Britain | A new optimism

Breathing life into Britain’s life-sciences industry

The government has high hopes for a sleeping giant

A FEW YEARS ago, Seth Harrison, an American venture capitalist, was looking to open an office in Europe. The choice came down to Britain or Switzerland. “I got quite acquainted with the whole UK biotech scene,” he recalls. “The fantastic research ferment that occurs in the Golden Triangle. You know, the London, Cambridge, Oxford area…And I just said, ‘Wow, this reminds me of Cambridge, Massachusetts, 25 years ago.’”

This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “A new recruit”

Govcoins: The digital currencies that will transform finance

From the May 8th 2021 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

More from Britain

Illustration of Kier Starmer's head from the nose up with little plains flying in squiggly lines above his head

What an arcane piece of aviation law says about Britain’s government

The parable of the slots

Britain's Prime Minister Starmer leaves 10 Downing Street

Blighty newsletter: Labour’s 200-day shock doctrine


A man eats a lunch of pie, mash and jellied eels.

London’s pie-and-mash shops are disappearing

Blame higher rents and changing tastes


Britain’s family courts are opening up to reporters

Transparency and privacy can work together

Has the Royal Navy become too timid?

A new paper examines how its culture has changed