The 24 winning bidders of the £12m Regulators’ Pioneer Fund have been announced in a move which the UK government hopes will drive forward innovation, remove bureaucratic barriers and support the UK in its ambition to become a world leader in next-generation technologies.
Some of the projects submitted to the fund include cargo drone flights in Scotland, which could offer a new mode for the delivery of essential tech and medical supplies.
What’s more, the government hopes that the successful market performance of these businesses could lead to faster deployment of low-carbon technologies, more tailored treatment for disease in the NHS and drones to deliver cargo and medicines safely.
Some £250,000 was awarded to Argyll and Bute Council, which is the second largest local authority in Scotland and encompasses 23 inhabited islands. The funding will be used to continue drone pilots over the west coast in both manned and unmanned airspace for the delivery of necessities and medical supplies.
George Freeman, science minister, said: “We are putting innovation at the heart of everything we do, including regulation which, if set up in the right way, can act a key driver to our international competitiveness.
“The pace of new technology – from AI in healthcare to drone delivery to nutraceuticals – is creating a huge opportunity for the UK to be a global leader in testing new technologies and setting appropriate regulatory standards, which are key to investor & customer confidence.
“That’s why our Innovation Strategy & Taskforce on Innovation Growth & Regulatory Reform (TIGGR) reforms are key to making the UK a global testbed & innovative regulator.
“Today’s funding will support 24 pioneering testbeds to experiment and innovate, while helping our brightest businesses in bringing game-changing products and services to market.”
The Regulators’ Pioneer Fund will be financing 24 regulator- and council-led projects across the UK to support the faster commercialisation of businesses across key UK sectors.
Others to receive funding included: £750,387 to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency for a project seeking to create an artificial control group; £961,650 to the Civil Aviation Authority to improve understanding of hydrogen-related risks to aviation safety, gaps in policy and new net-zero initiatives; £66,259 to Wakefield Council to develop an interactive tool to help SMEs better understand cross-contamination of food allergens and improve awareness around allergen risk analysis; and more than £555,000 for the Health & Safety Executive to develop new approaches to safety challenges in the construction sector.
The announcement of the winners follows the chancellor’s autumn statement, which proposed an increase in R&D spending to £20bn and the appointment of government chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance to support the regulation and safe implementation of emerging technologies.
