The innovation opportunity

Investment in innovation is not enough alone. For countries to prosper from great ideas, innovation needs to diffuse and be adopted.

Building on our existing research on breakthrough innovation, and working with the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), we examined the challenges of innovation diffusion and adoption, and the opportunities for wider benefits, better societal outcomes, and increased return on innovation at a national level.

We've identified three ingredients for public sector leaders to achieve greater returns on innovation.

1. Find inspiration from deep need
   Better connect innovations to local demand
2. Put inclusion at the heart of every innovation
   Prize collaboration over competition, and widen participation in innovation with diverse teams
3. Iterate for success
   Involve end users earlier to gain feedback, applying a mindset of iteration

This report distils our full findings for the most influential national and local players: government departments that drive innovation; research and innovation organisations; universities and researchers; as well as public sector bodies including the NHS and defence organisations.

Together, we can explore how to achieve greater returns on innovation.