FCA Announces Winners of Research Competition to Explore Regulation’s Role in Economic Growth

FCA Announces Winners of Research Competition to Explore Regulation’s Role in Economic Growth

(IN BRIEF) The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has revealed the six winners of its research competition, awarding up to £30,000 in funding to each project. These studies aim to deepen the understanding of how regulation can foster economic growth, with the research set to be completed by March 2025.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 22-Feb-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced the successful recipients of its research competition, designed to explore the role of regulation in supporting economic growth. Six projects have been awarded funding of up to £30,000 each to investigate how regulatory frameworks can contribute to economic development, marking a significant step toward informed policy-making.

The competition, launched in November 2024, garnered 43 submissions from 41 organizations, including universities, think tanks, and consultancies. After a thorough review, the FCA selected six innovative research proposals that are expected to provide valuable insights into the relationship between regulation and economic growth.

Kate Collyer, Chief Economist at the FCA, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “We are thrilled by the breadth of innovative research proposals we received. These projects will help us better understand how regulation can support growth and create a more dynamic economic environment. We are excited to collaborate with the selected participants to drive meaningful change.”

The six successful projects are as follows:

• LSE Growth Lab – Focused on improving the measurement of productivity within the UK financial services sector.
• Edinburgh Innovations Ltd – Investigating how increasing export volumes through foreign direct investment can enhance competitiveness.
• Beauhurst (Business Funding Research Ltd) – Analyzing risk appetite for innovation and productivity within private financial services companies.
• University College London – Examining the risks in the UK fintech sector, with implications for consumer credit and economic growth.
• University of Birmingham – Studying access to and demand for subsequent financing rounds of new listed firms.
• Fathom Financial Consulting – Researching how regulatory changes since the global financial crisis may have reshaped financial stability and growth risks.

Each research team has until 31 March 2025 to complete their work.

The FCA’s research competition, which was launched on 25 November 2024, received proposals until the deadline of 15 December 2024, with the final awards announced on 22 December 2024.

For further details on the competition and the awarded projects, visit the FCA’s economic research competition page.

Notes to editors

1. The competition was launched on 25 November 2024.
2. The deadline for proposals was 15 December 2024.
3. Awards were made on 22 December 2024.
4. Find more information on our economic research competition page.

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SOURCE: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)