The inaugural SCI SME Showcase brought together founders, investors, corporates and innovation leaders for a candid look at what it really takes for science-based SMEs to grow and scale. Designed to celebrate SMEs as engines of innovation, resilience and economic impact, the event moved beyond positioning them as pipeline feeders and instead placed their experiences at the centre of the conversation.

What emerged was an honest, energetic and deeply practical discussion about how small and medium-sized enterprises can succeed in today’s challenging funding and commercial landscape.

One of the most striking aspects of the Showcase was the openness of the dialogue. Founders spoke candidly about the pressures they face. This ranged from securing early-stage funding to translating promising research into products that work in real-world conditions. These were grounded, experience-led insights rather than theoretical reflections. What stood out in particular was the value of peer exchange. SMEs were not just engaging with investors or corporates but they were genuinely learning directly from each other. Shared experiences revealed common obstacles and practical approaches as well as unforeseen connections that are often missing from more formal discussions.

Getting the thoughts of investors

The investment landscape was explored in depth during the opening panel, The UK SME Business landscape – What’s working and what needs to change, chaired by Kevin Matthews, Chair of Fluorok, which brought together perspectives from venture capital, corporates and the banking sector.

A clear picture emerged of a challenging funding environment. Venture capital remains a long-term model, typically operating on ten-year horizons and targeting significant returns, but early-stage funding is under pressure. Capital is increasingly concentrated in existing portfolios, while dominant investment themes particularly in AI are drawing attention away from other sectors, including bio-based technologies. Against this backdrop, founders are expected to demonstrate more, earlier. Capital efficiency, early commercial traction and strong partnerships are increasingly important signals of credibility.

A consistent message from this discussion was that the quality of the story matters more than ever. A compelling pitch is no longer just about the strength of the underlying science, but about clearly articulating why the business exists, the problem it solves and why now is the moment to scale.

From the perspective of big corporates, strategic fit is equally critical. Investments are rarely purely financial; corporates are looking for technologies that align with existing pipelines, offer clear routes to market and fit long-term objectives. Where alignment exists, they can bring significant value through data, operational expertise and domain knowledge.

Innovation in practice

For corporates and investors, the Showcase also created an opportunity to listen differently. A second panel, The UK SME innovation landscape – from ideas to impact, including perspectives such as AstraZeneca, explored what innovation means in practice. Here, innovation was framed not just as invention, but as the ability to translate ideas into capabilities that can deliver at scale whether in advanced manufacturing or sustainable materials. Across the discussion, one theme was consistent: ideas alone are not investable.

Alongside these discussions, the practical realities of building a science-based business were brought to life through a founder case study from Cara Griffiths, co-founder and CTO of SugaRox. She shared the journey of developing a novel “cage of charged molecule” technology, from early proof of concept through to global field trials. Her experience highlighted the complexity of moving from discovery to application, with challenges spanning validation, formulation, manufacturing, regulation and customer economics.

Griffiths’ reflections resonated strongly: translation is its own discipline, field biology can quickly challenge lab assumptions, and investors back teams that understand risk rather than avoid it. The progress of the company which is now running hundreds of global trials each year, demonstrated what can be achieved when scientific excellence is matched with persistence and collaboration.

A recurring challenge raised across the event was navigating large organisations. For many SMEs, identifying the right entry points into corporates whether through R&D teams, co-development programmes or innovation functions remains complex and time-consuming. Technology scouts and innovation leads play a critical role in bridging this gap, helping SMEs connect with decision-makers and build relationships that can unlock long-term value.

Despite differences in sector and stage, there was a strong sense of common ground among SMEs. Many face similar pressures: the need to grow sustainably, operate within tight resource constraints and find clearer pathways into wider innovation ecosystems. At the same time, there was a shared recognition that partnerships matter. Progress is rarely achieved in isolation, and collaboration often defines whether a business can move from concept to commercial reality.

An opportunity for valuable conversations

For SCI, the Showcase reinforced the value of convening these conversations. By bringing together diverse perspectives in an open and neutral setting, it becomes possible to surface insights that are difficult to capture through formal channels alone. There is a clear role to play in strengthening connections, supporting knowledge-sharing and helping to reduce the friction SMEs experience when engaging with larger organisations.

Perhaps my most important takeaway from the day is that supporting SMEs requires more than funding. It depends on stronger relationships, clearer pathways to collaboration and a willingness across the ecosystem to listen openly and without assumptions. The energy and honesty of the discussions suggest this is just the beginning, with significant opportunity to build on this momentum and continue to position SMEs as credible, investable and essential contributors to the future of science and industry.