Place

Reimagining your place in UK innovation

What is ‘Place’?

Places are both an enabler and a driver for innovation. Place and place-based initiatives are important in delivering economic, environmental, and societal benefits across the UK, and we are committed to connecting national and regional innovation to enable these benefits.

This means looking at innovation from a place-first rather than industry sector-first perspective, working between national policies and local priorities. On a practical level, it means we’re doing things in places, for the benefit of those places. From our Innovate Local event series to our Launchpad programme, we are committed to delivering activities that make a difference to innovators across the UK.

What we do

Aligned to the Innovate UK Plan for Action
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Strengthening UK capability in places

We support existing excellent local innovation strengths that are critical to overall UK capability, through investment support in strategic infrastructure, to building clusters of excellence.

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Connecting national to local

We need local and national business support across the UK, to work together with better signposting and awareness of national and specialist support. We strive to make it easier for businesses to find the best support, whether local or national.

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Driving local impact

We tailor our support to innovative business clusters to build capacity, stimulate greater connectivity between local businesses and the research base and deliver greater productivity and economic impact.

Launchpad programme

Innovate UK Launchpad is a programme aimed at supporting emerging clusters of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK. Launched in 2020, it provides funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities to help SMEs grow and scale their businesses.

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Our UK Places team

Our colleagues across the Innovate UK system are dedicated to supporting innovators, no matter where in the UK you are based. In addition, we have a dedicated UK Places team working on building our strategic local partnerships and developing place-focused initiatives.

Our Experts

Related Opportunities

Launchpad: bio-based manufacturing, Scotland – Round 2 MFA

Opens: 04/11/2024   Closes: 11/12/2024

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £5.25m to grow their innovation activities in the bio-based manufacturing cluster in Scotland.

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Launchpad: immersive & creative, Coventry & Warwickshire Round 2 MFA

Opens: 04/11/2024   Closes: 11/12/2024

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £4.35m for innovation activities in the immersive and creative industries cluster centred on Coventry and Warwickshire in the West Midlands.

More Information

Launchpad: life and health sciences, Northern Ireland – Round 2 MFA

Opens: 04/11/2024   Closes: 11/12/2024

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £4.3m for innovation activities in the life and health sciences cluster in Northern Ireland.

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Launchpad: net zero industry, South West Wales – Rd 2 MFA

Opens: 04/11/2024   Closes: 11/12/2024

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £1 million for projects that grow their innovation activities in the net zero industrial cluster in South West Wales. This funding is from Innovate UK.

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Launchpad: agri-tech and food technology, Mid & North Wales – MFA

Opens: 04/11/2024   Closes: 11/12/2024

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £1.5m for innovation projects in the agri-tech and food technology cluster in Mid and North Wales.

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Launchpad: immersive & creative, Coventry & Warwickshire Round 2 CR&D

Opens: 04/11/2024   Closes: 11/12/2024

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £4.35m for innovation activities in the immersive and creative industries cluster centred on Coventry and Warwickshire in the West Midlands.

More Information

Related Events and Recordings

Tue
28
Jan
2025

Precision Medicine Showcase – Wales

10.00 - 16.00 | Cardiff

Register for this event
Tue
28
Jan
2025

Sioe Deithiol Horizon Europe: Gwybodaeth, Rhwydweithio a Chydweithio ar gyfer Llwyddiant – Cymru

10.00 - 18.00 GMT | Caerdydd

Cofrestrwch ar gyfer y digwyddiad hwn
See all events

Related News

Innovate Local: Wales - Wrexham hosts key players in Welsh innovation

26/11/2024

Innovate Local: Wales - Wrexham hosts key players in Welsh innovation

Celebrating the progress and potential of Wales’s innovation ecosystem

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New local action plan launched to boost Tees Valley economy

05/09/2024

New local action plan launched to boost Tees Valley economy

Innovate UK has partnered with the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) on a new plan to boost business productivity and innovation in the Tees Valley region.

Read more
More News

Related programmes

Net Zero Places Innovation Network

Net Zero Places Innovation Network

Making net zero a reality in the UK by supporting local/regional authorities to achieve their net zero ambitions by connecting, collaborating, sharing experiences and adopting innovation.

Launchpads

Launchpads

Innovate UK’s Launchpad programme supports small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and innovative businesses, strengthening innovation in targeted clusters across the UK.

Innovate Local

Innovate Local

Working alongside partners, businesses and stakeholders, Innovate UK hosts this series of events to help innovative businesses maximise their success.

Connect with us

For general enquiries regarding our Place and regional growth

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