we’ll have some cabinet ministers. We’ll have the prince of the Netherlands. We’ll have cabinet ministers from the Netherlands. They’re also in disarray, and that’s every government, including our own government, is having big issues in these western democracies. But there’s still a focus on the future.”
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang giving the keynote at CES 2025 in Las Vegas
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According to the CES list, France has 64 exhibitors, Germany 38, Britain 29 and the Netherlands 27, although final figures are not published until spring 2026.
Shapiro added: “I see a lack of government involvement. And it doesn’t have to be money. It’s just … do you show up? Do your relevant cabinet ministers show up at the world’s largest innovation event? And that’s been a disappointment for us. I think in the last ten years … I’m pretty confident it’s been very, very low, compared to Britain’s neighbours.”
In 2019, the UK organised a delegation of more than 100 British companies to attend, led by Liam Fox, then international trade secretary.
However in 2021, the Conservative government cancelled a popular scheme called the Tradeshow Access Programme, which provided grants of up to £2,500 for small and medium-sized businesses looking to attend overseas trade shows. Its budget is estimated to have been £8-£10million.
Despite lobbying from UK industry, the grant has not been reinstated. In contrast, the French government covers a large proportion of its exhibitors’ costs.
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Mark Birchall, managing director of Tradefair, a company that supports UK businesses at exhibitions, backed Shapiro’s critique. He said: “Is it an event that the British government should be doing more at? Well, yes, because it’s one of the core technology events.
“I’ve had pavilion envy for most of my life, because when I go to [other tech trade shows], Latvia, Lithuania and Malta have these fantastic stand builds.”
Birchall said the government was also pulling back on its representation in the British pavilion at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, a key event for the tech industry.
Gary Shapiro says British participation has been “spotty”
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Paolo Pescatore, an analyst at PP Foresight, said: “It’s highly disappointing to see a lack of UK government support for its burgeoning tech sector. Having attended numerous events around the world, such as CES, MWC, NAB Show, IFA, Gitex, and many more, it is striking to see the notable presence of other countries, with France standing out consistently, as well as Latvia and Lithuania actively supporting their start-ups and SMEs. The proof is in the pudding: while the UK government talks about supporting the industry, it is up to the private sector to foot the bill.”
A government spokesperson said: “A thriving technology sector is at the heart of our plans to modernise public services, grow the economy, and raise productivity across the country. Through our Industrial Strategy and Small Business Plan, we’re taking bold action to make the UK the best place to do business, giving companies of all sizes the tools they need to grow.
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“We recognise the valuable work of CES in championing innovation and fostering collaboration within the global tech industry. Building on historic trade deals and a long-term trade strategy, we’re helping businesses connect across the world and plan ahead with confidence.”
