Deeptech Meets the Real Economy: Reflections from SME XPO 2025
This month, the ArbaLabs team attended SME XPO 2025 in London - a major event focused on supporting high-growth small and medium-sized businesses in the UK.
OPINION
David Kim
6/24/20252 min read
On June 11, 2025 NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang made a bold but measured statement: quantum computing is reaching an inflection point. That phrase: “inflection point” means something very specific in deeptech. It signals a shift from speculative R&D to tangible systems, from theoretical vulnerability to practical readiness.
At ArbaLabs, we spend a lot of time thinking about what it means to build trust into the systems that matter most especially at the edge, where connectivity is limited and decisions have real-world consequences. So when someone like Huang puts quantum computing on the mainstream trajectory, it’s worth reflecting on what it means not just for AI, but for the security and resilience of infrastructure overall.
What Happens When Deeptech Leaves the Lab?
A consistent thread across the panels and exhibitions was this: every sector is becoming tech-enabled, but few are ready to manage the risks that come with it.
From logistics firms using real-time AI forecasting, to manufacturers embedding sensors in their machinery, the demand for trustworthy, lightweight, and verifiable tech is real — and rising. These aren’t buzzwords. They’re operational needs.
For ArbaLabs, it was a chance to listen, learn, and reconnect with the question that underpins everything we build:
What does it take for someone to trust a system they can’t see - especially when it’s making decisions on their behalf?
The Quiet Rise of Frontier Tech in the SME World
SME XPO wasn’t about shiny product launches. It was about resilience, clarity, and fit-for-purpose innovation. And surprisingly, deeptech is becoming part of that conversation — not through hype, but through utility.
We spoke with founders building robotics tools for waste sorting, supply chain managers exploring verifiable provenance, and agri-tech startups testing AI at the farm edge. What they all shared was this:
They’re not waiting for big enterprise pipelines to “adopt” innovation. They’re building with urgency - and with constraints.
That’s exactly where secure, efficient, and lightweight infrastructure matters most.
Bridging the Gap: Why SME Voices Matter in Deeptech
Events like SME XPO highlight something we think often gets overlooked: deeptech doesn’t scale through press releases — it scales through relevance.
As ArbaLabs continues its journey in edge AI, blockchain-integrated security, and embedded trust, we’re committed to making sure what we build isn’t just technically elegant, but practically usable — by the people who are solving real-world problems in energy, logistics, agriculture, and beyond.
Closing Thought
SME XPO 2025 reminded us that the future of tech isn’t just about the next great leap. It’s about the everyday systems that quietly keep our world running — and making sure they’re built on trust.
We left inspired, humbled, and energised.
And more convinced than ever that building trust at the edge begins with listening at the centre.
David Kim
📩 david@arbalabs.com
🌐 arbalabs.com
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About Author:
David is a global tech analyst and storyteller exploring how frontier technologies like edge AI and blockchain are shaping our collective future. At ArbaLabs, he curates insights, trends, and conversations that bridge innovation with society. His focus: making complex ideas accessible and inspiring curiosity across sectors.
