• NatWest analysis found the East Midlands led English regions on innovation commercialization, with 13.1% of grant recipients achieving exits.
• Recognized scale-up growth reached 8.6%, above UK averages of 10.4% for exits and 6% for scale-ups.
• Outperformance put the region ahead of London, the South East, the East of England on converting public innovation support into outcomes.
• Report counted 1,333 innovative businesses, including 663 public innovation grant recipients, indicating a sizable pipeline for further commercialization.
• 42.4% of grant-backed firms stayed active without follow-on funding, an exit, or scale-up growth, versus a 38.1% UK average.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Natwest Group plc published the original content used to generate this news brief on September 14, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.