VERA – Forward Visions on the European Research Area

VERA is funded by the European Union's FP7 programme for research,
technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no 290705

Technology and Innovation Futures Technology and Innovation Futures: UK Growth Opportunities for the 2020s

Code: C05

Primary project information

Lead: BIS Horizon Scanning Centre
Type of activity: Horizon Scan Report
Date conducted: 2010
Date of Publication: 2010
Duration: N/A
Summary: Technology and Innovation Futures (PDF, 824 Kb) is a forward look at a range of developments which have the potential over the next 20 years to support sustained economic growth in the UK. As the UK comes out of the economic downturn, it seems likely that future economic prosperity will derive in large part from seizing opportunities offered by technologies such as these.
The report concludes that there are strong opportunities for growth in the UK economy through the 2020s if businesses can harness scientific and industrial capabilities to take advantage of technology developments and identifies three potential areas of growth which could be transformative: manufacturing, infrastructure and the internet.
Other areas highlighted by the report are the energy transition which the UK will undergo during the next 10-20 years, the UK’s R&D efforts in new materials which could help realise the move to a low carbon economy, the potential of the market for regenerative medicine and the increasing importance of intellectual property - all of which offer opportunities for UK companies.
Financed by: BIS Horizon Scanning Centre
Budget: N/A
Research area/market/industry/sector: manufacturing, smart infrastructures, ICTs, energy, new manterials, regenerative medicine, IPR
Main report (full title): Technology and Innovation Futures:
UK Growth Opportunities for the 2020s

GRAND CHALLENGES

Economic Challenges: support sustained economic growth in the UK (p.2)
Economic Challenges Shortlist: support sustained economic growth in the EU
Technical Challenges: maintaining cyber security for smart water, electricity and transport infrastructures (p. 3); The introduction of ‘fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory’ (‘FRAND’) cross-licensing and standards regimes in areas where a technology area is relatively mature, and where technology is being adopted or repurposed from other spaces (e.g. wind energy, where technology components from the aerospace and engineering sectors are in wide use). (p. 22) Clearing houses and ‘national IP shop windows‘ in early-stage technology areas where there is a wide diversity of effort, players and technologies to encourage ‘critical mass‘, improve efficiencies and cut through the ‘patent thicket‘ that can arise in such areas (e.g. regenerative medicine). The introduction of patent pools in key areas of social need (‘clean tech‘, low-carbon energy).

Highlighting the intensity of IP activity in particular areas, and explaining the value of, for example, patent pools linked to university research strengths. (p. 22)
Technical Challenges Shortlist: maintaining cyber security for smart water, electricity and transport infrastructures; the introduction of ‘fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory’ (‘FRAND’) cross-licensing and standards regimes in areas where a technologies are relatively mature, and where technology is being adopted or repurposed from other spaces (e.g. wind energy, where technology components from the aerospace and engineering sectors are in wide use); Clearing houses and ‘national IP shop windows‘ in early-stage technology areas where there is a wide diversity of effort, players and technologies to encourage ‘critical mass‘; improve efficiencies and cut through the ‘patent thicket‘ that can arise in early stage technology areas; introduce patent pools in keay areas of social need
Cross-cutting Challenges: energy transition will stimulate technology development in renewable energy generation, batteries and fuel cells, the smart grid, carbon capture and storage, and potentially widespread use of hydrogen as a fuel, along with the resurgence of nuclear (p. 3)
Cross-cutting Challenges Shortlist: energy transition away from oil-based energy sources
Other Challenges: UK has worked to ensure that the safety of cells, tissues and cell-based medicinal products is appropriately regulated at the European level. It is in the UK’s interest to seek to preserve the long-term competitiveness of its regulatory environment. This is seen as being ready to adapt to changes in science (such as iPS cell research), and to facilitate regulation of different end products and treatments, while maintaining safety and ethical assurance. (p. 21)
Other Challenges Shortlist: regulate the use of cells, tissues and cell-based medicinal products

Summary of relevant aspects

Aspects of RTI Governance: Industry, SMEs and research organisations should be encouraged to work together to develop their own strategies and roadmaps, with Government adopting an observing, listening and facilitating role. (p. 4)
Other Aspects of Governance: manufacturing and services will increasingly form part of a joint value proposition, as firms compete on a product + service basis. At the same time, service models applied to manufactured goods are crossing over to the consumer market, finding their place alongside computer and mobile phones plans and subscriptions for creative content. (p. 7)
Background information: The Technology and Innovation Futures project has its origins in a short study commissioned by HM Treasury from the Foresight Horizon Scanning Centre ahead of the 2009 Pre-Budget Report. The brief was to identify potentially important technologies for the UK in the next 5-15 years – with particular regard to the economic benefits they could generate. On completion of that work, the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Sir John Beddington, asked the Horizon Scanning Centre to give breadth and depth to the earlier work, and to focus its investigation on the decade of the 2020s. This is the Technology and Innovation Futures (TIF) project. (p. 23)

Scenarios

Actions/solutions implied: The 53 technologies identified in this report have been grouped into 28 clusters such as Bespoke material design and metamaterials, Lightweight infrastructure and Synthetic biology. (p. 6) Key Message 1. There are strong opportunities for growth in the UK economy through the 2020s if businesses can harness scientific and industrial capabilities to take advantage of technology-enabled transformations in manufacturing, infrastructure and the internet. Key Message 2. The energy transition which the UK will undergo during the next 10-20 years, the UK’s R&D efforts in new materials, and the burgeoning market for regenerative medicine offer opportunities for UK companies. Key Message 3. Longer-term thinking, planning and support are all vital for sustainable growth. There is an opportunity for government to put in place frameworks and institutions to support this approach. Key Message 4. Industry, SMEs and research organisations should be encouraged to work together to develop their own strategies and roadmaps, with Government adopting an observing, listening and facilitating role. (pp. 2-4)
Who benefits from the actions taken?: UK companies and research in manufacturing, smart infrastructures, ICTs, energy, new manterials, regenerative medicine, IPR

Meta information

Time horizon: 2020
Methods: desktop, interviews, workshops
Target Group: UK research, business, academia and policy communities
Objectives: Technology and Innovation Futures is a forward look at a range of developments which have the potential over the next 20 years to support sustained economic growth in the UK.
Countries covered: UK
ERA actors/stakeholders mentioned: UK businesses, research and policy communities (list of participants in the exercise: pp. 35-40 of main report)
Geographic scope:

Entry Details

Rapporteur: Effie Amanatidou
Rapporteur's organization: UNIMAN
Entry Date: 29.08.2012