The UK government has announced up to £20m in funding for regions across England and Wales to support local innovation and economic growth.
The investment is part of the £500m Local Innovation Partnerships Fund and follows earlier backing for the Tay City Region in Scotland.
Several areas will benefit from the latest round of funding, including the South West of England. Investment will focus on developing and testing technologies, such as drones operating on land, at sea and in the air.
What’s more, the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor will receive support to accelerate work in autonomous vehicles, high-performance engineering and space technology, with the goal of moving innovations more quickly from testing to real-world application.
In Greater Lincolnshire, funding will help expand capabilities in agri-tech and defence, supporting the development of new products and businesses. South-West Wales will see investment in two linked clusters: energy security, including offshore wind and hydrogen, and materials security, focused on recycling and processing critical resources.
The East Midlands will receive support to scale up clean energy and advanced manufacturing, including new testing facilities and supply chain development. Meanwhile, East Yorkshire and Hull, alongside Tees Valley, will share up to £30m to advance clean energy and industrial decarbonisation programmes.
Local partners will work with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to develop projects that build on regional strengths.
The announcement forms part of the government’s wider £86bn research and development settlement through to 2030, which aims to boost high-growth sectors and innovation across the UK.
UK science and technology secretary Liz Kendall said: ‘It is a tribute to the pioneering spirit in every corner of our country that we are backing nations and regions across the UK to advance innovation in everything from defence to AI and clean energy to space tech.
‘This latest funding will take local expertise to the next level, helping to create jobs and growth from Teesside to Cornwall and build on our backing for local innovation in all 4 nations of the UK.
‘By working with local leaders, researchers, and businesses, we can unleash transformational research and products that improve lives.’
Image: Shutterstock
In related news:
Leave a Reply