Catapult Networks
Catapults are not-for-profit, independent technology and innovation centres that connect businesses with the UK’s research and academic communities.
Areas of work
There are currently nine catapults:
- Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult: Accelerates early-stage research into advanced therapies, making the UK a leader in cell and gene therapies.
- Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult: Drives innovation in compound semiconductors for global leadership in new applications.
- Connected Places Catapult: Acts as an innovation accelerator for cities, transport, and places, fostering improvements in people’s lives and urban infrastructure.
- Digital Catapult: Leads in the adoption of advanced digital technologies like AI, 5G, and IoT, boosting UK businesses and the economy.
- Energy Systems Catapult: Identifies clean growth opportunities, driving innovation in the UK’s energy systems for a sustainable future.
- High-Value Manufacturing Catapult: Supports UK manufacturers with cutting-edge technology, enhancing performance and productivity.
- Medicines Discovery Catapult: Connects the UK community to accelerate drug discovery, improving patient-centred medicines.
- Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult: Drives clean growth and positions the UK as a world leader in offshore renewable energy.
- Satellite Applications Catapult: Fosters satellite application growth, helping businesses leverage space technology for connectivity and information.
Contact details
OECD Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI)
CERI provides and promotes international comparative research, innovation and key indicators, explores forward-looking and innovative approaches to education and learning, and facilitates bridges between educational research, innovation and policy development.
Areas of Research
CERI’s policy research and research and development (R&D) work includes:
- Mapping what futures could look like and analysing their implications for education.
- Acting as an incubator and providing a “test-bed” for new tools and techniques to support better education policies and practices.
- Developing conceptual or analytical frameworks for emerging challenges.
- Fostering, supporting and evaluating innovation in education policies and practices.
- Measuring and monitoring the state of education at the system level.
Contact details
Email – [email protected]
Creative Industries Clusters Programme
The Creative Industries Clusters Program unites cutting-edge research talent with companies and organisations from the UK’s four nations, marking a pioneering research and development investment.
Areas of work
The programme aims to:
- Drive Innovation: The primary aim is to foster innovation within the creative industries by investing substantially. This facilitates the development of novel ideas, technologies, and approaches that push the boundaries of creativity.
- Enhance Skills: The initiative aims to enhance skills by promoting education, training, and professional development, creating a workforce adaptable to evolving sector demands.
- Global Market Presence: Creating products and experiences with international appeal expands the global market presence of the UK’s creative industries, boosting exports and contributing to economic growth.
- Collaboration and Clustering: Creative clusters encourage synergistic collaborations by bringing professionals, organizations, and institutions together, fostering networking and knowledge sharing.
Contact details
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)
DSIT is responsible for:
- positioning the UK at the forefront of global scientific and technological advancement
- driving innovations that change lives and sustain economic growth
- delivering talent programmes, physical and digital infrastructure and regulation to support our economy, security and public services
- R&D funding
What do they do?
DSIT produces opportunities, guidance, regulations, funding, research and statistics to help positioning the UK at the forefront of global scientific and technological advancement.
Contact details
Email – [email protected]
Economic and Social Research Centre (ERC)
What is the ERC?
Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, the ERC stands as the foremost hub of excellence for advancing research on the growth, innovation, and productivity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the United Kingdom. The centre’s ground-breaking research serves as a driving force in shaping improved policies and pioneering practices that empower SMEs to not only survive but flourish in their endeavours.
Areas of research
The Centre’s research efforts revolve around a diverse spectrum of pivotal themes, aimed at fostering the growth, resilience, and innovation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These include:
- Business Growth
- COVID-19 Impact
- Diversity Advancement
- Entrepreneurship Empowerment
- Finance Strategies
- Innovation Enhancement
- International Expansion
- Management and Leadership
- Mental Health and Wellbeing
- Productivity Enhancement
- Sustainability Initiatives
Contact details
Email: [email protected]
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
The ESRC is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government.
They fund world-leading research, data and postgraduate training in the economic, behavioural, social and data sciences to understand people and the world around us.
Their work helps raise productivity, address climate change, improve public services and generate a prosperous, inclusive, healthy and secure society.
Areas of Research
The ESRC funds research in the following areas:
- Climate change and sustainability
- Improving health, wellbeing and social care
- Improving public services
- Politics and governance
- Population and society
- Putting data analysis at the heart of decision-making
- The economy
- Understanding the impact of COVID-19
Contact details
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01793 413114
Innovate UK Business Connect
Innovate UK Business Connect is the new name for Innovate UK KTN. They connect innovators with new partners and new opportunities beyond their existing thinking – accelerating ambitious ideas into real-world solutions.
