Recent studies provide some strong evidence on the pathways through which public R&D support – for both business and university [...]
The UK Hydrogen Innovation Opportunity
Mark McNeill2024-05-30T11:40:28+01:00The report considers the full end-to-end nature of the hydrogen economy to ensure there is a common understanding of the [...]
The role of intermediate Research, Development and Innovation institutes in building regional and sectoral innovation capabilities
Mark McNeill2024-05-22T15:22:26+01:00Executive Summary The UK has an internationally competitive science base, but its success in measures such as the world share [...]
Northern Ireland Deeptech Index
Mark McNeill2024-04-08T14:44:20+01:00This report provides a snapshot of Northern Ireland’s digital and deeptech innovation-driven enterprises (IDEs) established since 2017. It delves into [...]
Innovation and Risk Management -Good Practice Guide
Stephen Herdman2023-06-29T13:15:47+01:00The Northern Ireland Audit Office has published a new report developing a good practice guide for Innovation and Risk management.
Support for innovation to deliver net zero
Stephen Herdman2023-05-24T14:24:28+01:00The NAO’s latest study scrutinises whether the government is set up to deliver value for money from its approach to investment in research and innovation to deliver net zero.
UK Science and Technology Framework
Stephen Herdman2023-03-08T10:08:16+00:00The Science and Technology Framework is the strategic anchor that government policy will deliver against, and which the government will hold itself accountable to.
Digital technology in freight
Stephen Herdman2023-02-28T09:37:22+00:00This POSTnote reviews the digital technologies that support freight transport, considering the benefits and challenges associated with their use.
Understanding Cluster Growth Potential
Stephen Herdman2022-12-02T09:46:07+00:00The report surveyed three clusters selected in consultation with Innovate UK – East Midlands medical technologies, Solent marine and maritime, and Belfast cyber security.
EPSRC Strategic Delivery Plan 2022-2025
Stephen Herdman2022-11-24T10:07:49+00:00The strategic delivery plan details how engineering and physical sciences deliver ideas, innovations and technologies that are needed for a sustainable, resilient and prosperous UK.
Making a Better Future
Stephen Herdman2022-10-17T15:55:11+01:00This document outlines the strategic priorities for the newly established Makers Alliance
Automation in Military Operations
Stephen Herdman2022-10-10T10:20:54+01:00Automation in Military Operations Advances in robotics and digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), are enabling greater levels of [...]
Innovate UK Strategic Delivery Plan
Stephen Herdman2022-09-05T11:06:22+01:00Innovate UK, the UK’s Innovation Agency and part of UKRI, has published its Strategic Delivery Plan for 2022-25 which sets out Innovate UK’s long-term ambitions and intended outcomes for the next three years. The SDP shows how their work delivers against the UKRI strategy and mission.
Backing Innovation-Led Businesses 2022
Stephen Herdman2022-07-15T09:54:36+01:00Backing Innovation-Led Businesses 2022 The ‘Backing innovation-led businesses: the role of public investment’ report examines, for the first time, how [...]
Building a Net Zero Future
Stephen Herdman2022-07-06T10:19:29+01:00Showcasing impact stories that demonstrate how engineering and physical sciences research can engineer a net zero world.
Mobile Action Plan for Northern Ireland
Stephen Herdman2022-06-28T09:19:09+01:00The Department for the Economy has published MAP NI which identifies the main restrictions to the roll-out of mobile technologies and provides solutions to overcome these barriers.
An Evaluation of the Small Business Research Initiative
Stephen Herdman2022-05-17T13:14:14+01:00An Evaluation of the Small Business Research Initiative A new report from Innovate UK that evaluates and showcases the success [...]
UKRI Strategy 2022-2027 – Transforming tomorrow together
Stephen Herdman2022-05-10T11:18:38+01:00This sets out long-term, high-level priorities for how UKRI will deliver their vision for an outstanding research and innovation system in the UK that provides everyone with the opportunity to contribute and to benefit, enriching lives locally, nationally and globally.
