If there is any potential left in the UK, it will be destroyed by the BBB/#NetZero agendas, because there is nothing the government and big UK capital is more determined to do than destroy creativity and independence. It may, however, be turned into a rent-seekers paradise.
A prime (sub-prime) example here.
Rishi and Boris getting pally with the boutique energy company that is going to make a fortune out of rationing.
If Octopus is a 'tech company', I am an Olympic swimmer.
Making apps that ration energy use is not development.
'Invention' that merely takes design briefs from flagship government policy is not R&D, but servicing politics.
The UK government in particular believes 'innovation' (pka R&D) happens because policy mandates it.
One consequence of this is that they funnel large amounts of money to the landlords of 'incubators' -- serviced offices essentially.
Another is that large amounts of money are pumped into organisations that don't really need it, to do things that the government wants... See here for e.g...
ukri.org/opportunity/
An example... £12 million quid for projects that may help the government achieve its policy objective of grid storage -- which should surely exist before policy that requires it was drafted.
Firms & others will take the money, but will have nothing to show for it.
This too, you see is a desperate attempt to close the gap between policy ambition and reality.
Because the policy cart was put before the technology horse.
They could have had the R&D competition -- and feasibility and cost-benefit analyses -- before the policymaking.
Are you a woman? If not, self-define as one and have this £50K pat on the head at the taxpayers' expense.
Could you build an AI-powered robot Greta to help catalyse saving the planet through quantum technologies and digital twinning?
If you can pretend that you understand this gibberish, then the government has a £62K cheque with your name on it.
Stop Skynet becoming a humanity-destroying bastard, and you can win £81K!!!
It's so freakin' weird.
Just switch the AI off if it's such a problem.
The environmental sciences are dominated by racists, misogynists, transphobes and homophobes, that the government has set aside £400K for ideological reprogramming.
You see, this is how it works...
The ideological agenda is embedded in the funding streams.
Nobody is going to get any money for research that shows the UK govt's "economics of biodiversity" agenda is ideological bullshit.
But that *is* what's needed.
It's so desperate. It's kind of sad.
Asking 'researchers' to research 'productivity' is like asking drunks to research sobriety.
What do you think they will spend the money on?
Are you a rubbish artist?
Do an art that will only be seen by people who are already terrified of climate change and the government will give you £30,000 of other people's money.
Did you ever wonder why the BBC was so bereft of ideas?
It's because the ideas community has a direct line into the BBC ideas department.
Anyway, there are pages and pages and pages of these offers of public money for 'researchers' and companies in return for alignment with the government's agenda.
The public doesn't get anything in return for them, other than stupid policies and bloated 'research' organisations.
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.