Written evidence submitted the Royal Society of Chemistry (IGR0031)
About the Royal Society of Chemistry
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1. How does the Government drive research and innovation in our regions?
Research by the Enterprise Research Centre for the RSC in 2022 included a review of R&D and innovation support in the UK and internationally and suggested that the UK has a well-developed national R&D and innovation support system which offers a wide range of public support for innovating firms across the country.[1] The study identified two main challenges to commercialisation in the UK innovation ecosystem, specifically relevant for deep tech chemistry small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) - a subset of businesses that are using chemistry as the core of disruptive technologies:
1) Within the context of the UK system supporting R&D and innovation there is a highly localised dimension to the commercialisation landscape with different universities having different priorities in terms of commercialisation, incubation and business acceleration activity. Technology transfer capabilities and links to potential sources of investment also differ markedly between institutions as does success in accessing national schemes such as Knowledge Transfer Partnerships. Combined with the variability of quality related research funding between institutions, it is evident that there is considerable geographical variation for chemistry SMEs seeking support from their local university and associated networks.
2) The effectiveness of the UK innovation system in supporting commercialisation has been questioned. Despite recent developments, interviews in the study suggest issues remain around the availability of premises and laboratories, finance, entrepreneurship and leadership skills, barriers to university-business collaboration and the suitability of the current grant regime to deep tech firms. Limitations in the support available for commercialisation often overlap with the regional disparities noted in the first point. The RSC engaged with deep tech chemistry ventures and the wider ecosystem, to identify the driving forces behind the lack of availability of premises and laboratories for these businesses. Main drivers include, again, the impact of geographical location, a lack of investment, and a complex planning environment.[2]
[1] ERC commissioned by RSC, What works for innovation: Supporting R&D and innovation in deep tech chemistry SMEs, 2022. See https://www.rsc.org/globalassets/22-new-perspectives/discovery/igniting-innovation/what-works-for-innovation-report.pdf
[2] RSC, Unlocking innovation: A systems approach to addressing the shortage of chemistry labs for start-ups, September 2024. See https://changemakers.rsc.org/rsc-site/content/Deep-Tech-Chemistry/Lab-access.aspx
The RSC has been supportive of the development of the Scottish Government National innovation strategy 2023 to 2033 and the Welsh Government Wales innovates strategy, as such the UK Government should seek to harness devolution in the nations by supporting these strategies, helping to create a policy environment in the innovation space that will aid devolved governments in achieving their objectives.
Research by the Enterprise Research Centre for the RSC in 2022 [1] and by the RSC in 2024 [2] suggests several areas where devolution could be harnessed to support innovation, with a focus on deep tech chemistry small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) - a subset of businesses that are using chemistry as the core of disruptive technologies:
Brokering agglomeration
Challenge faced: Deep tech chemistry-based SMEs find it easier to operate in the Golden Triangle due to existing infrastructure and support but face significant challenges elsewhere.
Suggested measure: Establish new clusters of SMEs in other regions to achieve agglomeration effects similar to those in the South East. Local governments can play a crucial role by developing regional incubators and accelerators into substantial entities capable of supporting businesses from establishment to maturity. This approach would require partnerships with the private sector to ensure sustainability and cost-effectiveness.
Addressing shortfall in labs
Challenge faced: Many innovative chemistry firms lack access to suitable labs for research and scale-up, driven by factors such as lack of investment, complex planning environments, and chemistry-specific requirements not considered during property development.
Suggested measure: Local government could engage with the chemistry sector to understand their needs and implement supportive policies and interventions. This could include addressing the planning and development challenges specific to this sector.
Leveraging public support
Evidence: According to CaSE Public Attitudes to R&D 2022-23 [3], a significant portion of the public supports the construction of new research labs in their local areas, citing benefits to the local economy and job creation.
Suggested measure: Local governments could capitalize on this public support by promoting the development of research facilities. This can be achieved through the development of supportive policies and identification of potential sites in Local Plans, implementation through their role as Local Planning Authorities and fostering partnerships between public and private sectors.
