The Innovation Accelerator (IA) programme focuses on locally-led innovation that drives economic growth and technological advancement across three key UK regions:
- Glasgow City Region
- Greater Manchester
- West Midlands
The IA programme is led by Innovate UK on behalf of UK Research and Innovation and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Building on existing £100 million investment
This extension funding builds on the £100 million already invested into the programme.
The pilot is co-designed with city regions and takes a fresh approach to accelerate innovation and support them to become globally competitive research and development powerhouses.
Glasgow City Region
In Glasgow City Region it is developing clusters such as:
- advanced manufacturing
- space and photonics
- healthcare
- precision medicine
Greater Manchester
Meanwhile in Greater Manchester, it is leveraging strengths in:
- high performance materials
- health innovation
- advanced manufacturing
- digital technology
West Midlands
In the West Midlands, it is harnessing strengths in advanced manufacturing to unlock new opportunities and sectors in:
- healthcare
- health diagnostics
- the transition to net zero
26 regional projects
Following review by Innovate UK and locally, the 26 regional projects have been announced and, as a result, have spearheaded innovation across sectors to:
- unlock new technologies
- attract private investment
- create or sustain high-value jobs
The IA programme has helped to catalyse transformative innovation projects and bolster the UK’s global competitiveness.
Co-creation at the heart of our approach
Dean Cook, Executive Director for Place and Global at Innovate UK, added:
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 is fantastic to secure additional funding for this programme which is making a meaningful impact on the lives of local communities whether that be improved access to healthcare, more efficient infrastructure or a cleaner and greener environment.
I can’t wait to see what can be achieved in this next iteration of the programme.
Further information
The three year IA programme was launched in the ‘Levelling Up the UK’ policy paper in 2022, confirming the three regions selected for the pilot.
Following review by Innovate UK and locally, the 26 regional projects were announced in March.
Due to the ongoing success, the pilot programme, which was due to complete in March 2025, has now received £30 million extension funding.