Local leaders across the United Kingdom can now apply for up to £20 million in government funding to expand regional science and technology expertise. The initiative, announced under the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, aims to strengthen local innovation ecosystems, create hundreds of jobs, and support the UK’s long-term growth strategy as part of a record £86 billion research and development settlement.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has opened the competition to a wide range of regional and local partnerships involving universities, businesses, and research organizations. The goal is to translate existing scientific discoveries into real-world applications that can improve healthcare, advance clean transport, and foster new industries, aligning with the government’s Plan for Change.
Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall emphasized that the fund empowers local leaders, researchers, and businesses to drive transformative research and innovation tailored to regional strengths. She encouraged partnerships across the country to showcase how they can harness their expertise to deliver groundbreaking solutions that generate economic growth and social benefits.
The fund builds upon earlier investments through the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, which has already provided support to ten UK regions, including Greater Manchester, West Midlands, West Yorkshire, Glasgow City Region, Cardiff Capital Region, and Northern Ireland’s Belfast–Derry-Londonderry corridor. Each of these regions has been allocated at least £30 million to develop innovation clusters in areas such as life sciences, digital technologies, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing.
This initiative also follows the success of the Innovation Accelerators programme, which has attracted over £140 million in private investment and created hundreds of new jobs. Examples include Greater Manchester teams developing faster diagnostics for heart and lung diseases and Glasgow researchers advancing early detection of colon cancer.
As part of the UK’s modern Industrial Strategy, this new round of funding represents a key step in ensuring that every nation and region benefits from research-driven growth. For areas ready to build on their innovation potential, the competition offers a transformative opportunity to secure investment, strengthen partnerships, and deliver lasting regional prosperity.