[1] ERC commissioned by RSC, What works for innovation: Supporting R&D and innovation in deep tech chemistry SMEs, 2022. See https://www.rsc.org/globalassets/22-new-perspectives/discovery/igniting-innovation/what-works-for-innovation-report.pdf
[2] RSC, Unlocking innovation: A systems approach to addressing the shortage of chemistry labs for start-ups, September 2024. See https://changemakers.rsc.org/rsc-site/content/Deep-Tech-Chemistry/Lab-access.aspx
[3] Campaign for Science and Engineering, CaSE Public Attitudes to R&D 2022-23, 2023. See https://www.sciencecampaign.org.uk/what-we-do/public-opinion/public-attitudes-to-r-d/
Research by the Enterprise Research Centre for the RSC in 2022 identified challenges in relation to accessing investment, including venture capital and intellectual property rights, specifically relevant for deep tech chemistry small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) - a subset of businesses that are using chemistry as the core of disruptive technologies [1]:
Accessing investment
Suggested measure: Provide IT based platforms to help overcome barriers to accessing angel investment by brokering links between angel investors and potential investment opportunities. This involves reducing the information barriers and allowing investors access to business profiles nationally.
Suggested measure: Increase the understanding of deep tech innovation among funders, potentially targeting the next generation of lenders specifically. This should include building understanding of the specific requirements of deep tech businesses, communicating the importance of weighing up advantages e.g. potential to create new markets vs disadvantages e.g. significant time and capital spend before seeing return, and addressing issues such as IP and intangible assets.
Suggested measure: Introduce interventions that would underwrite the costs of undertaking due diligence by Venture Capital (VC) investors, thereby making the provision of medium sized funding more attractive to VC investors.
Suggested measure: Help investors to outsource the scientific understanding that identifies the most exciting new technologies. We have heard from investors that prior funding from bodies such as Innovate UK (or recognition by a respected body such as a professional body such as the RSC) can act as a “kitemark” of high potential and/or innovative science, reducing the perceived risk and thus requirement for stringent scientific due diligence. Ventures featured in the RSC Investment Catalyst event have attracted £150m of investment since 2017 [2], while SMEs in our broader EnterprisePlus scheme (which has since evolved into the Change Makers deep-tech SME community) have raised a total of £3.5bn in grants and investment [3].
Intellectual property rights
Challenge faced: Concerns about IP leakage are acting to constrain collaboration amongst some businesses. The right locality can be an enabler with access to skills in this area or may not attract the right experienced staff, posing a barrier.
Suggested measure: There is a need for sector specific IP guidance that considers the complexities in chemistry innovation. Accordingly, appropriate advice on how IP can be safeguarded could be very helpful to many businesses working in this area by providing targeted support. Within this, universities have markedly different approaches to dealing with these issues. Accordingly, there would be clear merit in securing widespread HEI engagement with best practice in addressing IP and associated licensing issues.
Infrastructure
Through engagement with deep tech chemistry ventures and the wider ecosystem, we identified the driving forces behind the lack of access to suitable laboratory facilities for these businesses. These drivers include the impact of geographical location, a lack of investment, and a complex planning environment, among others.[4] In relation to this, we welcome the proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system, including to allow the building of new laboratories. Complementing our response to these proposals, we reiterate two areas of focus that could help address the challenges that early-stage deep-tech chemistry ventures in particular encounter in finding suitable and affordable laboratory spaces:
Regulatory frameworks
Research for the RSC by Nutcracker Research in 2024 found that the rate of change of regulations around chemical and product safety, sustainability, manufacturing and transport (among others) was causing difficulty for businesses. [5]
The rate of change means that businesses struggle to plan their work out to an appropriate time horizon, with forecasting beyond around two years deemed impossible. These problems cascade along supply chains as suppliers, manufacturers and users all have to achieve compliance. In addition, it is challenging to find staff with up-to-date knowledge around relevant regulations and experience of working in regulated sectors, particularly for graduate and early-career positions. This is also the case within government and the agencies tasked with making and interpreting regulation as well as monitoring compliance. Resource and skills constraints within government mean there is a lack of responsiveness to the latest developments in chemicals testing and risk management, creating additional unnecessary complications and costs for both regulators and businesses.
