Innovation Evidence Review

This evidence review synthesises key research and policy questions related to place-based innovation, focusing on strengthening local innovation ecosystems across the UK. It examines national and local innovation policies, the varying capacities of different places for innovation, lessons from existing interventions, and international examples. The review aims to inform the design of effective place-based innovation strategies by identifying key challenges and opportunities.

Policymakers and researchers should prioritise developing robust frameworks for measuring the impact of place-based innovation policies, conducting comprehensive case studies across diverse regions, and fostering cross-disciplinary collaborations to address local innovation challenges holistically.

“Innovation policies are increasingly ‘shifting away from top-down and centralised approaches towards policies that favour cooperative, multi-actor and often more ‘place-based’ approaches”. Dr Chloe Billing, City-REDI Research Fellow II.

Innovation Evidence Review:

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Please reference this paper as:

Billing, C. (2024). Innovation Evidence Review. The Local Policy Innovation Partnership Hub.

Meet the Author

Dr Chloe Billing

Chloe Billing joined the City-REDI team in November 2016 as a Research Fellow, working on the Urban Living Birmingham Project. 

Chloe’s current research explores the routes to developing a regional innovation ecosystem, to better support the transfer of university technologies into key sectors and help grow our local regional economies.

Part of this involves understanding both the challenges that universities are facing with their technology-transfer mechanisms, as well as, the barriers to innovation amongst local firms (such as skills and other productivity constraints).

Chloe is the lead for the innovation theme for the Local Innovation Policy Partnership (LPIP) Hub. She is currently on maternity leave 

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Publications

Towards A Place-Based Qualitative Data Observatory

This research briefing responds to Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) Hub work on data devolution, transparency, and place productivity. Building on this existing research, it argues that current UK data infrastructures do not yet accommodate the heterogeneous forms of qualitative data on which local, regional and national policymakers increasingly rely.

Outside-In: The Role of Social Entrepreneurs in Public Sector Transformation

This policy paper explores the role of social entrepreneurs as “outside-in” actors in public sector transformation. It argues that, in a period of profound institutional transition, public systems need to learn not only from within formal structures but also from actors operating at their boundaries. The briefing examines how social

Building Intergovernmental Capability Through Secondments: Lessons From Japan for the UK

This policy briefing explores how England’s devolution reforms could work more effectively by using staff secondments as a core part of the delivery system. Drawing on lessons from Japan’s structured, legally grounded approach, it shows how predictable and reciprocal staff movement can strengthen local capability, improve coordination across government tiers,

Policy Fragmentation and Place-Based Opportunity in UK Fashion and Textiles

This report analyses the positioning of the UK fashion and textiles sector within national, devolved and local policy frameworks to assess its capacity to operate as a stable, place-based economic system that supports skills retention, inclusive growth and regional resilience. Using fashion and textiles as a case study for the