Nesta

Nesta is a research and innovation foundation that designs, tests and scales solutions for the biggest challenges of our time.

Driven by a vision to improve the lives of millions of people, our focus up to 2030 is on three missions: breaking the link between family background and life chances, halving obesity and cutting household carbon emissions.

We work with partners across the public, private and third sectors to develop high-potential solutions and test them as they evolve, drawing on deep expertise in qualitative and quantitative research, data science, behavioural science and design. 

Once confident in the effectiveness of a solution, we are relentless in the pursuit of scale. We create and make the case for ambitious national policy proposals, develop consumer-facing products and services, spin out and support commercial ventures and harness the power of the arts to shape national narratives.

We extend our impact through two specialised units that help others to solve complex problems and achieve their missions. BIT applies a deep understanding of human behaviour to help clients achieve their goals. Challenge Works designs and runs challenge prizes to spark innovation in science, technology and society. 

Together, we are building a powerful ecosystem for innovation that delivers proven solutions to create lasting, positive change.


Latest reports

A roadmap for rebuilding public trust in politics

This report from Nesta explores whether changing the rules on political party funding can rebuild public trust in our political system. The topic of political party finance has increasingly captured media and public scrutiny in recent years, culminating with the Rycroft Review in December 2025, which examined foreign financial influence and interference in the UK....

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Cost, comfort and confidence: how the British population views heat pumps

This report from Nesta explores how British people view heat pumps. There are low-carbon solutions already working in homes in this country, and heat pumps can play a major role. They are efficient and reliable – and proven. But compared to other countries in Europe, heat pumps are not very well known or understood in...

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Building bridges: integrating early education with family support in England and Scotland

This report from Nesta explores integrating early education with family support in England and Scotland. Nesta commissioned Isos Partnership to run an exploratory study of current and ideal levels and types of service integration between ECEC/ELC and wider family support. The report seeks to fill the knowledge gap by drawing on evidence from nine local...

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The economic benefits of weight loss medications

This report from Nesta examines the potential economic benefits associated with weight loss medications and digital behavioural support. To better understand the wider economic impacts of weight loss medications, Nesta partnered with Oviva to analyse real-world data from around 2,000 NHS patients living with obesity who took part in a digital weight management programme including...

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Nesta and Asda retail innovation partnership

This report from Nesta indicates that improving the nation’s health requires reshaping the environments where most food is purchased. Nesta partnered with Asda to improve the UK’s food environment by setting a target health score based on sales-weighted nutrient profiling, running trials on positioning, messaging, merchandising, and incentives, which showed promising impacts without harming sales....

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Consumer protection issues in third-party ownership models for heat pumps

This report from Nesta clarifies the nature of consumer protection risks and supports policymakers in assessing the viability of TPO models for financing heat pumps. Private finance to cover the upfront cost of a heat pump offers a promising route to scaling the technology and addressing affordability barriers. Third-party ownership (TPO) models, such as leasing...

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Health data research service (HDRS) digital ecosystem analysis

This report from UK think tank Nesta provides an evidence-based assessment of the technical and clinical digital infrastructure underpinning the UK’s health data assets. The new Health Data Research Service (HDRS) can create the technical infrastructure, operational capacity and governance processes to join these capabilities into a coherent national system. As a once-in-a-generation opportunity to...

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Public spending on the early years in Wales

This report from UK think tank Nesta provides a comprehensive analysis of public spending on early years support in Wales. Early years spending in Wales spans both devolved and reserved policy, and hence comes from a combination of UK government and Welsh Government or Welsh local authority budgets. Healthcare, funded childcare, and children’s services and...

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Paying for heat pumps

This report from UK think tank Nesta explores the different options for paying for heat pumps. One of the largest barriers to widespread heat pump adoption is the high upfront cost. Households often pay more for a heat pump than for a replacement boiler, even after the £7,500 grant from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)....

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Public spending on the early years in Scotland

This report from UK think tank Nesta provides a comprehensive analysis of public spending on early years support in Scotland. Early years spending in Scotland spans both devolved and reserved policy, and hence comes from a combination of UK government and Scottish Government or Scottish local authority budgets. Healthcare, early education and childcare, and children’s services...

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How to respond to the energy crisis

This report from UK think tank Nesta explores how to respond to the energy crisis and make it the last one ever. This note proposes a strategic response centred on accelerating energy efficiency measures and speeding up the adoption of electric heating technologies in the home.

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Unlocking the economics of clean heat neighbourhoods

This report from UK think tank Nesta explores the reasons behind the challenges faced by shared infrastructure projects across the UK. Nesta has been researching the ways to roll out area-based approaches to clean heat at scale One aspect of our clean heat neighbourhood approach is shared infrastructure technologies, such as networked heat pumps, shared...

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How can governments regulate social media for the public good?

This report from UK think tank Nesta highlights the need for innovative public policy and digital interventions, led by institutions like the BBC. As part of Options for the UK – Nesta’s new home for ideas and radical thinking on policy challenges – Tony Curzon Price argues that our current regulatory approach to regulating social...

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How a clean heat transition could be delivered – Exploring the market opportunity for Plymouth’s supply chain

This report from UK think tank Nesta examines how a clean heat transition could be delivered. This draft plan, developed collaboratively by Nesta and Plymouth City Council, outlines a strategic approach to transitioning over 7,500 properties in Stoke ward from fossil fuels to clean, electrified heat. Local authorities often face a delivery gap between strategic...

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Family Hubs pregnancy grant pilot – Interim report and early lessons

This report from UK think tank Nesta presents early insights into the programme's implementation and the experience of participants so far. About the pilot In April 2025, Camden Council began piloting the Family Hubs Pregnancy Grant. This is an offer of £500 to low-income pregnant people. Parents are notified of the grant and given simple...

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