Innovate UK have also identified regulatory pressures as a threat to the UK chemicals industry,[6] citing “costly and burdensome” compliance. Regulatory change (in general, and also in divergence from international regulations in the wake of Brexit) further adds complication, particularly when introduced quickly or when multiple changes come in quick succession.
[1] ERC commissioned by RSC, What works for innovation: Supporting R&D and innovation in deep tech chemistry SMEs, 2022. See https://www.rsc.org/globalassets/22-new-perspectives/discovery/igniting-innovation/what-works-for-innovation-report.pdf
[2] RSC, Change Makers Programme: Investment Catalyst, accessed 20 November 2024. See https://changemakers.rsc.org/RSC-Site/content/Programmes-Public/Investment-Catalyst-IC.aspx
[3] RSC, Change Makers website, accessed 20 November 2024. See https://changemakers.rsc.org/
[4] RSC, Unlocking innovation: A systems approach to addressing the shortage of chemistry labs for start-ups, September 2024. See https://changemakers.rsc.org/rsc-site/content/Deep-Tech-Chemistry/Lab-access.aspx
[5] Future Workforce and Educational Pathways, RSC 2025, https://www.rsc.org/policy-evidence-campaigns/discovery-research-and-innovation/discovery-research-innovation-reports-surveys-campaigns/future-workforce-and-educational-pathways
[6] Innovate UK, Sustainable Carbon Ambition for the UK Chemicals Industry, p72; https://iuk.ktn-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/IUK-Sustainable-Carbon-Report.pdf
2. How does research and innovation in our regions drive growth and prosperity in those regions?
Impact of research at UK chemistry departments submitted to REF2021 [1] includes evidence of innovation hubs and clusters supporting regional growth. Examples include:
1) University of Bath in collaboration with the SETSquared business incubator partnership has supported businesses in West England through its Sustainable Technologies Business Acceleration Hub, Digital Business Accelerator Hub and Sustainable Business Support Programme. The Programme is accessible to enterprises across diverse sectors engaged in the development of sustainable or low-carbon products and services and provides support based on specific business requirements. It successfully connected with 240+ companies, yielding approximately 165 gross and 85 net jobs and ultimately contributing to a net value of £13.6 million over three years. [2]
2) Research by Professor Templer’s team at Imperial College, and colleagues at ETH Zurich, led to a world-class cleantech cluster in London. The research conceptualised the design of a near net-zero industrial ecosystem which provided the framework for an EU-funded accelerator programme for new clean technology start-ups. The Climate-Knowledge and Innovation Communities Accelerator Programme ran from 2011-2020 and secured €9.4 million in funding. It supported 64 start-ups in securing €300M in investment; this is a 25-fold return on public funding. Each of the successful start-ups raised over €200K and/or achieved significant sales within 18 months of entering the programme, together creating hundreds of high-skilled job opportunities. Climate-KIC is now Europe’s world-leading climate innovation agency and community, which supports cities, regions and countries to meet their climate ambitions – from net zero goals to climate resilience targets. In light of this success, Professor Templer was asked by the London Sustainable Development Commission to lead a team advising the Mayor of London on how to strengthen the growth of new clean technology (cleantech) businesses in London, creating the ‘Better Future’ roadmap in 2016. [3]
[1] Research Consulting commissioned by RSC, Insights from REF2021, June 2023. See https://www.rsc.org/globalassets/22-new-perspectives/discovery/insights-into-research-excellence-framework-2021/rsc-ref-insights-report.pdf
[2] REF, Environment database, 2022, University of Bath, Unit of assessment 8: Chemistry, Unit environment statement. See https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/environment
[3] REF, Impact case study database, 2022. See https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/impact/ab00642c-abae-42a5-b4e3-d1617368cc7d?page=1
Research by the Enterprise Research Centre for the RSC in 2022 identified key considerations in relation to reducing spatial inequalities, including through investment initiatives, specifically relevant for deep tech chemistry small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) - a subset of businesses that are using chemistry as the core of disruptive technologies [1]:
[1] ERC commissioned by RSC, What works for innovation: Supporting R&D and innovation in deep tech chemistry SMEs, 2022. See https://www.rsc.org/globalassets/22-new-perspectives/discovery/igniting-innovation/what-works-for-innovation-report.pdf
3. How is research and innovation diffused or supported to drive productivity and growth in the regions, wherever it may come from?
