The UK should support innovation districts clustered “around one of our foremost competitive advantages: universities”, argues Imperial’s President.
Writing in today’s Financial Times, Professor Alice Gast said: “The British government’s innovation strategy aims to ‘cement the UK’s position as a world-leader in science, research and innovation’. If we are to achieve that laudable goal, we must focus on the ecosystems that help innovators to thrive.”
She added: “A successful innovation economy has three catalysts: people, places and funding,” and universities are central to all three.
This calls for smarter tax incentives, a clearer embrace of international innovators, and more collaboration between government, the private sector and academia. Professor Alice Gast President
This requires further visa reforms, spaces for start-ups and scale-ups in and around universities, and a more ambitious British Business Bank that invests “billions, not…
