The budget today unveiled new support for disruptive technologies and innovation in the form of £270m of funding to put the UK "at the forefront" of disruptive technology industries. The funds for the hi-tech research come from the National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF), set up by the government last year. The sums, however, are smaller than those announced by some other countries. For example, the US Department of Transportation proposed a 10-year plan to invest $4bn (£3.3bn) in self-driving cars. It’s good to see that disruptive tech and digital infrastructure is getting some recognition from the government, however actions speak louder than words and the government faces stiff competition on the global market for tech research. Click here to learn more.