Analysis by Research Consulting for the RSC in 2023 evidenced that collaborations between UK chemistry departments and industry to commercialise research are widespread and that chemistry research at UK institutions results in the creation of spinouts and new jobs and the development of new products and processes. [1] Examples include:
1) Collaboration with the University of Hull’s chemistry department resulted in the transformation of a small, struggling supplier of parking and mass transit tickets. A series of externally funded research projects initiated in 2012 (including two Knowledge Transfer Partnerships) enabled Benrose Booth Paragon (renamed ParagonID in 2017) to develop in-house R&D and manufacturing capabilities at their Hull site – one of the UK’s most deprived socioeconomic regions. Through implementing innovative magnetic ink design, manufacture and optimised printing developed through collaborations with the University of Hull, ParagonID grew its customer base and achieved financial sustainability. In 2013-2020, the business increased its workforce (139 to 174), providing well-paid, high-skilled jobs in the local area. Between 2014 and 2016, turnover increased from £8.7M to £22.8M, providing significant tax revenue and boosting pride in local R&D. In 2020, Paragon (ParagonID’s parent company) became the world’s largest provider of paper tickets for the car-parking and transportation markets, manufactured exclusively in Hull. Paragon’s customer base include UK National Rail, TFL, and other international mass-transit systems in Paris, New York, Phoenix, Nice and Cairo. [2]
2) Researchers at the University of Liverpool, initially funded by Pfizer, discovered a new catalytic method for a safe and economically viable asymmetric amine synthesis, useful for supplying novel building blocks for drug molecule discovery programmes. This novel work led to the establishment of Liverpool ChiroChem (LCC) in 2014. LCC now offers over 1,000 products in its online catalogue, specializing in producing essential pharmaceutical building blocks cost-effectively. At their Liverpool R&D hub, LCC has generated over 60 jobs and responding to growing product demand, inaugurated and later expanded a production and analytical facility in China, employing over 40 individuals by 2019. These efforts significantly contribute to Liverpool's employment landscape, injecting an estimated £2.8 million into the regional economy. Financially, LCC has attracted over £6 million in investment funding since 2015. [3]
3) Research conducted at the University of Bristol has resulted in the development of synthetic glucose receptors, promising transformative benefits for individuals with type 1 diabetes. This work has resulted in two successful spin-out companies. The first of these, Ziylo, was co-founded by Professor Davis, leading the work and his final-year chemistry PhD student, Harry Desecroix. Ziylo has since been acquired by Novo Nordisk, the world's leading manufacturer of diabetes medications, in 2018, for a sum of $800 million. This achievement marked Ziylo as the most triumphant spin-out venture from the University of Bristol in the past decade. Additionally, Dr Desecroix played a pivotal role in founding Carbometrics, a sister company to Ziylo, which concentrates on advancing glucose monitoring technologies. Carbometrics has also entered a collaborative research partnership with Novo Nordisk. [4]
4) Pioneering therapies, based on oligonucleotides useful in forensics and genetic testing, emerging from University of Southampton research, have led to a range of commercialisation pathways. First, the research has supplemented the development and distribution of targeted cancer diagnostics through a collaboration with AstraZeneca. This innovation forms the basis of three in vitro diagnostic medical devices marketed by Dutch company Qiagen N.V. Second, a novel technique for rapid DNA sequence analysis (HyBeacons) has contributed to the £200 million sale of a diagnostic company and led to tools used by law enforcement agencies to reduce arrest and conviction delays of criminals. Additionally, the Hybeacons probe technology's diverse applications include predicting individual treatment responses and swiftly diagnosing bacterial infections. Third, the adaption of HyBeacons for rapid forensic testing catalysed the making of the ParaDNA Intelligence System, reducing DNA profiling times to 75 minutes from a few weeks and generated 25 jobs at LGC Forensics. LGC Forensics has since been sold to Eurofins Scientific, allowing employment of the technology at the largest forensic science service provider in the UK and used across Europe, USA and Africa. Fourth, the research fostered the establishment of two UK companies, ATDBio and Primerdesign, together contributing to job creation and rapid diagnoses of infectious diseases, including significant support in COVID-19 research and diagnostics during supply shortages. Overall, therapies have generated revenues exceeding £10 billion from 2014 to 2020 through direct sales and licensing agreements and have positively impacted patients globally. [5]
