Why new infrastructure is key to scientific leadership and economic growth

The UK has a global advantage in knowledge-intensive sectors, including life sciences, AI, and quantum computing, offshore wind and marine-tech – all of which the government has long identified as critical to the country’s long term economic growth. However, unlocking their full potential will require more than financial investment alone. The pioneering start-ups and scale-ups driving these industries need the right infrastructure to grow, to commercialise their research and to compete globally. By investing in this infrastructure, the UK can seize the opportunity to strengthen its leadership in these sectors and generate greater returns for the economy and society.  

The UK is a leader in university research, ranking third globally for research publications per capita, and with 17 universities listed in the QS World University Rankings’ top 100.1  While the national conversation has largely centred on building data centres and attracting investment from global AI labs, we believe there is an equally important opportunity to invest in developing  specialist infrastructure across the country to translate domestic research excellence into local growth and national prosperity. 

Collective challenges to overcome 

Research by Henham Strategy, commissioned by The Crown Estate in partnership with Pioneer Group, found that over the past decade, the UK produced 1,358 spinouts that attracted £8 billion in venture capital. However, this activity was heavily concentrated in one part of the country. Despite 69% of the UK’s research being outside the ‘Golden Triangle’ of London, Oxford and Cambridge, these regions have received only 15% of spinout VC investment since 2010 – a geographic disparity that reflects not just capital constraints, but infrastructure gaps. 

From ideas to infrastructure 

Frontier technology advancements – be it AI-enabled drug discovery, or new approaches in the quest for viable nuclear fusion – are grounded in physical systems and require purpose-built facilities to develop, test, and scale innovation effectively. As AI increasingly converges into robotics and advanced manufacturing, businesses require spaces where digital technologies can be integrated with real world testing and production.  

The UK therefore requires a strategic shift: from funding ideas alone to building the infrastructure that enables science and technology businesses to scale. Without the physical space, scientific breakthroughs risk remaining confined to research rather than becoming commercially successful products and businesses. This means developing laboratories, adaptable science and innovation space and specialist infrastructure alongside the venture support, and talent pipelines to address skills gaps. 

Building the infrastructure for growth 

Early-stage spinouts require facilities with access to expensive specialist equipment. 

The shortage of suitable space has become a structural barrier to growth in many of the UK’s leading innovation hubs. In Oxford, university spin-outs and start-up companies seek to remain close to university buildings, yet there is a shortage of suitable office and laboratory space in the city centre, with most of the existing infrastructure located in out-of-town innovation campuses.  

Our Oxford city-centre site at 1-12 Magdalen Street responds directly to this need, providing 100,000 sq ft of laboratory and flexible workspace, alongside dedicated conference and events spaces, and a ‘Showcase Lab’ designed to inspire and engage the next generation in science and technology careers. By creating space where innovation can thrive, developments like this help businesses to start and scale without leaving the city in which they were created.  

As part of our commitment to invest up to £1.5bn in the science, technology and innovation sector over the next 15 years, we have acquired a 221-acre site at Newbury Road in Oxfordshire. To support the businesses which start in the city centre to grow whilst remaining in the region, the site could be home to up to 4.5 million sq ft of office, laboratory and advanced manufacturing space. The campus is designed to support companies as they transition from early-stage innovation through to production and commercialisation.  

At the other end of the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, our plans for Cambridge Business Park demonstrate the same commitment to providing the infrastructure that innovative businesses need. Submitted this summer, the masterplan would transform the park into a major new science, innovation and community destination at the heart of the North East Cambridge Innovation District. The proposals set out the delivery of 1.8 million sq ft of research, development and office space, helping to remove a key constraint for Cambridge based start-ups to grow.  

Turning scientific excellence into economic growth  At a time when delivering world-class science, innovation and technology space is so important to the UK’s future prosperity, our role as a long-term investor allows us to take a uniquely strategic approach. We support businesses not just at the start, but as they scale.  

However, the scale of the infrastructure challenge extends beyond any one organisation, and requires a coordinated approach across policymakers, businesses, universities, investors and the wider innovation ecosystem. By working together, we can bridge the gap between science, innovation and commercial success, ensuring that the UK’s leadership in research translates into lasting economic prosperity for the nation.