London, UK – May 2025 — A major new investment by Research England will inject £30 million into four transformative regional projects, aimed at building and scaling commercialisation ecosystems anchored around English universities.
The initiative, part of the University Commercialisation Ecosystems Programme, is designed to enhance collaboration between universities, industry, and other partners to drive innovation, accelerate spin-out activity, and support high-value job creation in key regional sectors.
A Strategic Push for Place-Based Innovation
The £30 million funding package seeks to:
- Build new and strengthen existing university-industry collaborations
- Expand the pipeline of high-quality, investible spin-outs
- Support scale-up capabilities for research-led businesses
- Attract UK and international investment into emerging technologies
- Embed long-term knowledge exchange and economic impact strategies
- Create high-value jobs that benefit local communities
This latest round builds on Research England’s work through the Connecting Capability Fund (CCF) and the Research England Development (RED) Fund, both designed to support university collaboration and research commercialisation across the country.
Professor Dame Jessica Corner, Executive Chair, Research England:
“This funding will help these ambitious projects build and scale regional innovation ecosystems. By focusing academic excellence on commercial opportunity, we’re helping translate cutting-edge research into real-world impact that strengthens local economies.”
Science Minister Backs Economic Potential of Research
Announcing the funding during a visit to Aston University, Science Minister Lord Vallance emphasized the UK’s strength in research and its untapped commercial potential:
“The UK is home to some of the world’s best universities. But we must do more to turn brilliant research into businesses that attract investment and sustain jobs. This funding supports our Plan for Change by helping turn innovation into economic growth.”
The Four Flagship Regional Projects
🧬 North East – SCENE (Strategic Commercialisation Ecosystem North East)
Lead: Durham University
Building on the success of the Northern Accelerator, SCENE will enhance university-industry partnerships and help retain and grow innovation-led businesses in the region. The project aims to attract international investment and strengthen commercial capacity across research institutions.
🏭 Midlands – Forging Ahead/Forging Beyond
Lead: Loughborough University (in partnership with 15 universities)
This large-scale collaboration addresses fragmentation in the Midlands’ innovation ecosystem. The project will cultivate new talent pipelines, expand accelerator networks, and support high-growth sectors including health tech, net zero, and advanced manufacturing.
💉 Liverpool City Region – BRITE (Biologics Regional Innovation and Technology Ecosystem)
Lead: Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
BRITE will focus on closing key gaps in the biologics innovation pipeline, particularly around infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance. The project aims to build infrastructure for next-generation therapies, support job creation, and establish the region as a UK leader in biologics.
🌾 Greater Lincolnshire & East Anglia – ACE (Agri-tech Commercialisation Ecosystem)
Lead: University of Lincoln (in collaboration with University of Cambridge and University of East Anglia)
ACE will form a nationally recognised agri-tech innovation cluster, supporting sustainable food production and technology transfer. Plans include launching a dedicated venture fund and establishing a national tech transfer office to accelerate UK-wide agri-tech spinouts.
A Diversity of Themes, United by Impact
Tony Hickson, Chief Business Officer at Cancer Research UK and member of the funding advisory panel:
“These awards reflect the strength of collaboration across a diversity of themes — from health and manufacturing to agri-tech. Each project is set to deliver a step change in regional commercialisation, helping transform research into life-changing outcomes.”
Together, these four projects demonstrate the power of place-based innovation, combining academic expertise with entrepreneurial ambition to build the UK’s next generation of high-impact industries.
