The UK consistently ranks among the world’s leaders in research and development, yet it has long struggled to translate that strength into widespread business adoption. At the Oxfordshire Business Summit 2026 (OBS2026), Olga Kozlova, Director of Innovation and Engagement at the University of Oxford, addressed this diffusion of innovation challenge and how the region might begin to close the gap.
Her message from Blenheim Palace was clear: the barriers are real, but so are the routes through them.
A national strength that is not fully realised
Olga framed the diffusion of innovation as one of the UK’s most important economic challenges. The country’s higher education and R&D base is ranked highly across the globe, but the rate at which businesses adopt that knowledge does not match it. The result is potential that goes unused.
Talent as the first route
The first answer, Olga argued, lies in talent. By hiring graduates from further education colleges and universities, businesses bring on board people who are up to date with the most modern technologies. Fresh skills, in other words, are one of the most direct ways to move innovation out of the lab and into everyday operations.
Collaboration is not just for large corporates
The second route is university and industry collaboration, and Olga was keen to dispel a common misconception. Working with universities and colleges is not the preserve of large corporations. Over the past decade, she noted, universities have become considerably better at collaborating with small and medium-sized enterprises. The key is forming the right connections.
It is partly why the University of Oxford has been keen to join the B4 network, which brings business and academia together in exactly the way the diffusion challenge demands.
In summary
Olga’s analysis points to a practical agenda for Oxfordshire: hire the talent that carries new knowledge, and build the relationships that let SMEs and institutions learn from one another. Bridging research and adoption is not a problem for someone else to solve. It is an opportunity available to businesses of every size.
This interview was filmed and produced by our Media Partner, MOTION3. https://motion3.agency
Watch the interview below.