NPL is active across the entire innovation landscape, supporting industry, government and research organisations to achieve their goals. We work with departments and agencies, including the Met Office, the Environment Agency, the NHS and the MOD, enabling them to make evidence-based decisions for the safe and effective delivery of public services and to develop innovative and accurate measurements and standards.
For example, our research ranges from improving the accuracy of air quality emissions monitoring and developing new hydrogen technologies to designing new ways to map tumours in cancer. We are building the UK’s capabilities to test and verify products and services in new and emerging areas of technology such as quantum communications and 5G to underpin trade and increase UK productivity and growth.
Setting the standards
We work with stakeholders to create the right methods to measure the performance of innovative new products and processes, enhancing the investment being made by the UK in these emerging areas and ultimately securing the UK’s position as a science superpower.
Innovate UK helps businesses develop the new products, services and processes they need to grow. NPL collaborates with Innovate UK, BSI and other Public Sector Research Establishments to develop and realise the potential of new ideas. Standards, especially those produced cooperatively, are not only an important regulatory tool, but also reduce technological and market uncertainty and de-risk innovation. Such standards rely on establishing agreed test methods to independently assess performance and do not favour specific proprietary technologies. This leads to investment in companies, more jobs and better company survival rates, as well as the acceleration and adoption of cutting-edge technologies.