Seven regions in England and Wales have been unveiled as the latest to receive up to £20 million in government funding to strengthen their local innovation economies.
The money is being awarded through the £500 million Local Innovation Partnerships Fund after areas were invited to bid for funding.
The regions receiving up to £20 million are:
- Tay Cities Region, Scotland: Creative technologies
- Plymouth, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset (Great South West): Autonomous technology
- Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire (Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor): Autonomous vehicles, high-performance engineering and space technology
- Greater Lincolnshire: Agri-tech and defence
- South West Wales: Energy security and materials security
- East Midlands: Advanced manufacturing and clean energy
- Hull and East Yorkshire and Tees Valley: Clean energy and industrial decarbonisation
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.”
The latest funding follows £50 million being awarded to Glasgow City Region, West Midlands and Greater Manchester, as well as £30 million being allocated to South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region, North East, Greater London, Cardiff Capital Region and an innovation corridor linking Belfast and Derry-Londonderry in Northern Ireland.