Department for International Trade

What Department for International Trade does

The Department for International Trade (DIT) is a UK ministerial department established in 2016 following the Brexit referendum to lead the UK's international trade policy, export promotion, and inward investment activity. In 2023, DIT merged with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to form the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), consolidating trade negotiations with domestic business support functions. The department serves the full UK private sector business base of 5.7 million businesses (99.85% SMEs), alongside strategic technology companies, UK education institutions, and semiconductor firms seeking international partnerships.

DIT/DBT operates through bilateral MoUs, organised trade missions, regulatory sandboxes, and large funding programmes rather than commercial products. Key programmes include the £4bn DRIVE35 automotive initiative, the £10m National Quantum Standards Network led by the National Physical Laboratory, and co-funded grants such as the £650,000 Scale-Up Feasibility Study for Sarginsons Industries. Strategic infrastructure deployments include the £10bn Old Oak regeneration scheme (8,000 homes, 11,000 jobs) and the in-orbit pharmaceutical manufacturing regulatory package led with UK Space Agency, MHRA, the Regulatory Innovation Office, and the Civil Aviation Authority.

The entity is funded through HM Treasury's annual supply estimates and does not generate commercial revenue. Pricing is not applicable as the department does not sell goods or services. Its go-to-market is government-to-government, anchored by diplomatic channels, trade missions (Nigeria education, New York FinTech, Philippines buyer network), and bilateral partnerships such as the UK-Bulgaria semiconductor innovation agreement and the Wayve autonomous vehicle MoU. Headcount sits in the 1,001–5,000 range and the department is headquartered in London with active engagements across Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Americas.

