How Horizon Europe is Advancing the UK Life Sciences Sector

Background 

Horizon 2020 was the EU’s €77 billion research and innovation funding programme designed to assist the production of world-class science in Europe, concluding in 2020. The programme awarded funding to projects including research capacity at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, hydropower solutions for emerging countries and clinical development funding for new medicines. The initiative has now been succeeded by the Horizon Europe funding programme, with a larger €95.5 billion budget intended to boost EU science spending by 50% between 2021 and 2027.  

Horizon Europe is fundamentally important to the UK life sciences sector, providing early-stage innovation, spin out, startup and scale up companies with far more funding which in turn allows the very best talent to be attracted from European research institutions.

AI and biotechnology - where technology meets drug discovery and development - is an area the UK is renowned for. Such endeavours are very difficult to carry out in isolation; with the financial backing of Horizon Europe, European businesses can engage with those in the UK, and vice versa, to jointly fund projects and initiatives with far more integrated and cohesive teams. 

What Horizon Europe Means for Life Sciences Talent 

The introduction of Horizon Europe will impact talent of all levels across the sector. More broadly, there is a significant effort to keep companies within the UK and Horizon Europe will help to promote the many operational and commercial benefits in doing so. 

Naturally, a well-funded initiative will likely open more talent opportunities, meaning these scaling life science businesses will have the right talent to successfully advance their growth. 

Odgers Berndtson's global network attracts a wide scope of top-tier talent to this rapidly progressing industry. We partner with businesses where access to scientific talent, relationships with academic institutions and founders is key. Alongside larger corporations, we work with grassroots pre-clinical scientific organisations and everything from seed funded up to series B, series C, pre-IPO and IPO. Through our expertise and experience, we understand the psychology of smaller scale scientific businesses and the hands-on nature of their leaders who are very much at the forefront. 

The re-entry of the UK into the Horizon Europe programme marks a pivotal stage for the nation's life sciences sector. With a robust funding framework and an increased budget, Horizon Europe is set to accelerate innovation, collaboration and talent acquisition in the field. By fostering partnerships between UK-based entities and their European counterparts, the programme not only bolsters scientific advancements but also enhances the attractiveness of the UK as a hub for life sciences.  

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