5) Electrochemistry research conducted from 2001-2018 at the University of Bath led to the development of a new diagnostic technology for infectious diseases. In 2005, the spin-out Atlas Genetics was launched to manufacture and test a novel diagnostic tool using Bath’s electrochemical technology, which was approved for sale in 2014. In 2018, the company, rebranded as Binx Health, launched its point-of-care platform for chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing, binx io. A collaboration with 3 NHS Trusts and St. Georges University of London, enabled the binx io platform to be used in practice, resulting in lab-quality results in 30 minutes and allowing clinicians to test and treat patients in a single visit. As a result of this successful partnership, Binx Health benefited from $55M of new venture capital investment to make a total of $115M raised by the spin-out in 2013-2020. [6]
[1] Research Consulting commissioned by RSC, Insights from REF2021, June 2023. See https://www.rsc.org/globalassets/22-new-perspectives/discovery/insights-into-research-excellence-framework-2021/rsc-ref-insights-report.pdf
[2] REF, Impact case study database, 2022. See https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/impact/1c1b0086-5ee9-4ae3-9dd8-2f99c543f8b4?page=1
[3] REF, Impact case study database, 2022. See https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/impact/ab6dbafe-8a32-418e-b885-77776337c834?page=1
[4] REF, Impact case study database, 2022. See https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/impact/41730e4e-fe1a-46af-86f1-be7c9bb25c18?page=1
[5] REF, Impact case study database, 2022. See https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/impact/82f400e7-a782-4e32-b9c7-65acd98b0d26?page=1
[6] REF, Impact case study database, 2022. See https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/impact/9457bbdf-5f50-4ab6-940c-ad995983f142?page=1
In addition, the Committee welcomes submissions on the following points:
Chemistry, including chemistry research and development, makes a significant contribution to the UK economy. Research by Cambridge Econometrics for the RSC in 2020 showed that over the period 2013-19; the chemistry sector contributed an average of £39 billion per year of Gross Value Added (GVA), and the chemistry workforce contributed an average of £83 billion per annum to UK GDP.[1]
The National Centre for Universities and Business has estimated that in the UK each £1 of public R&D, across disciplines, stimulates between £0.60 to £1.10 of private R&D investment in the short term, and between £3.09 to £4.02 in the long term.[2]
[1] RSC, Chemistry’s contribution: Workforce trends and economic impact summary report, 2020. See https://www.rsc.org/globalassets/22-new-perspectives/talent/chemistrys-contribution-workforce-trends-and-economic-impact/workforce-summary-report.pdf
[2] NCUB, Unlocking growth: The impact of public R&D spending on private sector investment in the UK, 2024. See https://www.ncub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Unlocking-Growth-NCUB-2.pdf
Chemistry underpins several of the UK’s growth sectors, e.g. advanced manufacturing, clean energy industries and life sciences. [1] Impact of research submitted to REF2021 includes evidence of UKRI funded chemistry research contributing to making Britain a clean energy superpower and building an NHS fit for the future. Examples include:
1) Making Britain a clean energy superpower: A group of researchers at the University of St Andrews have been able to solve long-standing stability issues associated with phase-change materials, making possible the development of new formulations that efficiently store and reproducibly release heat on demand. With these new formulations at their core, UK-based Sunamp Ltd have brought to market the world’s first commercially viable residential thermal batteries. For domestic heating, Sunamp thermal batteries can be charged with energy from almost any source, provide high-efficiency storage, and release heat on demand. Their heat pumps are compact, around 4x smaller than a traditional water boiler. They can save homeowners money and reduced carbon emissions by minimising heat loss from storage and increasing use of locally generated renewable energy and cheap off-peak electricity. Sunamp technologies has worked with UK housing associations to install their heat batteries in 1,500 properties, lowering bills and increasing comfort for residents at risk of fuel poverty. - The respective impact statement mentions that underpinning research for this technology relied on EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account funding and three of the included references to the research acknowledge EPSRC (UKRI) for financial support. [2]
