AIRTO is the Association for Innovation, Research and Technology Organisations, the foremost membership body for organisations operating in the UK’s innovation, research and technology sector.


View a taxonomy of the UK’s Innovation Research Technology sector

Our members deliver vital innovation and knowledge transfer services which include:

  • applied and collaborative R&D
  • consultancy
  • technology validation and testing
  • incubation of commercialisation opportunities
  • early stage financing

We exist to:

  • assist members to network and engage collectively with government and policy makers in the UK’s R&D landscape on matters of mutual interest, including research policy, innovation strategy
  • encourage enterprise and the commercial take up of scientific and technological advances
  • influence and improve the strategy and climate for innovation for our members through dialogue with key decision makers in government and industry across technology intensive sectors
  • provide a forum for our members to share best practice in innovation

Our vision

Our vision is to ‘Make innovation work for our economy’.

The UK needs to remain globally competitive at innovation to maximise its future economic success. In recognition of this need, the government’s Innovation Strategy and subsequent Science & Technology Framework places people, businesses and global collaboration at its core. It sets out ambitions to grow R&D intensity (as a percentage of GDP) and attain global ‘Science Superpower’ status. These ambitions present an opportunity for AIRTO to harness the potential of the IRT sector to help make innovation work for our economy.

AIRTO aims to lead an ambitious, strong, decisive and influential movement to champion the role of the IRT sector, positively shaping the climate for innovation to benefit the wider economy, along with our national prosperity and quality of life.

Our mission

To achieve the vision of ‘making innovation work for our economy’, we:
• work alongside partners in government, industry, finance, and academia to join up capabilities across the IRT sector;
• support our community to provide the UK’s innovation capacity, including: Skills and future pipeline of talent, Impact measurement, Thought Leadership, Access to finance, Advocacy, Networking and learning, Access to facilities and capabilities, Commercialisation expertise;
• advocate for the innovation sector to raise its profile and help improve the climate for innovation;
• enable members to improve their business performance via mechanisms to share knowledge and best practice;
• drive diversity and inclusion across the sector to make our organisations the best places to work and attract talent;
• advocate for the sector to play its part in enthusing and training the next generation of leaders in innovation.

We provide:

  • a channel for businesses, and for the public sector, to access our members’ skills
  • opportunities to share business best practice amongst members through formal knowledge sharing and through informal networking
  • opportunities for influencing the climate for innovation in the UK