Paradigm Shift: UK findings
What did the IOP-commissioned report find about physics-based businesses?
Analysis by CBI Economics (October 2021) has highlighted that physics-based firms are innovators by nature.
Across the UK, physics-based firms are actively investing in scientific discovery and technology, driven by the goal of developing new products or services and growing their businesses. Despite the disruption to research and development (R&D)/innovation activity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, physics-based firms are looking to the future, with plans to increase investment in R&D/innovation in the five years ahead.
- 91% of physics innovators agreed that R&D/innovation is a strategic priority that is incorporated into their business plans.
- 63% of physics innovators expect their R&D/innovation spending to increase over the next five years relative to the previous five years.
What this means
Physics-based innovation is an important driver of economic recovery and integral to future prosperity. Physics-based businesses can accelerate progress towards the UK government’s ambition to spend 2.4% of GDP on R&D by 2027 and increase prosperity.
With the right conditions in place, physics-based firms can play an even greater role in helping the UK and Irish governments achieve their R&D roadmap ambitions.
Case studies
To complement the survey and to illustrate the type of companies we focused on, CBI Economics also spoke directly with a range of businesses whose innovation is underpinned by physics.
Learn more about the experiences of businesses who conduct physics innovation.
What is a physics-based business?
To determine what we mean by a ‘physics-based business’, we have developed a classification model which categorises standard industrial codes as high, medium and low physics intensity, based on companies’ publicly funded R&D activity.
Underpinning research: ERC report
The Enterprise Research Centre has analysed data from the UK innovation survey, the Business Enterprise Research and Development time series, and the Business Structure Database to understand the profile of R&D and innovation across sectors that are involved with different levels of physics R&D, and how this compares to innovation activity in other sectors in the UK.
Find out more about this research.
For more information, please contact [email protected].
Download the full reports
Paradigm Shift
Unlocking the power of physics innovation for a new industrial era
Paradigm Shift: Quantum Innovation
Opportunities and challenges for quantum innovators: Results of the IOP/CBI Physics Innovation Survey, 2021