Glass.AI Data Anchors the UK’s National Materials Innovation Strategy.
The UK has launched its first-ever National Materials Innovation Strategy, led by the Henry Royce Institute and partners, to accelerate materials development over the next decade. Alongside research collaborators, including Perspective Economics, Glass.AI developed a rich dataset that has helped to size and deconstruct a rapidly evolving sector.
Aimed at driving economic growth, national resilience, and achieving net zero, the strategy highlights materials innovation as central to solving major societal challenges – from healthcare and infrastructure to energy and security.
Why Materials Matter
Spanning clean energy and advanced healthcare to resilient infrastructure and smart electronics, materials underpin nearly every sector of the economy. The UK already boasts a £45 billion materials innovation economy, supporting 635,000 jobs across 2,700 businesses – 70% of which are outside London/South East and 90% are SMEs.
This strategy aims to double materials job roles by 2035 and drive regional growth by leveraging the UK's existing research excellence and manufacturing capability through:
A 10-year mission to transform the UK into a global leader in materials innovation.
Effective national coordination to fast-track discovery to deployment.
A call to industry, academia, and government to join forces and lead the future.
The Big Opportunities
The strategy identifies six high-impact opportunity areas:
Energy Solutions: Accelerating the transition to net zero with better batteries, hydrogen systems, and nuclear materials.
Future Healthcare: Advancing biocompatible and bioelectronic materials for next-gen medical devices.
Structural Innovations: Reinventing materials for buildings, transport, and critical infrastructure.
Advanced Surface Technologies: Enhancing product performance and lifespan through smarter coatings.
Next-Gen Electronics: Powering quantum tech, sensors, and energy-efficient communication systems.
Sustainable Consumer Products: Rethinking plastics and polymers for a circular economy.
In addition, two cross-cutting themes (Materials 4.0 and Sustainability) are expected to define the sector’s evolution. Combined with a focus on translation, manufacturing, skills, and policy, the strategy takes a whole-system approach to making the UK a global leader.
Next Steps and More Information
It has been a privilege for Glass.AI to be involved in providing the evidence for the development of this important strategy. Looking ahead, led by the Materials Innovation Leadership Group, implementation will begin in earnest to propel the UK’s advanced materials future.
For more information and access to the strategy, see here.