The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (Nesta) is an independent government organisation with the objective of making the UK more innovative. It invests in early-stage companies, carries out policy research and delivers programmes working in partnership with other organisations, policy makers and innovators.

As part of the government’s 2010 Spending Review it revealed plans to turn Nesta into a charity as part of its quango cull. This was confirmed in January 2012, subject to the approval of the Charity Commission, and the transition is expected to take place in April 2012.