This is a UK Trade & Investment Document, part of the Go UK campaign

BE INSPIREDINNOVATION

BE INSPIREDINNOVATION

© Crown Copyright 2011

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This booklet presents some amazing facts and unusual features that have helped make the UK a uniquely fertile environment for business innovation.

BRIGHT SPARKS

MORE BRAINS FOR YOUR BUCK

The UK is the leading country in the G8 for

research productivity. British researchers publish

45 research papers per billion pounds of GDP,

compared to 25 and 15 papers in the

US and Japan respectively.1

The south west of England is home to the £42 million

Wave Hub development – a giant seabed socket

into which wave energy devices can be ‘plugged’

to generate electricity from tidal flow and currents.2 MAKING WAVES

The world’s first multinational corporation

is widely regarded to have been created

in the UK: the East India Company

formed in 1600. Four centuries later more

than 330,000 new companies register

in the UK each year3 helping make it the

world’s sixth largest economy.4

FROM THE START TO THE HEART OF GLOBAL BUSINESS

Almost 10% of pupils in the UK

reached the highest grade in

science exams in 2010.5 The

UK also boasts four of the top

ten globally-ranked universities,

including the world’s number one:

the University of Cambridge.6

FIRST CLASS

The UK’s pioneering approach to business helped found

the modern world and is now helping reinvent it for the

21st century. Just some of the objects that have been

invented, or had key parts developed in the UK, include:

BRITISH FIRSTS*

OUTSIDE THE BOXMost people might look at a grassy field

and think of a picnic, but Brits often see

things differently. In 1863, the British looked

at a field and thought of football, giving

birth to the English Football Association

and the world’s favourite game.7

The UK is rated as the best European location

for bioscience, healthcare and clinical research.

This is thanks to its culture of scientific innovation,

in areas such as embryonic stem cells, and

its tradition of collaboration between industry,

academia and the National Health Service

(NHS). The NHS alone spends approximately

£15 billion per year on goods and services,

making it one of the largest purchasers of life

sciences products in the world.8

ON THE SIDE OF SCIENCE

THE UK’S PRIVATE EQUITY INDUSTRY IS THE LARGEST AND

MOST DEVELOPED IN EUROPE.9

MONEY TO MAKE

IT HAPPEN

MORE THAN JUST A GAMES

London 2012 will be the most

sustainable Olympic and Paralympic

Games possible thanks to the use

of innovative design throughout

the planning stages. For example,

groundbreaking water-efficiency

techniques will reduce water use

by Olympic Park sports venues by

at least 40%, while new energy

infrastructure will reduce carbon

emissions from the Park’s

permanent buildings by 50%.10

In 1899, it was a UK film-maker that first made

matchsticks ‘move’ by changing their position in

between film frames. A century of innovation has

led to world-leading creations such as Wallace &

Gromit, made by the Oscar-winning® Aardman

Animations. Such expertise has also helped make

the UK one of the largest producers of computer

games, boasting almost 25% of the world’s most

profitable games development studios.11

ANIMATE YOUR BUSINESS

With more than 750 medical biotechnology

companies and 2,750 medical technology firms,

the UK has one of the largest life sciences sectors

in Europe. UK-originated medicines account for

16% of the sales of the world’s top 100 drugs.12

LIVING LIFE SCIENCESTO THE FULL

In the last ten years, life sciences

departments within UK universities

have generated over 200 spin-out

companies, employing over 1,000

people.13 Touch Bionics, a spin-out of

the National Health Service for

Scotland, has produced the world’s

first fully articulating and commercially

available bionic hand.14

A HELPING HAND TO YOUR BUSINESS

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The UK is a powerhouse for technology,

with some of the keenest electronics

consumers, mobile users and computer

gamers in Europe. Around 90% of British

households enjoy digital television,

there are nearly 19 million broadband

subscribers and more than 32 million

subscribers to 3G mobile services.15

LIVING THE HIGH-TECH LIFE

On average, the UK’s National Health Service

(NHS) takes care of a million patients every

36 hours, or eight patients every second.

