Legal Geek and tech incubator CodeBase have secured £3m in funding from the UK Government to take over a two-year contract for the operation and development of LawTechUK on 1 April 2023.
The LawtechUK initiative was launched by the Government in 2019, when Tech Nation was tasked with incubating LawtechUK with an initial £2m investment.
The RFP for a new contract was posted by the Ministry of Justice in October last year. It is unclear whether Tech Nation, which is due to close this month after losing out on a £12.1m government grant to Barclays Eagle Labs, was initially part of the process.
Since its launch, LawtechUK has made significant strides in its mission to create a global lawtech ecosystem, supporting over 100 lawtech startups through its Lawtech Sandbox.
Speaking to Legal IT Insider, Legal Geek director Beth Fellner said: “CodeBase is the biggest incubator in the UK with a huge number of startup programmes. We run events and help develop the community side. As organisations we have really clear roles and are excited to work together to really develop and grow LawTechUK from all sides.”
The consortium plans to continue the LawtechUK brand and build on the existing initiatives. Stephen Coleman, OBE, CEO of CodeBase: “We are over the moon to have secured the contract with the Ministry of Justice to bring the LawtechUK programme to life. Together with our delivery partners Legal Geek, who are renowned for delivering top-tier legal events, we are eager to push the boundaries of innovation and transformation in the legal industry. We truly believe that LawtechUK will have a significant impact on the future of the legalsector, and we feel privileged to be leading the charge in this endeavour.”
Mike Freer, Justice Minister added: “The UK is a world leader in delivering legal services and expertise, and our ongoing investment in new technologies will make sure we are continuing to lead the way in advances and new ways of working. CodeBase and Legal Geek bring a wealth of experience and knowledge of LawtechUK that will nurture new, cutting-edge innovation in the UK.”
caroline@legaltechnology.com