2) Making Britain a clean energy superpower: Researchers at Loughborough University have been collaborating with Plastic Energy, a global leader in the plastics economy, and have successfully identified a process through which useful products can be directly derived from end-of-life material, thereby contributing towards a circular economy while moving away from fossil fuel feedstocks. Loughborough researchers refined the process, enabling the utilisation of a wider range of plastics and the controlled production of valuable, high purity materials for fuel and ‘virgin’ plastic production. Plastic Energy invested £300k to sponsor a Loughborough PDRA from 2012-2016, to initiate the process of building the equipment and ensure the relevant analytical procedures were robust and accurate. Following this, the PDRA transferred employment directly under Plastic Energy, but continued to physically work at Loughborough. This successful KTP led to commercial benefits for Plastic Energy, that is now a global leader, specialising in the processing of waste plastic into feedstocks for generating clean recycled plastics or fuel - with tens of thousands of tonnes of plastic diverted from landfill or incineration. - Three references to the underpinning research in the respective impact statement acknowledge EPSRC (UKRI) for financial support. [3]
3) Building an NHS fit for the future: Chemistry research at Kings College London has helped deliver the wide-ranging therapeutic potential of metal-chelating compounds, including to create a new class of radiotracer agents for cancer screening, ‘Galliprost’. While traditional methods of radiotracer synthesis are complex, this tracer can be prepared on site in under 15 minutes without complex procedures or infrastructure. In practice, use of the tracer kit formulation has led to reduced prostate cancer screening delays at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals and has benefited over 1,000 patients in these hospitals, as well as providing an estimated cost saving of GBP600-1,500 per patient. Galliprost is now used routinely in 12 hospitals across Europe. - Two references to the underpinning research in the respective impact statement acknowledge EPSRC (UKRI) and MRC (UKRI) for financial support. [4]
[1] Research Consulting commissioned by RSC, Insights from REF2021, June 2023. See https://www.rsc.org/globalassets/22-new-perspectives/discovery/insights-into-research-excellence-framework-2021/rsc-ref-insights-report.pdf
[2] REF, Impact case study database, 2022. See https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/impact/e8a08dda-d878-4aac-97d6-a33d240664c7?page=1
[3] REF, Impact case study database, 2022. See https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/impact/c53df13a-6551-4a25-9fca-0bd3a437e622?page=1
[4] REF, Impact case study database, 2022. See https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/impact/252c32fa-ea9c-4f57-ad9d-1ff4d46fbe53?page=1
Research by the Enterprise Research Centre for the RSC in 2022 included a review of innovation policy in a small number of countries, to explore how the UK differs in key respects of importance to deep tech chemistry small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) - a subset of businesses that are using chemistry as the core of disruptive technologies [1]. Internationally, this study identified no specific measures targeted at either chemistry SMEs or more specifically deep tech SMEs. It highlighted that:
One area where the sector has identified a significant difference in establishing a conducive innovation ecosystem, compared to other countries, is in attracting high-skilled talent to the UK. Immigration policy needs to work for the research and innovation sector, recognising that international collaboration is vital to science and that high-skilled and internationally competitive roles are not always afforded a commensurate salary, particularly in academia and start-ups/SMEs.
[1] ERC commissioned by RSC, What works for innovation: Supporting R&D and innovation in deep tech chemistry SMEs, 2022. See https://www.rsc.org/globalassets/22-new-perspectives/discovery/igniting-innovation/what-works-for-innovation-report.pdf
[2] The Royal Society, Summary of visa costs analysis, 2024. See https://royalsociety.org/-/media/policy/publications/2024/summary-of-visa-costs-analysis-2024.pdf
[3] ERC commissioned by RSC, What works for innovation: Supporting R&D and innovation in deep tech chemistry SMEs, 2022. See https://www.rsc.org/globalassets/22-new-perspectives/discovery/igniting-innovation/what-works-for-innovation-report.pdf
14 January 2025