The UK R&D Society was founded to be the authoritative voice for UK technology businesses, focused on the commercialisation of research and advocating to government, investors, and intervention agencies to develop a sustainable industrial strategy that supports economic and social growth in regions across the nation.
Dom joins the R&D Society as a Strategic Advisor supporting the Society's goals in advocating for an integrated industrial strategy with new policies to create a strong environment for commercialising UK innovation to drive national growth.
Dom is especially focused on helping the UK Government understand how access to finance shapes the growth trajectory of R&D-intensive businesses, and how lending and investment structures can be designed to keep innovative companies scaling in the UK rather than seeking capital — and ultimately domicile — overseas.
Dom Peasley is CEO of SPRK Capital, providing funding to the UK's most innovative SMEs. Accredited by the British Business Bank and an Innovate UK Investor Partner, SPRK's lending directly supports the goals of the UK's Industrial Strategy — backing the R&D-intensive businesses driving national growth.
Dom is also on the board of Cambridge Wireless, a not-for-profit organisation connecting the digital technology community and running Cambridge Tech Week. He previously held senior roles at Goldman Sachs, Funding Circle and PwC. He holds a Masters in Engineering from Durham University and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Dom Peasley commented:
"Innovation doesn't stall for lack of ideas — it stalls for lack of capital at the right moment. I'm delighted to join the R&D Society to help ensure the Industrial Strategy delivers funding structures that let the UK's best R&D businesses grow here, and stay here."
Iain Simpson, Chair of the R&D Society, commented:
"We are delighted to welcome Dom to our advisory board. Access to finance is one of the most persistent barriers facing R&D-intensive businesses, and Dom brings rare practitioner insight into how it can be solved. We look forward to his contribution as we work to turn the Government's growth agenda into reality."