Roundtable: Shape the Next Decade of UK-European Innovation

Overview

The Henry Royce Institute is convening an initial one-day workshop as the first step towards sharing a clear understanding of the opportunities on the horizon and scoping the formation of a UK coordination group to help guide the next 10 years of UK–European collaboration in advanced materials.

We would like to invite UK organisations, particularly those already engaged with IAM‑I or wishing to strengthen the UK’s collective input, to join an initial roundtable discussion informed by the National Materials Innovation Strategy.

Your participation will help position the UK as a coordinated, influential partner in the next decade of European advanced materials programmes—shaping investment priorities, accelerating innovation, and enhancing the UK’s economic resilience.

We welcome expressions of interest from those who would like to take part in this discussion. Please complete this Microsoft Form including a short note on:

• your current and/or previous involvement in Horizon-funded materials research and innovation
• your reasons for wishing to contribute to the roundtable discussion

What to expect

Alongside colleagues from Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and IAM-I, the event will provide an opportunity to hear from key stakeholders in the UK who have been at the centre of advanced materials activity in Europe for a number of years, including an introduction and overview from Professor Andrea Ferrari (University of Cambridge). Together,  we will explore how the UK can deliver coordinated impact across a multi-billion euro opportunity in advanced materials innovation, aligning into major European funding programmes, including hashtag#Horizon FP10, with the National Materials Innovation Strategy and the wider UK Programme.

Industry voices will be especially important in ensuring alignment between the UK Industrial Strategy, national priorities, and the significant opportunities available through Horizon Europe membership.

Background

To capture the opportunity to align EU activity with the UK materials strategy, we need a coordinated input.  Much activity is already taking placed, but is it fragmented.  Under the banner of the UK Materials Strategy, we are therefore considering rapid formation of a small UK steering/reference group bringing together representatives from:

• UK industry (large companies and SMEs)
• Academia and national research organisations
• Innovation and technology infrastructures
• Organisations already participating in IAM‑I, or seeking to strengthen their involvement

Its purpose will be to:

• Shape how the UK National Materials Innovation Programme interfaces with IAM‑I and FP10
• Identify UK strengths that could anchor or lead major European initiatives
• Coordinate national input into early IAM‑I structures, calls and working groups
• Map how UK research and industry can leverage the full TRL journey, from FP10 discovery to ECF scale‑up and deployment instruments
• Support national resilience, economic security and materials sovereignty through aligned action

If sufficient interest is confirmed, the Henry Royce Institute can help to convene this group, ensuring representation from across the UK materials research and innovation community.

Location

Venue TBC, London