Leading UK initiatives like the National Institute

for Health Research Clinical Research Network

Exemplar Programme are revolutionising the

speed at which commercial clinical trials can

be completed, achieving median approval

times of 53 days from submission to permission.16

IMPATIENCE IS A VIRTUE

The market for low carbon vehicles is set to accelerate

to £440 billion by 2020 according to a recent estimate17

and the UK is the place to capitalise on this growth.

For example, Nissan plans to build the world’s first

mass-produced zero-emission car – the LEAF – in

Sunderland from 2013.

ON THE LOW CARBON HIGHWAY

UK institutions boast over 80

Nobel Prizes in science and technology

alone, including the winners of the 2010

Nobel Prizes for Medicine and Physics.18

The University of Cambridge has been

awarded more Nobel Prizes than any

other institution in the world.19

A LOAD OF LAUREATES

Overseas organisations own over 35% of patents in the UK,

compared with just over 12% in the USA and less than 4%

in Japan. The UK has more policies to promote an open,

competitive market than any other country in the northern

hemisphere (according to the OECD).

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

The UK is home to some of the world’s leading

media companies, including the BBC, Reuters and

The Economist, as well as some of the world’s largest

telecommunications companies such as BT and

Vodafone. This makes it the ideal location to tell the

world about your latest development.

MEDIA HUB

ZERO EMISSIONS IN 1890 ZERO EMISSIONS IN 2011

Today, UK scientists are road testing the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell motorbike, a development set to introduce a new age of sustainable travel.20

When a UK engineer developed the Penny Farthing over a century ago, he revolutionised popular transport.

That’s the number of universes that exist according

to British physicist Professor Stephen Hawking, the first

scientist to discover that black holes emit radiation

and eventually disappear.

1,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000 (ONE OCTILLION)

The UK’s culture of innovation and global

ambition has inspired entrepreneurs such as

Sir Richard Branson to take on challenges like

Virgin Galactic – the world’s first company to

offer space tourism. Let it help your business

take off too!

THE SKY’S NOT THE LIMIT

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) helped deliver over 1,600 foreign direct investment projects into the UK in 2009-10 with investment from more countries then ever before: 54 in total.21 To find out how the UK can be your springboard for global growth, get in touch with one of our colleagues overleaf.

PUT US UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

KOLKATAMustaq BiraderBritish Deputy High CommissionE: mustaq.birader@fco.gov.ukT: +91 33 2288 2253

MUMBAICollette WestonBritish Deputy High CommissionE: collette.weston@fco.gov.ukT: +91 22 6650 2247

NEW DELHIPaul GreyBritish High CommissionE: paul.grey@fco.gov.ukT: +91 11 2419 2504

JAPANTOKYOBen ChessonBritish EmbassyE: ben.chesson@fco.gov.ukT: +81 3 5211 1140

KOREASEOULTom MatlockBritish EmbassyE: tom.matlock@fco.gov.ukT: +822 3210 5610

MALAYSIAKUALA LUMPURMatthew SmithBritish High CommissionE: m.smith@fco.gsi.gov.ukT: +603 2170 2232

NEW ZEALANDAUCKLANDPaul Wilkinson British Consulate-GeneralE: paul.wilkinson2@fco.gov.uk T: +64 9 303 5019

SINGAPOREAmanda BrooksBritish High CommissionE: amanda.brooks@fco.gov.ukT: +65 6424 4301

SOUTH AFRICAJOHANNESBURGCorin WilsonBritish Consulate-GeneralE: corin.wilson@fco.gov.ukT: +27 11 537 7209

TAIWANTAIPEIStephen MettiBritish Trade and Cultural OfficeE: stephen.metti@fco.gov.ukT: +886 2 8758 2066

ASIA PACIFIC AND AFRICA

AUSTRALIABRISBANEJohn Williams British Consulate-GeneralE: john.williams@fco.gov.uk T: +61 (07) 3223 3203

MELBOURNEMajella Hamilton British Consulate-GeneralE: majella.hamilton@fco.gov.uk T: +61 (03) 9652 1621

