London and the South East
From Southend-on-Sea to Southampton, we are connecting national to local across London and the South East of England.
The South East England Innovation Landscape
As the UK’s innovation system, we work across the country. We also know that each part of the country is unique with its own strengths and challenges. We are committed to working closely with partners and regional initiatives to ensure you get what you need to innovate and succeed.
Often referred to as the engine room of the UK economy, London and the South East has the most varied sector representation of all UK regions. It is home to many international engineering and technology companies, particularly in the defence and aero industries and has a flourishing space industry.
Other well-developed sectors are IT, pharmaceutical, biotech and agriculture (mainly fruit). The Brighton area is a hotspot for the creative sector, including a concentration of interactive media. The South East digital sector in 2020 represented 20.9% of the national total. The region is home to 844 thousand businesses, with a population of 9.3m and a GVA of £276bn, and with 4.3m employees.
Related programmes
Net Zero Living
Innovate UK’s £60 million, three-year Net Zero Living programme aims to help regional authorities and businesses accelerate the transition to net zero, across the UK and internationally.
Create Growth Programme
Helping businesses in England convert their creative potential into creative growth.
Innovate Local
Working alongside partners, businesses and stakeholders, Innovate UK hosts this series of events to help innovative businesses maximise their success.
Related Case Studies
Tissue Click: Creating peptide-aptamer biomimetic technologies for clinical applications
How Innovate UK KTN helped Tissue Click generate a wide range of contacts that have helped identify new routes to market and generate business.
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