Areas of work
Innovate UK Business Connect works across a large array of areas including AgriFood, Electronics, Manufacturing and Place. Find out the full list of areas on their website.
Contact details
Email – [email protected]
Telephone – 03333 403250
Innovate UK Business Growth
Innovate UK Business Growth plays a vital role as part of the UK innovation agency’s investment in pioneering businesses that drive economic growth. It is a publicly funded service accessible to high potential small to medium-sized innovation-driven companies, including innovate UK grant winners.
Areas of work
- Empower Growth: Innovate UK Business Growth aims to empower small to medium-sized innovation-driven companies to grow and scale, driving economic growth.
- Support Innovation: The centre assists businesses in developing commercial strategies, protecting intellectual property, and accessing the global innovation ecosystem.
- Connect Businesses: Innovate UK Business Growth fosters collaborations and partnerships between businesses and various organizations both nationally and internationally.
- Access Funding and Finance: They guide businesses in securing grants, capital, and finance options to enhance investor appeal and readiness.
- Market Expansion: Innovate UK Business Growth helps companies enter new markets, facilitating market research and strategic advice for expansion.
Contact Details
Telephone – 0300 123 3066
Innovation Accelerators
The Innovation Accelerators program stands resolute in its commitment to nurturing innovation and driving progress. With a substantial investment of £100 million, the program strategically supports 26 impactful projects.
Areas of work
Innovation accelerator initiatives are strategically aimed at propelling the growth and evolution of three distinct yet high-potential innovation clusters. By injecting resources into these clusters, the program seeks to cultivate an environment ripe for innovation, collaboration, and transformative advancements across various sectors.
- Glasgow: Focusing on advanced manufacturing, space, and precision medicine, Glasgow aims to boost significant venture capital investments within key growth innovation sectors.
- Greater Manchester: Leading in sustainable advanced materials and manufacturing, digital and tech, health innovation, and carbon neutrality by 2038, Greater Manchester strives for a holistic and sustainable future.
- West Midlands: By accelerating R&D and innovation strengths, West Midlands is committed to greener technologies, improved personalized and digital healthcare, robust supply chains, and localized job creation.
Contact details
Innovation Alliance for the West Midlands
The Innovation Alliance for the West Midlands is an alliance of organisations active or interested in science and technology-based innovation across the West Midlands. They have two main objectives delivered currently through the West Midlands Innovation Programme:
- To build and maintain a thriving innovation ecosystem in the West Midlands
- To stimulate and catalyse a pipeline of activity that supports and enables innovation
What do they do?
The Innovation Alliance for the West Midlands has six core functions:
- Insight – bottom-up view of what is needed to enable innovation (including its adoption) in public and private sector organisations
- Gap Analysis – identifying where and what interventions are needed to drive innovation
- Seeding – catalysis of pilot interventions with innovation ecosystem stakeholders
- Linking Policy and Action – informing the development and supporting the rollout of regional (and potentially national) policy and funding relevant to innovation
- Communications – championing West Midlands innovation and sharing intelligence and opportunities across the innovation ecosystem
- Connecting – activities to build and maintain the WM Innovation ecosystem (without which none of the above happen)
Contact details
Email – [email protected]
Innovation Growth Lab (IGL)
IGL supports the development of productive, sustainable and inclusive economies through the application of new policy ideas, data and rigorous evidence.
They collaborate with policymakers, researchers, practitioners and funders to experiment and address key policy challenges in the areas of science, innovation, entrepreneurship and business.
Areas of Research/Consultancy
IGL’s work is structured across two broad policy areas:
- Science and Innovation Policy
- Entrepreneurship and Business Policy
Contact details
Email: [email protected]
The Innovation Hub
Innovate UK is the UK’s national innovation agency. They have developed the innovation hub because they recognise that whilst there is a lot of support and funding available, innovators tell us it is not always easy to find. The innovation hub aims to bring together the most relevant government backed innovation support in one easy to navigate, inclusive and user centric hub.
Areas of work
The Innovation Hub helps innovators to get started, provides business support, finance and funding and growing a scaling innovation.
Contact details
Email – [email protected]
The Innovation and Research Caucus
There is a growing community of academics studying the research and innovation system in the UK and internationally. However, this research is often not in itself enough to inform and impact policy and practice, and is not meeting the evidence needs of funders and policymakers.