Spotlight on Spinouts 2022
Stephen Herdman2022-04-04T14:25:04+01:00Latest analysis of the UK spinouts landscape identifies top universities, local authorities, sectors and investors. Findings highlight gender imbalance among leadership, success across UK regions and the impact of Covid-19.
Global Entrepreneurship Monitor – Northern Ireland Report 2020
Stephen Herdman2022-03-02T14:31:06+00:00Global Entrepreneurship Monitor - Northern Ireland Report 2020 Queen’s University Belfast has developed a research paper, the 2020 Global Entrepreneurship [...]
Levelling Up the United Kingdom
Stephen Herdman2022-03-02T14:32:04+00:00The UK Government has published its Levelling Up White Paper, setting out a plan to transform the UK by spreading opportunity and prosperity to all parts of it.
Physics and the Economy: Measuring the value of physics-based industries in the UK
Stephen Herdman2022-03-02T14:32:53+00:00Physics and the Economy: Measuring the value of physics-based industries in the UK The new Physics and the Economy project [...]
Building the future economy: plan for action for UK business innovation
Stephen Herdman2022-03-02T14:45:27+00:00Building the future economy: plan for action for UK business innovation Business innovation is the commercially successful application of ideas. [...]
UK’s Industrial Policy: Learning from the past?
Stephen Herdman2022-03-14T12:22:49+00:00This report by The Productivity Institute looks at the decisions of successive UK Government's over the last 50 years to attempt to glean learnings from what has worked well and what has worked not so well in improving the rate of productivity in the UK economy.
Science Advice in the UK
Stephen Herdman2021-09-24T10:19:49+01:00This report aims to inform other governments about the evolution and function of science advice in the UK, illustrating how structures and processes have been developed and embedded, highlighting key strengths and attributes, as well as articulating where the tensions and challenges lie.
TechIreland Healthtech Report 2021
Stephen Herdman2022-03-14T10:14:33+00:00HealthTech Report 2021 TechIreland - Innovation island has produced the 2021 Health Tech Report 2021. The report looks at the [...]
Management practices and innovation, Great Britain
Stephen Herdman2022-03-14T12:09:15+00:00Using firm level survey data, this report from the Office of National Statistics explores the relationship between management practices and innovative activity, including formal R&D.
The next normal arrives: Trends that will define 2021—and beyond
Stephen Herdman2022-03-14T13:44:31+00:002021 will be the year of transition. Barring any unexpected catastrophes, individuals, businesses, and society can start to look forward to shaping their futures rather than just grinding through the present.
Late-stage R&D: business perspectives
Stephen Herdman2021-08-03T11:31:58+01:00This report uses real-world examples to illustrate how different businesses conduct late-stage R&D, the range of activities and the resources they draw upon.
Strategic Innovation Opportunities for NI
Stephen Herdman2021-08-03T11:15:19+01:00Matrix commissioned this study to explore the links between research excellence and innovation in Northern Ireland.
The Top Trends in Tech
Stephen Herdman2021-07-22T10:15:36+01:00Which technologies have the most momentum in an accelerating world? McKinsey has identified the trends that matter most.
Northern Ireland Strategic Innovation Opportunities Report
Stephen Herdman2021-05-05T09:33:57+01:00In terms of strengths in innovation activities, NI’s overall performance in innovation activity is below average, both in comparison to EU and other UK regions however Northern Ireland performs well in terms of IP generated and commercialised through spin-out companies, with the majority generated by Queen’s University.
Tech Nation Report 2021 – The future UK tech built
Stephen Herdman2021-03-16T14:33:09+00:00Now in its seventh year, the report highlights how the sector has changed, who the top performers were through the year, and the challenges and opportunities the UK faces as it navigates out of the pandemic and leaving the EU.
UK Research and Innovation’s management of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund
Stephen Herdman2021-02-10T13:34:59+00:00This report examines whether the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund has been set up in a way likely to optimise value for money. The report examines the establishment of the Fund, in particular whether it has attracted sufficient good-quality bids, whether the selection processes have been efficient and whether the budget is managed effectively and the approach to monitoring and evaluating the Fund’s performance, as well as its performance to date.
