Injecting new life: How to fill the gaping hole in support for R&D intensive businesses at late-stage funding

Vaccine breakthrough proves anything is possible

This week's rollout of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has shone a spotlight on the importance of research & development (R&D) in tackling the greatest challenges faced by humanity. It is a knowledge-intensive businesses whose years of work goes on to underpin the greatest leaps in mankind.

For example, anyone who saw the BBC Panorama programme "The Race for a Vaccine" will know the science behind the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine came from years of deep technological work on ways to adapt viruses with small amounts of genetic material to vaccinate against a much feared (but expected) pandemic. This amazing outcome, as well as the other work carried out by universities during this crisis, such as modelling, has reinforced the UK Government's commitment to make the UK a global 'scientific superpower'. The UK is already a world leader in R&D, with universities such as Oxford,...