In a world of rapid technological change and geopolitical uncertainty, standing still means falling behind. The UK must be internationally competitive for investment, talent and innovation, to stay at the cutting edge.
The change we're calling for
Scaling and retaining frontier businesses
Pro-innovation regulation
Trade, security and decarbonisation leadership
"The UK's historic strengths in innovation, emerging industries, and global trade are world-renowned. But the pace of change means we need to adapt rapidly to stay globally competitive. The UK needs to deliver a policy environment that better enables new and established frontier firms to grow and stay in the UK, while strengthening our position on the world stage through partnership and trade."
Naomi Weir, Technology and Innovation Transformation Director, CBI
Why it's needed
Investment is mobile and competition is fierce. Securing the UK’s competitive edge in innovation, clean energy, trade and capital markets, will strengthen long-term economic resilience and prosperity, preparing the UK’s economy for future changes and challenges.
Our progress and impact
Nov. 2025
Nov. 2025
Nov. 2025
Sep. 2025
Jun. 2025
Feb. 2025
Feb. 2025
Announcement of UKRI's new strategic approach to public R&D funding
The revised approach aligns funding more closely with national economic priorities, aiming to maximise the commercial and societal impact of public investment.
Announcement of government Procurement Innovation Champions
These champions will drive cultural and practical change within departments, helping embed innovation-friendly procurement practices across the government.
Expansion of Bridge AI programme to support business adoption of AI
The programme will provide targeted support to help firms integrate AI into their operations, boosting productivity and competitiveness.
Announcement of AI Growth Zone in NE England
These zones aim to cluster talent, infrastructure and investment to accelerate regional AI development and attract high-value businesses.
Increase in public R&D funding to £86bn over four years
This significant uplift signals a long-term commitment to strengthening the UK’s innovation base and supporting cutting-edge research across priority sectors.
Assessing investment in the Net Zero Economy
This CBI Economics report provides analyses investment flows into the net zero economy, offering an evidence base to demonstrate its value and inform policy and decision-making.