Innovation is spreading fast throughout the UK and in many cases with the support of the government. Everyone is hearing about the increased digital transformation that is happening in sectors such as health and social care.
In education in particular, there has been a growing need for substantial Google training in order for schools to move to cloud computing. This is a part of the government’s climate change agenda as well as the roll out of online lessons which have become a cornerstone of delivery during the pandemic.
But the support for the technology sector just keeps coming at the moment;
- The government has announced financial support for five projects that will seek to use innovative space tech to help solve problems on earth. Some projects include making buildings more efficient, reducing ship carbon emissions and helping to preserve historical sites.
- Another announcement has been made for a £28 million joint investment from the government and businesses to trial innovative new uses of 5G. This will fund nine UK-wide projects that will seize the benefits of 5G in order to help and support British industries.
- Regions are also responding as across the country there are increasingly a number of tech hotspots which have been created to drive innovation. As well as offering the opportunity for like minded businesses and individuals to meet and work the hotspots are beginning to offer the opportunity for keen investors to identify opportunities.
- The latest work is a UK immunity passport, a passport that may be introduced as vaccinations are rolled out increasingly across the UK. Developed with the support of Innovate UK, who invested £75,000 in the project, the passport is designed to “prove” a person’s COVID-19 status. The hope is that this will make the opportunity for people to meet, for businesses to function and the ability to travel a lot easier in the near future.
Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government. In response to the pandemic, the government and Innovate UK has set aside £40 million for digital innovation. It is undoubtedly the pandemic that has acted as a “surge tide” for the development and the central future of tech.