UK–Italy Critical Tech Roundtable in Rome: Quantum, AI and High-Performance Computing

Last week in Rome, at Villa Wolkonsky, StateUp convened a UK–Italy roundtable with British Embassy Rome, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and the UK Science & Technology Network on Quantum, AI, and High-Performance Computing (HPC). The discussion focused on where bilateral cooperation can move from intent to implementation—through shared infrastructure approaches, targeted programmes, and practical partnership models.

Three takeaways

• Cooperation is shifting from strategy to delivery: participants mapped priority opportunities and the mechanisms to make collaboration real in a more contested strategic landscape.
• Complementarities are tangible across all three domains: the UK and Italy bring world-class capabilities across research, talent, and advanced compute infrastructure.
• Clear pathways emerged: from joint pilots and procurement-enabled experimentation to shared facilities, standards engagement, and structured ecosystem exchange.

Thank you to all participants for a candid, constructive discussion. We’ll share next steps as the work progresses.

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