UK Innovation Report
Stephen Herdman2021-02-10T13:36:28+00:00This report provides a review of the UK’s industrial and innovation performance in a global context, drawing upon the latest available international indicators.
Spotlight on Spinouts
Stephen Herdman2021-01-22T15:02:49+00:00The analysis in this report is based on Beauhurst’s data on 1,424 spinouts – both alive and dead – that have spun out or met one of Beauhurst’s tracking triggers since 2011.
Network Effects – The innovation multipliers of international collaboration for cities and subnational governments
Stephen Herdman2020-09-22T16:54:23+01:00This research report reviews the innovation benefits for cities and subnational governments of international collaboration.
The Sustainability Trends Report 2020
Stephen Herdman2020-08-14T15:01:55+01:00The Sustainability Trends Report 2020 The Sustainability Trends Report 2020 explores key choices that governments, the private sector and communities face [...]
The Great Innovation Challenge: How challenge prizes can kick-start the British economy
Stephen Herdman2020-07-29T10:01:11+01:00In this paper, Nesta sets out how an ambitious programme of challenge prizes could play a vital role in the revitalised UK innovation funding system envisioned in the government’s R&D Roadmap.
UK Research and Development Roadmap
Stephen Herdman2020-07-01T14:01:34+01:00Over the coming months the UK government will develop the proposals in this Roadmap into a comprehensive R&D plan, working very closely with the devolved administrations where plans cover or impact on their devolved policy responsibilities.
The Missing £4 Billion – Making R&D work for the whole UK
Stephen Herdman2020-06-11T14:39:56+01:00The Missing £4 Billion - Making R&D work for the whole UK For many people and places across the UK, [...]
Industrial Strategy Council – Annual Report 2020
Stephen Herdman2020-02-21T12:24:23+00:00The Industrial Strategy Council is an independent non-statutory advisory group comprised of leading men and women from business, academia and civil society. This first Annual Report provides the Council’s independent assessment on the progress of the Industrial Strategy.
Is the UK getting innovation right?
Stephen Herdman2020-02-20T11:53:21+00:00This new study shows the public sees innovation as a vital tool in tackling major challenges facing the UK – both economic and social.
Innovation Brokerage – Enabling collaborations through emerging digital tech
Stephen Herdman2020-02-05T09:35:09+00:00This report examines the phenomenon of ‘digital innovation brokerage’ that aims to connect ideas, people, organisations, and communities through digital technologies.
Lawtech: a comparative analysis of legal technology in the UK and in other jurisdictions
Stephen Herdman2019-12-30T12:07:44+00:00A comparative analysis of public, private and third sector accelerators to lawtech innovation and adoption in the UK and in other jurisdictions. This study is based on data available up to August 2019.
Innovation in Europe
Stephen Herdman2019-10-24T17:41:20+01:00This discussion paper suggests five paths for Europe to regain its competitive edge, not by trying to play catch-up while hindered by fragmentation and lack of scale, but by changing the game to build on its strengths.
20 Tools for Innovating in Government
Stephen Herdman2019-09-18T12:26:16+01:00This handbook is a digest of 20 tools that are proven to help innovation flourish inside government, based on Nesta's work over more than a decade in UK local and central government, as well as with more than 30 international governments.
Europe AgriFood Tech Investing Report 2018
Stephen Herdman2019-09-02T15:37:12+01:00In this inaugural European food tech and agtech startup report in collaboration with F&A Next, Agfunder details the $1.6bn of funding across 421 deals. While this was on par with the total in 2017, there was 23% growth in the number of deals and the majority of activity took place at the earliest stages.
Agricultural Robotics: The Future of Robotic Agriculture
Stephen Herdman2019-09-02T15:42:52+01:00Agricultural Robotics: The Future of Robotic Agriculture The recent commitment of a £90million investment by the government (Transforming Food Production [...]
