What role do governments play in innovation?

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Gardens, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

What role do governments play in innovation?

We often hear that governments have little role in innovation, but is that the case?

The life sciences report published by Marks & Clerk last month reveals that many of the most cutting edge advances in genome research are being made as the result of public funding in the sector.

We wrote about the report when it was launched at the BIO convention in San Diego, but we focused on the geographical split in patenting in the genome sector. But another interesting aspect of Marks & Clerk’s research is the public/private split it reveals, and the role of government funding in early stage research.

In particular, the patent application figures for sequencing, personalised medicine and synthetic biology reveal much about the state of the market in each field.

As partner Gareth Williams explains, the prevalence of private companies filing patents for sequencing technology shows a maturity in the market. In contrast, he says that “the high number of filings by public bodies in personalised medicine and particularly in synthetic biology depicts two emerging technologies, with private companies on the whole showing less confidence.”

the-entrepreneurial-state.jpg

I have just been reading the Entrepreneurial State by economist Mariana Mazzucato who writes persuasively about how governments in rich countries have played a crucial role in innovation. They have done so not just by responding to perceived market failures but by actually creating markets by making investments where the risks involved are just too daunting for the private sector to take on. Once that’s done, the private sector can move in and turn innovation into marketable products.

Marks & Clerk’s research seems to support her views. Of course there’s more to innovation than throwing public money at it (or, as the report’s authors put it, “political engagement in itself is not enough to create an industry”). But in an era where many people regard the state as a brake on, if not an outright impediment to, innovation and entrepreneurialism, it is useful to be reminded why that’s not the full picture.

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

IP leaders at Brandsmiths and Bird & Bird, who were on opposing sides at the UK Supreme Court in Iconix v Dream Pairs, unpick the landmark case and its ramifications
Magdalena Bonde discusses Abion’s AI experiments and reveals why an entrepreneurial mindset and a willingness to learn about a business are essential skills
Partner Ginevra Righini explains how she secured victory for the Comité Champagne in its fight against an EUTM application for ‘Nero Champagne’
Volkan Hamamcıoğlu joins us for our ‘Five minutes with’ series to discuss meditation, tackling deadlines, and taking inspiration from Hamlet
A $110 million US verdict against Apple and an appellate order staying a $39 million trademark infringement finding against Amazon were also among the top talking points
Attorneys are watching how AI affects trademark registrations and whether a SCOTUS ruling from last year will have broader free speech implications
Patent lawyers explain why they will be keeping an eye on the implications of a pharma case and on changes at the USPTO in the second half of 2025
The insensitive reaction to a UK politician crying on TV proves we have a long way to go before we can say we are tackling workplace wellbeing
Adrian Percer says he was impressed by the firm’s work on billion-dollar cases as well as its culture
In our latest interview with women IP leaders, Catherine Bonner at Murgitroyd discusses technology, training, and teaching
Gift this article