The towns and cities with the highest productivity and growth tend to have harnessed innovative products and services, creating the right conditions for success. As global strategist Parag Khanna puts it, “Connectivity is destiny”. A place cannot change its location, but investing in its connectedness – whether physical, digital or social connectivity – can create new opportunities.
About Hubs of innovation
The development and implementation of connected places innovations that deliver greater mobility, access, optimise land use, improve decision making, foster new public spaces and points of human interaction are therefore integral to both the revival of regional economies and the sustained success of the UK’s existing engines of innovation.
“Connectivity is destiny. A place cannot change where it is located, but by investment in its connectedness it can create new opportunities.” – Parag Khanna
Parag Khanna
Connected Places Catapult has worked with a range of public and private sector place leaders to seed and stimulate local hubs of innovation both in the UK and globally.
From the Belfast City Region to Sharjah in the UAE, we have experience partnering with places to help unlock new economic potential through the adoption of new technologies and innovative approaches. We help seed and scale new and existing hubs of innovation by mobilising local and regional ecosystems around a shared plan and attracting investment.
Building on that experience, we have generated a range of new analysis and guidance to help more places spark new hubs of innovation activity or amplify the impact of existing ones.
Initiatives for 2023
JOIN THE DOTS
Joining the Dots brings city leaders together to build connections around the shared challenges and opportunities and areas of economic strength for businesses in their respective regions by creating a safe space for confidential discussions
Initiatives for 2023
INNOVATION DISTRICTS GROUP
The Innovation district group enables the delivery of, and maximise the benefits from, innovation districts and knowledge quarters. These new forms of urban geography are places where different sectors and uses intersect to drive innovation and inclusive growth.
Initiatives for 2023
FREEPORTS INNOVATION NETWORK
The Freeport Innovation Network (FIN) is a collaboration vehicle for Freeports to shape and orchestrate their innovation activity as a collective.
Initiatives for 2023
INCLUSIVE INNOVATION NETWORK
The Inclusive Innovation Network aims to deliver faster growth and more equitable prosperity by challenging the industry to champion inclusivity as much as it drives innovation.
What’s happening now?
Live Projects
ProjectHelping place leaders to foster innovation-led prosperity across the UK .
ProjectInternational collaboration can boost the power of places to deliver on net zero goals. A new partnership between the UK and India which involves Connected Places Catapult is hoping to achieve just that.
ProjectDriving productivity and prosperity through place-based innovation to accelerate inclusive urban growth.
ProjectHelping city leaders connect on shared challenges and opportunities to strengthen economic links and drive regional growth
ProjectA project to develop long-term business-led research & innovation collaborations between the UK and the State of Bahia
Project
ProjectAs civic leaders begin the daunting task of decarbonisation our cities, transport, and energy systems, it is vital that cities around the world explore new partnerships for learning and collaboration.
ProjectLocal leaders can sometime struggle to know where to start when it comes to commissioning innovation, or even understanding the innovation economy. It can be daunting and you sometimes need a guide.
The latest in Innovation Places
Impact analysis from Connected Places Catapult confirms that a major clean tech programme in the West Midlands has led to millions of pounds’ worth of new investment, and created commercial opportunities for most of the companies involved.
Using new procurement rules to implement the ambitious investment agenda set out in the King's Speech will boost the kind of innovation and growth the UK needs.
