Government funding for science is the basis of innovation and development

A number of scientists and experts discussed the major transformations in scientific research and their impact on shaping the features of sustainable development globally. They reviewed the growing relationship between science and nature, the role of advanced biotechnology in creating a qualitative shift in health care and scientific research, in addition to the importance of government policies and financing in building flexible scientific systems capable of competing globally.
This came during several sessions that focused on the “Future of Science and Technology” within the work of the World Government Summit 2026, which dealt with anticipating the upcoming scientific transformations and their implications for governments’ priorities in investing in research and development, and enhancing integration between the academic and industrial sectors.
Professor Kenjiro Fukuda, a professor in the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Information Communications Engineering at Osaka University, stressed during a session entitled “When Technology Meets Nature” the importance of developing ultra-thin electronic devices that can integrate with living organisms, pointing to his team’s success in creating flexible solar cells that supply vital sensors with energy for long periods, which opens horizons for advanced medical applications and continuous smart health monitoring.
In the “When Science Meets Nature” session, Mammoth Biosciences co-founder and CEO Trevor Martin stressed the revolution in gene editing techniques inspired by nature, which enable direct and precise intervention in the genetic code to treat genetic diseases from their roots, with the potential to expand in the future to prevent heart disease and cancer, stressing the importance of ethical and regulatory frameworks to ensure the responsible use of these innovations.
For his part, Nobel Prize laureate in Physics (2011), Professor Brian Schmitt, emphasized in the session “How has government funding of science changed our view of the universe?” Long-term government investment in scientific research forms the basis for building strong national scientific capabilities, stressing the need to invest in preparing scientists and building effective international research networks, while achieving a balanced partnership between the public and private sectors to maximize the economic impact of scientific research while preserving knowledge as a public good.