techUK leads research on economic opportunities of connected digital twins

A consortium of partners led by techUK including WHP Group, Fujitsu, and University of Salford, has started work delivering a comprehensive report on the economic opportunities of connected digital twins.

The research, which is set to be released in early 2025, will assess the business models and projected economic impact of connecting everything and everyone, from buildings to transport infrastructure through digital twinning. The work is intended to make an important contribution to the existing literature on digital twins and make a series of recommendations for supporting strategic investments, fostering market creation and driving adoption.

The work will also include a comprehensive landscape review of the digital twin market globally, emphasising progress that has been achieved to date and assessing the readiness level and economic opportunities in the UK.

The consortium will shortly commence its primary research phase and will keep the industry updated by releasing preliminary findings throughout the project.

The work follows techUK’s report Unlocking Value Across the UK's Digital Twin Ecosystem published in 2021 which made a series of recommendations for a broader programme of investments to support a sustainable foundation for digital twin adoption and diffusion across the UK. The consortium was assembled following a competitive tender process run by techUK.

Matthew Evans, Director of Market Programmes and Chief Operating Officer at techUK, said, “We are thrilled to collaborate with WHP Group, Fujitsu, and University of Salford to produce this important piece of work. Digital twins are a transformative technology that can help drive the UK towards its goals around growth, net zero and digital. We are looking forward to shaping the market through working with partners to deliver recommendations that can help accelerate business models and drive adoption”.

Ali Nicholl, Co-Chair of the techUK Digital Twin Steering Board and Head of Engagement at IOTICS said, “We think our work will complement the technical focus of other groups in the UK and globally, by showing how Government and the private sector can profitably, safely and securely manage this exciting future. We selected WHP and Salford for their world-leading expertise, and are excited to work with them to produce a report that, if implemented, could enable the UK to lead the world in the future we see coming.”