The UK has a world-class reputation for investing in scientific research and development (R&D), punching way above its weight in the biopharma sector. But this brilliant work is not converting into first-rate commercial outcomes. Capital raised in Britain too often follows the molecule abroad to places such as the US or Asia.
The question facing investors, founders and policymakers alike is whether this is an inevitable feature of a small, open economy or a correctable failure of support structures and institutional efficiency. To explore that question, Manufacturing Chemist spoke to two stakeholders from opposite ends of the investment journey: cofounder of a UK deep-tech angel fund, Sixth Wave Ventures, Steve Kelly and Mr Siva Chittor, Chief Financial Officer from Sai Life Sciences, an India-headquartered contract research and development organisation that has established a significant operational footprint at Alderley Park in Cheshire.
A foundation in science
Known for its academic prestige, the UK has historically maintained a disproportionate share of the global pharmaceutical R&D market. The island is home to four of the world's top ten universities, with researchers generating a weighted citation volume behind only the US and China.
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