Study title

The UK through its research councils and charity organisations invests heavily in sustaining a strong science base, which is second only to the US in sectors such as medical and life sciences, mathematics and physics. Nevertheless, the UK faces challenges in the ability to commercialise science. Britain has low R and D outside a few leading firms and a large proportion of R and D funded by foreign firms. Part of the problem is the 'funding gap' that British firms face at various stages of development, which is a serious impediment to realising the economic potential of publicly-funded science. This funding gap differs among high-tech industries. In biotechnology, the gap is in late-stage funding, making UK biotech firms attractive acquisition targets for foreign firms. While there is much speculation about the funding gap, little is known about the effects of this funding gap on innovation. This research aims to understand what happens to the technological resources and assets of British science-based firms when acquired by foreign firms. Drawing on multiple case studies in Cambridge, Manchester and Oxford, the study derives different patterns of knowledge base combinations through acquisition that have different outcomes regarding innovation and important effects for the local science and technology system.