Four major innovation projects in North East England – all involving or connected to Durham University – are to receive a total of £23.7 million to develop new technologies, create jobs, and support economic growth and opportunity across the region.
The projects, CRAFT, NE CAGE, NOVA and Sycamore, are to receive support through the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF), and the investment is expected to unlock a further £55m in private investment.
We are involved with or connected to all four projects, working with businesses and public-sector partners to create opportunities for companies to access expertise, facilities and research capabilities, develop new technologies and products, build skills, and bring innovations closer to market.
We are leading the Centre for Realisation and Advancement of Future Technologies (CRAFT).
Planned to be based at NETPark near Durham, CRAFT will bring together researchers, industry and public-sector partners to help turn scientific research, in areas including space and fusion, into practical technologies and create new opportunities for businesses to develop and grow.
North East Centre for Accelerating the Green Economy (NE CAGE), led by Procter & Gamble, brings together Durham and two other North East universities with innovative regional businesses and partners to develop the next generation of sustainable chemicals and materials.
We will provide expertise in enzyme discovery, bioimaging and omics to support greener industrial processes, bio-based materials and advanced testing, while developing the skills needed to strengthen North East England’s green economy.
North East Vision for High Value Materials Innovation Acceleration (NOVA), led by CPI, involves Durham and three other North East England universities, alongside two Catapults and high-growth businesses.
Our GJ Russell Electron Microscopy facility will provide advanced materials analysis to support clean energy, advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies from feasibility through to commercialisation, building on nearly 20 years of industry experience.
It will help businesses understand, develop and scale new materials and technologies across areas including semiconductors, battery systems and lower-carbon alternatives, creating opportunities for new products and services to reach the market.
Project Sycamore is led by Low Carbon Materials, one of our spinout companies. It will focus on scaling up and expanding opportunities for carbon-negative additives for use in concrete, supporting more sustainable construction as the region continues to grow.
The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF) is a flagship UK government programme, delivered through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), investing £500m to strengthen regional innovation economies across the country.
The North East is at the forefront of next generation technologies. Our new programme will turbocharge innovation in North East England, boosting investment in research and development, and accelerating the delivery of our Local Growth Plan. “This programme brings together our world-class universities with some of our most innovative, cutting-edge businesses, collaboration that will deliver hundreds of good-quality jobs for local people, major private sector investment to benefit our region’s economy, around 90 new products to market and wider benefits including new facilities and growth across the supply chain. This is great news for innovation in the region.
Durham University is pioneering new technological development to drive growth and prosperity in North East England. CRAFT will turn promising research into practical products, services, and applications, and Low Carbon Materials’ continued success is further evidence of the lasting benefit to North East England of Durham University research and commercialisation.
These projects in North East England are all excellent examples of what can be achieved when world-leading researchers, innovative businesses and regional partners come together around a shared ambition. Building on local strengths and previous UKRI investment, they will create high-quality jobs, attract investment and deliver tangible benefits for people and communities across the region. Through the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, UKRI is supporting partnerships across the UK to build on their distinctive strengths, translating innovation into impact that advances knowledge, improves lives and drives growth.
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