The UK is set to create nearly 38,000 jobs and attract £63 billion in investment following the International Investment Summit, which focused on infrastructure, technology and net zero initiatives.
This year’s record total is more than double the £29.5bn secured at last year’s Global Investment Summit.
The government attributed the increase in investment to planning reforms, expanding artificial intelligence infrastructure and data centers, and increasing funding for renewable energy projects.
Among the major announcements, Blackstone has committed £10 billion to build one of Europe’s largest data centers in Blyth, Northumberland, creating 4,000 jobs. Meanwhile, Octopus Energy has pledged £2bn to build four new solar and battery farms in Cheshire, to support green energy generation for 80,000 homes.
Imperial College London has revealed a £150 million investment to develop a new research campus as part of the DeepTech ecosystem in west London. In addition, CCS giants Eni, BP and Equinor have secured £8bn of private investment to launch carbon capture projects, supporting 50,000 jobs in the long term.
CyrusOne, CloudHQ and CoreWeave have all announced major investments in data centres, collectively running into the billions, while SeAH Wind has expanded its Teesside operations by £225m to manufacture wind energy, creating 750 jobs.
In the healthcare and life sciences sectors, Eli Lilly announced a £279 million partnership with the government to tackle obesity and launch an innovation accelerator program for early-stage life sciences companies in Europe.
Holtec, a US-based nuclear engineering company, is to invest £325 million in a South Yorkshire plant to support the civil and defense sectors, creating 1,200 engineering jobs over two decades.
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds described the investment as a “major vote of confidence in the UK”, highlighting the upcoming industrial strategy as a framework for sustainable growth. Chancellor Rachel Reeves echoed this optimism, saying that the investments secured at the summit reflect confidence in the UK economy and will lead to job creation across various industries.