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How do we engineer and innovate for a better world? That's the question that scientists are trying to answer, with the help of R&D investment.
Innovation is driven by three things: people, their ideas, and collaboration. That's the opinion of the professor Mike Short, chief scientific advisor at the UK's Department for Business and Trade (DBT). And according to the UN Global Compact 2022, achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals doesn't just need accumulative innovation but "breakthrough innovation."
It's breakthrough innovation that will help meet those goals by 2030, while creating a $12 trillion market opportunity. But what defines "breakthrough innovation" and what is the UK's role in this global imperative?
We've got a great research community, Nobel prize winners, and our R&D budget has increased.Mike Short, chief scientific advisor at the UK's Department for Business and Trade
The Compact describes breakthrough innovation as a set of behaviors that includes adopting a new mindset, building new business models, and developing and deploying disruptive technologies. Harvard Business School defines innovation as human-centered, original, and useful. Innovation is also driven by a robust Research & Development budget. According to the Global Innovation Index 2022, global government R&D investment is growing and the UK is ranked fourth for global innovation (and third most innovative economy in Europe).
"We've got a great research community, Nobel prize winners, world-class universities, our citations are highly-regarded, and the public R&D budget is increasing," Short said. "In terms of innovation and people, the UK is really strong."
How the UK is breaking barriers
In November 2022, the UK government signaled its dedication to R&D by committing to a budget of £20 billion, a £5 billion increase from 2021-22. Furthermore, according to government research, every £1 of public investment attracts £2 of private investment. The UK and worldwide R&D community is stepping up.
"If we don't innovate, we can't improve the world. How do we engineer and innovate for a better world?" Short said. "Space observation is vital for our planet — the UK invests in the European Space Agency and at the Space Cluster at Harwell, a significant science and innovation park."
Breaking barriers in space is the domain of UK-based ALL.SPACE, manufacturers of the world's first multi-orbit "smart terminal" that connects multiple satellites for secure communication in the harshest environments. Used by the US military, ALL.SPACE is growing its ambition to provide world-critical communication and intelligence — and international collaboration is a key component of success.
Satellite Vu is also driving UK-based innovation via its unique high resolution thermal imaging technology which captures data from space. Its products monitor the Earth's thermal activity which in turn provides global governments and commercial businesses with essential data for a net zero future.
Jo Hawley, deputy director for aerospace, space and automotive at DBT, reported that the UK space sector spent £836 million on R&D in 2021. This investment, Hawley said, supports the UK "to lead pioneering scientific discoveries, inspire the nation and assert the UK's leadership as a science superpower. We are recognized for our science and innovation, driving £6 billion in investments into UK-headquartered space companies between 2012 and 2021, and we're growing from strength to strength."
Scaling international innovation
Short is committed to developing international relations: "R&D is not done by government alone — it's done with global industry," he said. "Governments must lead and collaborate with the wider industry to support the internationalization of opportunities."
"The UK's stature in life-sciences and health innovation is a major attraction for cutting-edge global companies such as Moderna and BioNTech, who have both recently committed to strategic R&D partnerships with the UK," said Bill Lindsay, specialist in life sciences at DBT.
The UK is a globally important place for life sciences.Gordon Sanghera, CEO of Oxford Nanopore Technologies
Oxford Nanopore Technologies was established in 2005 as a spin out from the University of Oxford, and now has over 1,000 employees, as well as customers in more than 120 countries. The company has developed a new generation of molecular sensing technology, the first application of which is DNA/RNA sequencing. This pioneering firm produces world-first sequencing devices that analyze "pocket to population-size" data. Its mission — to enable analysis of anything, by anyone, anywhere — aims to benefit all society; applications include biomedical research and healthcare, food and agriculture, and environmental analyses.
The company has reported strong growth of its life science research tools business, reflected in the international footprint of its commercial and distribution operations. In 2021, the estimated value of life sciences' foreign direct investment in the UK was £1.9 billion, behind only the USA. "The UK is a globally important place for life sciences and we're proud to work with the DBT as we expand our international footprint," said Gordon Sanghera, CEO of Oxford Nanopore Technologies.
Breakthrough R&D for long-term impact
DBT has also invested in a particular emerging technology: quantum computing. Based on quantum theory which analyzes behaviors on an atomic or subatomic level, quantum computing potentially has the capacity to handle masses of information and extract possibilities that, according to a team of experimental physicists at Google, might otherwise take thousands of years to extract. Short believes quantum computing will transform the way we live now and beyond. "While we won't see a quantum computer for four to five years," he said, "quantum key distribution, sensing, and imaging will be valuable to our security, environment, and health."
In 2022, Japan's leading IT provider Fujitsu announced an initial £22 million investment in its UK Centre for Cognitive and Advanced Technologies. Tim Kay, director for science and technology at DBT, said: "We were delighted by Fujitsu's commitment to the center, which focuses on emerging tech including quantum computing. Fujitsu is one of many companies to realize their innovation strategies by harnessing the UK's thriving research ecosystem."
Fujitsu UK is developing the world's first quantum-inspired computer, known as Digital Annealer, which is 10,000 times faster than a classical computer. Fujitsu's Digital Annealer is accelerating R&D in areas including drug discovery, space sustainability and environmental issues.
Clark Vasey, head of corporate affairs at Fujitsu UK and Ireland, said: "The DBT has provided active support at every stage of our investment activity. They recognize the importance of attracting tech investment into the UK and make the strategic case for technologies like quantum. The confidence which the Government is building in the UK's science and technology agenda will be vital to the next stage of our ambitions."
At DBT, Short said, the constant refrain is "How can we help communities come together? Improve accessibility? How can people learn wherever they are?" The future, with the aid of advanced R&D, "holds so many connected activities."
It's a future where UK R&D will continue to prove businesses have the capability to connect international communities, improve lives and make a positive impact on a global scale.
This post was created by Insider Studios with the UK's Department for Business and Trade.