CMA speech: competition policy to support UK scaleups

The CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) announced it will act as an enabler of competition to support UK startups and scaleups and to shape market design alongside industrial strategy.

• Main announcement & actions: The CMA will deploy its economics, policy and data capabilities to advise government, run market studies (eg. civil engineering), screen procurement data for bid-rigging, and pursue targeted digital markets interventions such as SMS designations and binding conduct requirements. It has formally designated three firms with Strategic Market Status by October 2025, proposed binding conduct requirements on Google Search in January, secured commitments from Apple and Google on mobile ecosystems, and launched an SMS investigation into Microsoft’s business software ecosystem.
• Background & concrete details: The CMA highlighted UK public procurement as a key lever (worth nearly £400 billion) and committed to tackling bid‑rigging (which can inflate prices by up to 20%). It is producing further Microeconomics Unit analysis on high‑growth firms and has run engagement with startups/scaleups focused on the IS8 priority sectors to inform pro‑competition policy design.