Building the UK's Innovation Future: Part One

Why does Britain produce promising ideas yet struggle to build the global companies that could grow from them? In the opening episode of In-Orbit's sixth season, Dallas Campbell brings together Tom Adeyoola, Executive Chair of Innovate UK, John Abbott, CEO of the Satellite Applications Catapult, and Sue Daley OBE, Director of Technology and Innovation at techUK. They examine how UK innovation can become lasting economic value, with support that follows companies beyond individual projects and pilots. The discussion covers patient capital, international growth and the commercial skills needed to turn research into products customers buy. Government procurement is especially timely: the UK Space Strategy, announced in September with £7.8 billion of investment through 2030, commits to a coordinated approach to buying space technology. From university research and health datasets to satellite propulsion, in-orbit manufacturing and proposed orbital data centres, the guests consider where Britain has strengths worth backing. For founders, investors and policymakers, this first part of a two-part conversation offers practical ways to help ambitious companies grow while keeping skills, manufacturing and economic value in the UK. - (00:00) - Welcome to In-Orbit - (04:22) - From Funding Projects to Supporting Companies - (08:28) - Commercialisation and Thinking Globally - (12:11) - Ambition, Investment and Founder Stories - (15:45) - Government as an Anchor Customer - (19:47) - Growth Capital and UK Research Strengths - (23:46) - Telling the UK's Technology Success Stories - (27:53) - Helping UK Space Companies Scale - (31:44) - Manufacturing and Data Centres in Orbit - (35:56) - Space, Growth and National Resilience - (39:45) - Pension Investment and Long-Term Support - (42:12) - Backing Britain's Most Ambitious Companies **Tom Adeyoola:** Tom Adeyoola is Executive Chair of Innovate UK and an entrepreneur with more than 25 years in the startup sector. He founded fashion technology business Metail, raising £25 million and growing it to exit, and supported Elvie from inception to Series B as a non-executive director. He co-founded Extend Ventures and co-authored the Start-Up, Scale-Up review. His experience in building businesses and investment policy informs the episode's discussion of growth capital and international competition. **John Abbott:** John Abbott is CEO of the Satellite Applications Catapult. His background covers geospatial technology, digital services and support for early-stage businesses. Before joining the Catapult, he was Chief Digital Officer at Saudi Arabia's Real Estate Registry and previously led digital, data and technology at HM Land Registry. At Ordnance Survey, he was responsible for digital products, its Innovations Lab and the Geovation startup incubator. He brings that experience to helping UK space companies raise investment, reach customers and expand internationally. **Sue Daley OBE:** Sue Daley is Director of Technology and Innovation at techUK, where her work covers AI, cloud, data, quantum technologies, semiconductors and digital ethics. She received an OBE for services to the technology industry in the 2025 New Year Honours and joined the government's Women in Tech Taskforce in December 2025. Sue also sits on the Satellite Applications Catapult Advisory Group and the Bank of England's AI Consortium. Her work connects technology policy with adoption, commercialisation and the conditions businesses need to grow. In-Orbit is brought to you by the Satellite Applications Catapult. Subscribe and follow us on social media to stay in-orbit. **Satellite Applications Catapult:** LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Website Produced by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.