SYDNEYCarrie EnglandBritish Consulate-GeneralE: carrie.england@fco.gov.ukT: +61 (02) 8247 2234

CHINABEIJINGPhil WyitheBritish EmbassyE: phil.wyithe@fco.gov.ukT: +86 10 5192 4439

CHONGQINGLindsay LiBritish Consulate-GeneralE: lindsay.li@fco.gov.uk T: +86 23 6369 1534

GUANGZHOUAmbert ProsperBritish Consulate-GeneralE: ambert.prosper@fco.gov.uk T: +86 20 8314 3069

SHANGHAI David PercivalBritish Consulate-GeneralE: david.percival@fco.gov.ukT: +86 21 3279 2000

CHINA – HONG KONG AND REGIONAL HEADQUARTERSHONG KONGTony CollingridgeBritish Consulate-GeneralE: tony.collingridge@fco.gov.ukT: +852 2901 3265

INDIABANGALOREGita KrishnankuttyBritish Deputy High CommissionE: gita.krishnankutty@fco.gov.ukT: +91 80 2210 0200

CHENNAIJamie Cribb British Deputy High CommissionE: jamie.cribb@fco.gsi.gov.uk T: +91 44 4219 2151

UKTI GLOBAL CONTACTS

ISRAELTEL AVIVRichard SaltBritish EmbassyE: richard.salt@fco.gov.ukT: +972 3725 1231

ITALYMILANDanielle AllenBritish Consulate-GeneralE: danielle.allen@fco.gov.ukT: +39 02 723 00222

LUXEMBOURGLUXEMBOURGThomas FlammantBritish EmbassyE: thomas.flammant@fco.gov.ukT: +352 22 9864 2216

NETHERLANDSTHE HAGUEMark AshwellBritish EmbassyE: mark.ashwell@fco.gov.uk T: +31 (0) 7 0427 0419

NORWAYOSLORoy KristiansenBritish EmbassyE: roy.kristiansen@fco.gov.ukT: +47 2313 2765

PORTUGALLISBONAna-Cristina AbreuBritish EmbassyE: ana.abreu@fco.gov.ukT: +35 1 21 392 4065

SPAINMADRIDJustine WinterburnBritish EmbassyE: justine.winterburn@fco.gov.ukT: +34 91 714 6330

SWEDENSTOCKHOLMAnna LindbergBritish EmbassyE: anna.lindberg@fco.gov.ukT: +46 8 671 3067

SWITZERLANDBERNEMatthew PetersBritish EmbassyE: matthew.peters@fco.gov.ukT: +41 (0) 31 359 7753

TURKEYISTANBULTaclan TopalBritish Consulate-GeneralE: taclan.topal@fco.gov.ukT: +90 212 334 6441

THE GULF

Kirstyn Boyle E: kirstyn.boyle@ukti.gsi.gov.ukT: +44 (0)20 7215 0813

EUROPE

AUSTRIAVIENNAJane SpiegelBritish EmbassyE: jane.spiegel@fco.gov.ukT: +43 1 716 136 250

BELGIUMBRUSSELSInge HaeldermansBritish EmbassyE: inge.haeldermans@fco.gov.ukT: +32 2 287 6276

DENMARKCOPENHAGENChristina LiaosBritish EmbassyE: christina.liaos@fco.gov.ukT: +45 35 44 5103

ESTONIATALLINNAnnely LautreBritish EmbassyE: annely.lautre@fco.gov.ukT: +372 667 4736

FINLANDHELSINKIKari LuukkonenBritish EmbassyE: kari.luukkonen@fco.gov.ukT: +358 9 2286 5229

FRANCEPARISNadège AnturoBritish EmbassyE: nadege.anturo@fco.gov.ukT: +33 1 4451 3403

GERMANYDÜSSELDORFUlrich MarthalerBritish Consulate-GeneralE: ulrich.marthaler@fco.gov.ukT: +49 211 9448 207

ICELANDREYKJAVIKPetur StefanssonBritish EmbassyE: petur.stefansson@fco.gov.ukT: +354 550 5123

IRELANDDUBLINSimon McKeeverBritish EmbassyE: simon.mckeever@fco.gov.ukT: +35 31 205 3769

