New taskforce and £54 million fund to bring top researchers and innovators to the UK
The UK government has unveiled a new Global Talent Taskforce and a £54 million funding package to attract the world’s brightest minds in science, technology, and innovation. This move is part of the broader Plan for Change and comes just ahead of the launch of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy.
The Global Talent Taskforce will play a key role in identifying and recruiting top-tier global talent—researchers, entrepreneurs, engineers, investors, and creatives—encouraging them to relocate to the UK. Working closely with the UK’s international network, the taskforce aims to build a robust pipeline of high-calibre individuals ready to contribute to the UK economy and public services.
The £54 million Global Talent Fund will support these efforts by covering relocation and research costs for leading researchers and their teams over the next five years. The fund will be administered by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), with top universities and research institutions responsible for selecting recipients in alignment with strategic industry priorities.
This initiative supports the government's ambition to boost economic growth, create high-skilled jobs, and maintain border control under a reformed immigration system. It follows recent moves to expand visa eligibility for high-potential individuals and fast-track exceptional talent into key sectors such as science, technology, and AI.
Ministers speak on global talent strategy
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:
“A key part of our Plan for Change is making sure Britain is the best place in the world to do business – we are a strong, connected market and have a lot to offer the best and the most inventive minds.
“Competition for elite global talent is high, and by establishing this Taskforce we are solidifying our position as the first choice for the world’s brightest sparks, as well as turbocharging innovation in medicines and inventions of the future, boosting British business and putting money in working people’s pockets.”
Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:
“Genius is not bound by geography. But the UK is one of the few places blessed with the infrastructure, skills base, world-class institutions and international ties needed to fertilise brilliant ideas, and turn them into new medicines that save lives, new products that make our lives easier, and even entirely new jobs and industries. These endeavours are the Plan for Change writ large.
“My message to those who are advancing new ideas, wherever they are, is simple. We want to work with you, to support you, and to give you a home where you can make your ideas a reality we all benefit from.”
Additional fast-track funding routes announced
Two new research grant routes were also introduced:
- Royal Society Faraday Discovery Fellowships: A £30 million fast-track program funded through the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) endowment.
- Royal Academy of Engineering Green Future Fellowships: Supported by a £150 million DSIT endowment to fast-track top engineering talent into the UK.
These sit alongside the previously announced:
- Turing AI Global Fellowships: £25 million to support leading AI researchers to develop teams and conduct advanced research in the UK.
- Encode: AI for Science Fellowship (UK Expansion): A program embedding world-class AI researchers in scientific labs, with new fellows expected to arrive by autumn 2025.
In total, the UK is now committing over £115 million to attract and embed the best global talent across its research and innovation landscape. Photo by flickr.com/photos/bryansjs, Wikimedia commons.