Beyond experiments: scaling transformative, sustainable business models in the UK

This ambitious fellowship will explore the upscaling of five sustainable business models (SBMs), which could transform key sectors of the UK economy. Providing a major conceptual contribution - bridging business models (BM) literature with the science, technology, and innovation (STI) policy field, through a novel synthesis, the project will advance understanding as to how public policy can support diffusion of emerging SBMs. Through secondments with industry partners and extensive engagement with policymakers, this unique project will provide direct and transferable insights for the design of UK innovation policy towards a more sustainable economy. The project is focussed on five core sectors: Energy: Energy as a Service Traditional energy supply business models incentivise increased sales of energy commodities such as oil, gas and electricity. This is driving resource depletion and climate change. Energy as a Service models instead provide the useful end service such as heat, cooling, or illumination, shifting the incentives to suppliers to maximise the efficiency of the energy conversion systems and reduce energy demand. Transport: Mobility as a Service Traditional personal mobility models rely on private vehicle ownership, with vehicle manufacturers having limited incentives for fuel efficiency. With the average car parked for 90% of its lifetime, there are also concerns that replacing the global internal combustion engine fleet with electric vehicles (EV) will create an unsustainable demand for rare earth minerals. Mobility as a Service models instead allow shared access to vehicles through car clubs, often managed on digital platforms. These models could significantly reduce the need for car ownership, and further incentivise providers to maximise efficiency and EV adoption. Food & Farming: Regenerative Agriculture The globalised agri-business model that became dominant in the 20th century relies on the significant input of synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, freshwater and long supply chains. It is increasingly evident this is resulting in a collapse in soil health, biodiversity, are driving climate change, and represents a poor deal for farming communities. Regenerative Agriculture approaches seek to reverse this trend with a focus on soil health, increasing biodiversity, watercourse management and organic approaches to pest control and closed nutrient cycles. Many of these models also attempt to shorten supply chains and develop direct relationships between producers and customers, using 'farm to table' retail strategies. Finance: Investment Based Crowdfunding The modern financial services industry is characterised by very large institutions who earn most of their revenues from complex trading and derivatives markets. It is argued these institutions are insufficiently supporting small innovative organisations in the "real economy", and instead are driving asset price inflation. In addition, a large share of savings are held in "brown" asset classes, with savers having little or no control as to where their money is invested. Investment Based Crowdfunding models seek to create a direct relationship between small scale investors and businesses or projects they deem socially or environmentally beneficial. Housing: Community Land Trusts (CLT) The traditional housebuilding model, based on speculative private development is failing to deliver affordable housing and meet the needs of local communities. CLTs are not for profit, community organizations who seek to upend this model, by decoupling property prices from land values. Here, land or existing property is purchased by CLTs at below market rates and housing is provided for affordable ownership or rent in perpetuity. These models also often involve community or mutual ownership, and direct democratic governance and are typically associated sustainable building practices