Market Forming Interventions for Resource Efficient and Low Carbon Solutions
The UK has no shortage of innovative low-carbon technologies and business models. Across sectors such as automotive, construction and chemicals, innovators are developing solutions capable of delivering significant reductions in emissions, improving resource efficiency and supporting the transition to a more circular economy. Yet many of these innovations struggle to move beyond early deployment and achieve widespread commercial adoption.
While technology development remains important, one of the greatest barriers to scale is present and sustainable market demand. Uncertain customer demand, fragmented value chains, investment risk and a lack of clear market signals can prevent even technically proven solutions from reaching their full potential.
To address this challenge, Eigen Ventures, alongside partners ERM, Scope 3 Peer Group and SRS Sustainable Business, supported UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), to deliver a programme exploring how targeted market interventions can accelerate the adoption of low-carbon and resource-efficient innovations across key UK sectors: automotive, built environment and chemicals. The programme culminated in the design of recommended Market Forming Interventions (MFIs) – government-led, demand-side measures designed to accelerate the uptake of novel technologies and business models that reduce lifecycle emissions.
Through this work, the project:
Identified priority high-potential low-carbon and resource-efficient innovations across the automotive, built environment and chemicals sectors to target for support, alongside the key demand-side barriers limiting commercial scale-up.
Generated evidence on how demand-side interventions can unlock private investment, strengthen supply chains and support market development for target innovation areas.
Developed and assessed targeted Market Forming Interventions (MFIs) designed to stimulate demand, reduce market uncertainty and accelerate innovation adoption.
Produced actionable recommendations for government and industry stakeholders to deliver MFIs and accelerate innovation deployment
Download the full sector reports to explore the sector-specific findings and recommended interventions