Our Impact

Delivering Breakthrough Science & Technologies

A recent independent economic review undertaken by Triangulate Health estimates that NBIC has already generated £375m in economic impact, with a further £946m projected to be realised. This represents a return on investment (ROI) of between 6.4:1 and 9.4:1, with the central estimate at the lower end of the range, reflecting the current portfolio of activities. The findings evidence the impact of the £16m investment from BBSRC and Innovate UK into NBIC.

These latest findings build on an earlier 2023 review conducted by Black Kite Ltd, which identified a total economic contribution of approximately £204m across the UK economy.

Investments and Innovations

Part of this impact has been delivered by NBIC’s Proof of Concept portfolio, which has led to £51.7m impact in total, demonstrating the applied impact of funded innovation activity.

NBIC has supported the establishment and growth of spin-out companies as a mechanism for translation and commercialisation. To date, fourteen NBIC-associated spin-outs have been created. Analysis using Pitchbook and Companies House data indicates that these companies have secured approximately £36m in investment. This is assessed as direct economic impact, with additional downstream benefits including employment, company growth and fiscal contributions. 

Job Creation and Talent Development

To date, 165 jobs have been created through NBIC activity, including research posts, roles at User Partner companies, and employment within spin-out companies. NBIC has also supported skills development through its BITE PhD programme, which has enrolled 71 students to date across partner and core universities.

Funding and Economic Output

NBIC’s core partners (Edinburgh, Liverpool, Nottingham and Southampton) have leveraged an additional £23.4m in public and private investment for projects that finished before April 2024 This has generated an estimated economic output of approximately £246m to date, with further value expected as these programmes progress. In parallel, regional biofilm-focused innovation clusters linked to NBIC institutions have attracted additional public and industry funding, with an estimated total impact of £41.5m.

Taken together, these findings demonstrate a maturing innovation ecosystem in which early investment continues to generate accelerating returns, with significant further impact expected as current programmes translate into commercial, environmental and societal outcomes.