Clusters are at the centre of a significant number of major government R&D policies. They are this big idea that if you put lots of complementary research companies, institutions, universities, and other assets together, they will share expertise, grow, and in turn grow the economy.
The government’s R&D roadmap promises “place-focused innovation” to “provide holistic innovation and growth support to emerging clusters of innovative businesses.”
The response to the Nurse Review mentions clusters no fewer than 34 times with the goal to “improve prosperity and opportunities throughout the UK by nurturing innovation clusters.”
And the Science and Technology Framework promises “accelerated translation, commercialisation and knowledge exchange through targeted support for local innovation clusters.”