Name

Department for International Trade

Legal name

Department for International Trade

Website

https://gov.uk

Company type

Public

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The Department for International Trade, now operating as the Department for Business and Trade, is a UK ministerial department that leads international trade policy, export promotion, and inward investment activity, serving 5.7 million UK businesses and running large strategic technology and infrastructure programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Department for International Trade is a UK government ministerial department responsible for promoting UK trade across the world, negotiating international trade agreements, supporting UK businesses to export, and attracting foreign direct investment into the UK. It delivers its mandate through organized trade missions to international markets, bilateral government-to-government partnerships, export finance facilities, funding programmes for strategic industries, and the coordination of technology standards for sectors such as quantum, semiconductors, AI, and autonomous vehicles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Trade Missions Organized UK government-led trade missions taking UK business delegations to international markets to facilitate commercial partnerships, buyer introductions, and market entry support. Includes sector-specific missions such as FinTech (New York), Education (Nigeria), and cross-sector buyer network launches (Philippines). Reference:.
• DRIVE35 Programme UK government funding programme under DBT/DBT with £4bn allocated to support UK manufacturing innovation, including feasibility studies and scale-up investments such as the £650,000 award for Sarginsons Industries' near-zero carbon casting hub project. Reference:.
• National Quantum Standards Network UK government-coordinated £10 million programme to coordinate standards for quantum technologies, positioning UK standards as global benchmarks through the Digital Standards Strategy 2026-2030. Expected to reshape sectors from finance to healthcare. Reference:.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5.7 million UK private sector businesses supported
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• National Physical LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026National Physical Laboratory leading the £10 million National Quantum Standards Network to coordinate standards for quantum technologies expected to reshape sectors from finance to healthcare. Part of UK's Digital Standards Strategy 2026-2030 to position international standards as strategic infrastructure.
• Department for Business and TradecoreOthers · 18 May 2026Funding partnership providing £650,000 to Sarginsons Industries for Scale-Up Feasibility Study through UK's £4bn DRIVE35 programme for Future Foundry project targeting world's first near-zero carbon casting hub. Collaboration also involves Advanced Propulsion Centre UK and Innovate UK.
• Advanced Propulsion Centre UKcoreOthers · 18 May 2026Co-funder of £650,000 DRIVE35 programme funding for Sarginsons Industries Future Foundry feasibility study.
• Innovate UKcoreOthers · 18 May 2026Co-funder of £650,000 DRIVE35 programme funding for Sarginsons Industries Future Foundry feasibility study.
• Department for TradecoreOthers · 15 May 2026Department for Trade (OPDC parent) secured land agreement to unify 70 acres at Old Oak as single development site for £10bn regeneration including 8,000 homes, commercial space, and enhanced public realms.
• Network RailcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2026Network Rail land agreement partner for Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation's 70-acre unification around HS2's Old Oak Common station. Part of £10bn regeneration scheme expected to create 11,000 jobs.
• WayveflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 May 2026Wayve, London-based autonomous driving software developer, signed MoU with UK Government to collaborate on safety research, regulatory approvals, and accelerating self-driving vehicle deployment. Follows Wayve's $1.5 billion funding round and strategic partnership with Uber for London robotaxi trials.
• WayveflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026MoU signed between UK Government (through Department for Business and Trade) and Wayve to accelerate the development and deployment of self-driving vehicles in Britain. Partnership focuses on shared research in safety assurance, simulation at scale, and integration of autonomous technology into production-ready vehicles. Expected to anchor high-value manufacturing, skilled jobs, and investment in the UK automotive ecosystem.
• Nigeria Federal GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026Federal Government of Nigeria reaffirmed commitment to education sector transformation through strategic partnership with UK Department for Business and Trade. Focus on expanding international school campuses in Nigeria cities (Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano, Kaduna) and skills-to-employment pathways.
• NigeriacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 April 2026UK-Nigeria Trade Mission on education and skills concluded week-long visit meeting Nigerian policymakers and education stakeholders in Abuja and Lagos. Organized by UK Department for Business and Trade as part of Britain's International Education Strategy. Exploring UK school establishments in Nigeria and technical vocational training programs.
• Hospitality Sector CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 March 2026Hospitality Tech360 partnership with Hospitality Sector Council to host trial phase of Hospitality Innovation Lab at Excel London. Developed in collaboration with L Marks and Department for Business & Trade. Program designed to identify and trial technology solutions boosting productivity and supporting long-term resilience across UK hospitality sector.
• L MarksminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 March 2026Co-developer of Hospitality Innovation Lab trial phase alongside Hospitality Tech360 and Department for Business & Trade.
• UK Space AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026UK Space Agency leading coordinated package for in-orbit pharmaceutical manufacturing, in partnership with MHRA, Regulatory Innovation Office, and Civil Aviation Authority. Package includes regulatory guidance, case studies, regulatory sandbox, and supply-chain engagement for space-based research to patient access pathways.
• MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026Co-partner with UK Space Agency, Regulatory Innovation Office, and Civil Aviation Authority for in-orbit pharmaceutical manufacturing regulatory framework.
• Regulatory Innovation OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026Co-partner for space-manufactured drugs regulatory sandbox and guidance development.
• Civil Aviation AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026Co-partner for space-manufactured drugs regulatory framework alongside UK Space Agency and MHRA.
• UK-Philippines Buyer NetworkcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 March 2026British Embassy Manila launched UK-Philippines Buyer Network to connect Filipino retailers and distributors with British brands, supported by UK Department for Business and Trade. Aims to facilitate introductions between Filipino buyers and UK exporters, provide market intelligence, and organize sourcing events across Asia Pacific.
• BulgariacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2026UK-Bulgaria Strategic Partnership on semiconductor innovation, investment, and skills development. Science and Technology Network (STN) and DBT facilitating collaboration between UK expertise and Bulgaria's growing auto electronics sector. Bulgaria produces approximately 80% of sensors used in European cars. Next step involves establishing green silicon carbide wafer factory in Bulgaria, linking UK compound semiconductor innovation with Bulgarian manufacturing capacity.
• Empire FinTech WeekcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 March 2019Department for International Trade selected 13 British FinTech companies to attend UK trade mission to Empire FinTech Week in New York City. Organized under 2016-2019 May Conservative government.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• US International Trade Administration: Operates within the US Department of Commerce and is the closest functional equivalent to DIT/DBT: it promotes US exports, attracts inward investment, enforces trade agreements, and resolves trade disputes with foreign counterparts.
• JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization): Government-affiliated agency that promotes Japanese exports, attracts FDI, and supports Japanese SMEs expanding abroad — directly comparable to DIT's trade mission, export finance, and investment facilitation functions.
• Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI): Germany's federal inward investment and export promotion agency. Performs the same trio of activities as DIT — supporting German exporters, attracting FDI to Germany, and providing market intelligence — and serves as the principal European benchmark.
• Business France: French national agency supporting French companies internationally and promoting inward investment, with a similar mix of trade missions, sector-specific support (e.g., Tech, AI, automotive) and MoU-style partnerships with foreign governments.
• Austrade (Australian Trade and Investment Commission): Australian government's trade promotion, investment attraction, and tourism agency. Runs comparable trade missions, education export programmes (a major Australian export), and bilateral partnership brokering — especially in Asia-Pacific markets overlapping with DIT.
• Enterprise Singapore: Singaporean government agency driving enterprise development and trade. Notable for its strong sector-specific approach (e.g., FinTech, advanced manufacturing) and bilateral partnerships that mirror DIT's UK-Singapore and CPTPP-region engagement.
• European Commission DG Trade: EU-level directorate responsible for EU trade policy, negotiations (including CPTPP and bilateral FTAs), and trade defence. Functions as the supranational peer to DIT and is the principal counterpart on UK-EU post-Brexit trade arrangements.
• Global Affairs Canada: Canadian federal department overseeing trade, investment, and international diplomacy. Combines trade promotion, FTA negotiation (CPTPP member), and economic partnership functions similar to DIT's integrated mandate.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (New Zealand): New Zealand's MFAT combines trade policy, export promotion, and diplomatic representation. As the original CPTPP convenor, it is a particularly close peer for DIT's CPTPP accession strategy and Asia-Pacific trade mission focus.

Broad incumbents

• Japan METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry): Japanese ministry combining industrial policy, energy, and international trade. Comparable to DIT/DBT in its broad economic-promotion remit and ability to align standards, funding (e.g., DRIVE35 equivalents), and bilateral MoUs around strategic technologies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/tradegovuk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uk-department-for-international-trade

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about Department for International Trade