Preparing for a changing world
Stephen Herdman2019-09-02T15:21:00+01:00This document builds on POST’s previous publication, Topics of Interest 2018 and represents evidence gathered between May 2018 and April 2019. Topics included consist of areas of change with a larger volume of evidence attached that are likely to have significant impact, as these are most likely to be of most interest to Parliament.
Innovation with a Purpose: The role of technology innovation in accelerating food systems transformation
Stephen Herdman2019-08-21T14:23:48+01:00This report aims to identify emerging technology innovations that have the potential to drive rapid progress in the sustainability, inclusivity, efficiency and health impacts of food systems to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
The strategic integration of skills & innovation policy in Northern Ireland
Stephen Herdman2019-09-18T15:23:49+01:00This report by David Skilling describes the way in which skills policy and innovation policy in small advanced economies is designed, and in particular the way in which skills and innovation policy is integrated. It draws on this international small economy experience to identify a series of policy implications for Northern Ireland.
Making a Difference – why women in STEM become innovators
Stephen Herdman2019-08-08T14:26:48+01:00Improving the ratio of women to men in STEM innovation by just 1% has the potential to increase company revenues in that sector by over £300 million per annum - thanks to diverse perspectives and backgrounds delivering innovation that’s more in tune with customers and society.
Building Innovation Superclusters
Stephen Herdman2019-08-08T14:32:33+01:00This report explores what Innovation Superclusters are, how they are formed, and how countries can get started building one.
Ireland’s Competitiveness Scorecard 2019
Stephen Herdman2019-08-08T20:31:12+01:00The National Competitiveness Council (NCC) reports to the Taoiseach and the Government, through the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation on key competitiveness issues facing the Irish economy and offers recommendations on policy actions required to enhance Ireland’s competitive position.
A compendium of innovation methods
Stephen Herdman2019-08-08T14:35:22+01:00This compendium brings together some of Nesta's innovation experience over the years. Each section gives a simple introduction to the method and describes Nesta’s work in relation to it. In each case they have also provided a link to further relevant resources and inspiration on their website.
Move fast and fix things
Stephen Herdman2019-08-08T14:51:50+01:00This report counters the long-held caricature of the state as a slow, lumbering, bureaucratic machine and sets out to find the people, processes and practices in government that are ‘moving fast, and fixing things’ and demonstrating a new kind of public entrepreneurship. It draws on several examples of work done in Northern Ireland.
Topics of Interest 2018
Stephen Herdman2019-09-02T15:18:07+01:00This list sets out the topic areas identified of possible parliamentary interest under the 9 different category headings (Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Forestry, Crime, Defence, Education and Skills, Energy, Environment, Health, ICT and Robotics and Transport and Infrastructure).
Now is the Time to Innovate: The Road to 3 per cent
Stephen Herdman2019-08-08T15:41:19+01:00In this report, the CBI calls for a commitment to spending 3% of GDP on R&D by 2025 – a joint target to be met by the private sector and government.
Growing and Diversifying the Export Base
Stephen Herdman2019-08-08T17:02:02+01:00This report seeks to assess how NI might grow and diversify its export base and how Government can support that growth.
The 2014 Intellectual Capital Report
Stephen Herdman2019-08-08T18:22:34+01:00The main objectives of this study are to gain an insight of the level of awareness amongst indigenous MATRIX industry-based Northern Irish businesses of their Intellectual Capital and examine the processes that may be employed to drive and support economic growth by exploiting intellectual capital and local innovation.
The 2008 Public Procurement of Innovative Science & Technology Solutions Report
Stephen Herdman2019-08-08T17:54:05+01:00The report makes recommendations into how public procurement can be undertaken in more innovative ways in Northern Ireland.
The First Matrix Report 2008
Stephen Herdman2023-11-13T16:12:27+00:00The report highlights the need to create and maintain a new working environment for business, government and academia where they can combine their resources in a market led approach to innovation.