The UK government's latest Spending Review has committed £86 billion to science and innovation, a move that has been widely welcomed across the technology and healthcare sectors.
For Spencer West Corporate Partner Natalie Knight-Wickens, the pledge could represent a real turning point for the UK's innovation economy if the right legal frameworks are in place.
"Funding for faster drug treatments and longer-lasting batteries across regions is bold. But success hinges on accessible intellectual property protections, adaptive regulatory pathways, and clear public-private co-investment terms," said Knight-Wickens, speaking to IT Brief UK.
Natalie emphasised the need for legal clarity to help start-ups protect their innovations and engage confidently with government-backed funding schemes.
"Innovative start-ups need clear, reliable rules that allow them to safeguard their inventions and participate in public programmes on fair terms," she said.
Knight-Wickens believes that as the UK works to scale up its leadership in healthtech, climate tech and deep tech, the legal foundations supporting that growth must evolve in parallel.
Natalie's full comments are below:
Founders and Entrepreneurs: £86bn is coming for science, tech, and innovation. If you're in healthtech, climate, or deep tech, it's game on!
As a lawyer I see real promise here: funding for faster drug treatments and longer‑lasting batteries across regions is bold.
But success hinges on accessible intellectual property protections, adaptive regulatory pathways, and clear public-private co-investment terms. Regional authorities with £500 million each are empowered, but only those legal-ready SMEs can compete.
Startups need to know how to protect what they're building, from ownership of code and data to navigating funding agreements with regional authorities. The opportunity is real, but it'll favour those who are legally ready.
Remember, innovation doesn't just need funding, it needs foundations.
Read the full article here: IT Brief UK – UK Spending Review pledges GBP £86 billion for digital growth & NHS
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