MIAMIRebecca MowatBritish Consulate-GeneralE: rebecca.mowat@fco.gov.ukT: +1 305 374 1522 x2322

NEW YORKFiona MacLeodBritish Consulate-GeneralE: fiona.macleodny@fco.gov.ukT: +1 212 745 0458

SAN FRANCISCOJaclyn MasonBritish Consulate-GeneralE: jaclyn.mason@fco.gov.ukT: +1 415 617 1360

WASHINGTON, DCMelinda GoforthBritish EmbassyE: melinda.goforth@fco.gov.ukT: +1 202 588 6864

AMERICAS

BRAZILSÃO PAULODavid BurrowsBritish Consulate-GeneralE: david.burrows@fco.gov.ukT: +55 11 3094 2741

CANADACALGARYStacie SymingtonUK Trade & Investment OfficeE: stacie@btoalberta.comT: +1 403 539 2234

MONTREALJEREMY MACKENZIE-LEEBritish Consulate-GeneralE: jeremy.lee@fco.gov.ukT: +1 514 866 5863

TORONTOMatthew HobbsBritish Consulate-GeneralE: matthew.hobbs@fco.gov.ukT: +1 416 593 1290

VANCOUVERAndrea MorganBritish Consulate-GeneralE: andrea.morgan@fco.gov.ukT: +1 604 683 4421

MEXICOMEXICO CITYIsaac VargasBritish EmbassyE: isaac.vargas@fco.gov.ukT: +52 55 1670 3245

USABOSTONKirsten ChambersBritish Consulate-GeneralE: kirsten.chambers@fco.gov.ukT: +1 617 245 4509

CHICAGOColette BuscemiBritish Consulate-GeneralE: colette.buscemi@fco.gov.ukT: +1 312 970 3845

HOUSTONGray Hancock British Consulate-GeneralE: gray.hancock@fco.gov.uk T: +1 713 659 6275 x2140

LOS ANGELESAndrew LewisBritish Consulate-GeneralE: andrew.lewis@fco.gov.ukT: +1 310 996 3024

SOURCES

1 UKTI Life Sciences Z card, Oct 2010; www.ukti.gov.uk

2 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, 2009 Innovation report; www.bis.gov.uk

3 www.companieshouse.gov.uk

4 www.imf.org

5 The Times (June 2010)

6 QS World University Rankings, 2010

7 www.thefa.com

8 UKTI Life Sciences Z card, Oct 2010; www.ukti.gov.uk

9 www.bvca.co.uk

10 www.london2012.com

11 www.tiga.org

12 UKTI Life Sciences Z card, Oct 2010; www.ukti.gov.uk

13 Economic Impact Baseline, 2009 Update; www.bbsrc.ac.uk

14 www.touchbionics.com

15 www.eito.com

16 UKTI Life Sciences Z card, Oct 2010; www.ukti.gov.uk

17 HSBC Climate Change Centre of Excellence; www.hsbc.com

18 http://nobelprize.org

19 www.cam.ac.uk

20 www.intelligent-energy.com

21 www.ukti.gov.uk

REFERENCES

* UK Firsts include: Cell phone with GSM services, digital comics, DNA technology, football,

fibre optics, gene therapy, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Hawkeye, internal combustion engine, IVF, jet engine, motor racing circuit, nature reserves, Paralympic Games, penicillin, postage stamps, programmable computers, pneumatic tyre, purpose-built Olympic stadium, radar systems, steam engine, telephone, toilet, transputer microprocessors, underground trains, World Wide Web.

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UK Trade & Investment is the Government department that helps UK-based companies succeed in international markets. We also assist overseas companies to bring high-quality investment to the UK’s dynamic economy.

Whereas every effort has been made to ensure that the information given in this document is accurate, neither UK Trade & Investment nor its parent Departments (the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office) accept liability for any errors, omissions or misleading statements, and no warranty is given or responsibility accepted as to the standing of any individual, firm, company or other organisation mentioned.

Published February 2011 by UK Trade & Investment © Crown Copyright.URN: 11/501