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US Firms Snap Up UK Tech in £6.3bn Buying Spree

6/10/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The UK tech sector is experiencing a wave of billion-pound acquisitions by US firms, with three major deals announced in one day.
Qualcomm plans to acquire Alphawave for £1.8bn, IonQ intends to buy Oxford Ionics for £800m, and Advent offers £3.7bn for Spectris.
These deals underscore the undervaluation of UK tech firms and raise concerns about retaining innovation.
Critics highlight insufficient government R&D funding, which may lead to more British technology being sold to foreign buyers.

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Story summary

The UK tech sector is experiencing a wave of billion-pound acquisitions by US firms, with three major deals announced in one day.
Qualcomm plans to acquire Alphawave for £1.8bn, IonQ intends to buy Oxford Ionics for £800m, and Advent offers £3.7bn for Spectris.
These deals underscore the undervaluation of UK tech firms and raise concerns about retaining innovation.
Critics highlight insufficient government R&D funding, which may lead to more British technology being sold to foreign buyers.