In February 2022, the UK Government’s Levelling Up White Paper set out a mission to increase expenditure on public research and development outside the Greater South East by at least 40% by 2030. It also outlined plans for new Innovation Accelerators in Glasgow, the West Midlands, and Greater Manchester.
To understand how, as part of the levelling-up agenda, places right across the UK can deliver truly inclusive innovation, the UK Innovation Districts Group and Connected Places Catapult commissioned research. A team, led by Metro Dynamics and Professor Neil Lee, explored the dynamics of innovation in local economies through interviews with people leading and working in innovation districts across the UK. The conversations covered how districts are delivering inclusive innovation on the ground, from involving local communities in setting their strategies to employment and training opportunities.
From this research, the report:
- identifies ten levers that leaders in the private and public sectors can pull to make the process and outputs of innovation more inclusive;
- highlights a number of successful projects and programmes demonstrating elements of successful inclusive innovation up and down the country; and
- provides recommendations for key delivery partners including innovation districts, national Government, and local governments.