To address this challenge UKRI is investing £7 million to create the Innovation and Research Caucus (IRC) as a world-leading centre of excellence.
The Innovation & Research Caucus will increase the use of robust evidence and insights in UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) strategies and investments, as well as undertaking a co-produced programme of research.
Areas of Research
- Product and process innovation for businesses.
- Open Innovation and Collaboration – the role of networks, incubators, and accelerators in the innovation ecosystem.
- The commercialisation of R&D
- Universities and Business role in innovation
- Talent, skills and training
- Research and Innovation Funding
Contact Details
Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS)
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) is a prominent independent economics research institute in the UK. Its research serves to aid policymakers and ensure transparency and accountability by analysing the effects of policy decisions on individuals, households, and businesses.
Areas of work
IFS’s research agenda is structured around five interconnected themes:
- Inequalities and Living Standards
- Tax and Benefit Reform
- Human Capital and Productivity
- Challenges of an Ageing Population
- Demands on Public Expenditure and Public Services
Contact details
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 020 7291 4800
Local Government Association (LGA)
The LGA is the national voice of local government and represents councils across England and Wales. The LGA:
- Serves as the national voice and advocate for local authorities, ensuring their influential presence in national government.
- Assists councils in addressing national challenges with effective local solutions.
- Aims to maintain and expand its diverse membership.
Areas of Research/Consultancy
The LGA conducts research and consultancy in areas including children and young people, communities, community safety, culture, tourism, leisure, sport, devolution, economic growth, employment, climate, environment, waste, finance, fire and rescue, housing, licenses, regulations, severe weather, social care, health, and transport.
Contact details
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 020 7664 3000.
Prosperity Partnerships
Prosperity Partnerships build on existing UK strengths in industry and academia to develop new technologies, processes, and skills that will deliver economic growth and create jobs across the UK.
Contact details
Strength in Places Fund (SIPF)
SIPF, an innovative initiative under the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) umbrella, plays a pivotal role in catalysing the growth and potential of diverse regions across the UK. At its core, SIPF is designed to empower these regions by harnessing and amplifying their existing strengths in research and innovation. Through strategic investment and collaboration.
Areas of work
- Regional Empowerment: SIPF acknowledges the unique strengths of different regions, enabling them to embrace their distinctive research and innovation potential.
- Strategic Investment: SIPF strategically allocates funds to foster collaborative projects, fostering an environment conducive to innovation-driven growth.
- Economic Resurgence: By nurturing research and innovation ecosystems, SIPF contributes to local economic rejuvenation, creating jobs and opportunities.
- Collaborative Synergy: SIPF encourages partnerships between universities, businesses, and local entities, amplifying the impact of collective efforts.
- Sustainable Impact: SIPF’s efforts are oriented towards long-term outcomes, creating lasting benefits that contribute to the overall prosperity of regions.
Contact details
TheCityUK
TheCityUK is the industry-led body representing UK-based financial and related professional services.
Their purpose is to champion and support the success of the UK-based financial and related professional services ecosystem, and thereby our members.
Areas of research
TheCityUK provides a wide range of research that helps shape the debate and influence policy for UK-based financial and related professional services. Areas include:
- Long term competitiveness
- Trust and reputation
- UK and the regions
- Investment and international trade
- Sustainability
Contact details
Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research and Data (WISERD)
WISERD is recognised as a national and interdisciplinary social science research institute. Designated by the Welsh Government as a national research centre, WISERD employs innovative approaches to conduct research across economics, sociology, geography, and political science.
Areas of work
WISERD conducts research and consultancy across diverse fields:
- Economics
- Sociology
- Geography
- Political Science
- Civil Society
- Data & Methods
- Education
- Health, Wellbeing & Social Care
- Inequalities
- Localities
- Research Networks
- Work and Labour Markets
Contact details
Email – [email protected]
Telephone – +44 (0)2920 879338
What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth
The What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth helps to make local growth policy more cost-effective, through better use of evidence and evaluation. They are members of the What Works Network and are jointly hosted by the London School of Economics and Centre for Cities.
Areas of research
- Access to finance
- Apprenticeships
- Area based initiatives
- Broadband
- Business advice
- Employment training
- Estate renewal
- Innovation
- Sport and culture
- Transport
More info on the above online.
Contact details
Email – [email protected]
