Innovation Accelerator driving growth through regional pilot

R&D programme driving economic growth through co-creation with local partners

The Innovation Accelerator programme is reshaping the economic landscape of the UK’s industrial heartlands and developing strong clusters of innovation.

The programme led by Innovate UK on behalf of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), has injected £100 million from April 2023 into 26 R&D projects across Glasgow City Region , Greater Manchester, and the West Midlands with another £30 million of extension funding to shape the future of UK industrial strategy.

By fostering collaboration between local governments, businesses, and research institutions, the Innovation Accelerators is a new model of R&D decision making to boost regional economic growth and lay the groundwork for future innovation and technologies.

Emphasising local empowerment in innovation

The three city regions were carefully selected for the pilot by the UK Government for their strong R&D capabilities, diverse economies, and effective local governance. The Innovation Accelerator’s unique approach, which emphasises co-creation and local empowerment, has proven to be a powerful catalyst for innovation and economic development.

Dr Stella Peace, Interim Executive Chair Innovate UK said,

The Innovation Accelerator is really focused on those critical places. They co-create with the local leadership, identify great opportunities for driving innovation and we’ve established some fantastic dialogue exchange and got some really exciting programmes as a result.

Dean Cook, Exec Director – Place and Global, Innovate UK said:

The Innovation Accelerator pilot stands as a testament to the power of uniting national strategies with locally empowered decision-making. At the heart of our approach lies the principle of co-creation, recognising the wisdom of local people with a deep understanding of local strengths and knowing best their needs. This local knowledge is complemented by our reach at Innovate UK as the national innovation agency, linking these regional clusters with opportunities provided by national and international networks both within Government and beyond.

It proved the value of Government investment in innovation, and importantly the devolved nature of the funding, so it meant we could invest in areas relevant to our place.

Said Susie Mitchell, Programme Manager, Glasgow Riverside Innovation District.

Regional clusters of innovation

Discover more about Innovate UK’s Innovation Accelerator pilot projects in each region:

• Glasgow City Region

• Greater Manchester

• West Midlands