Richelle’s innovation career spans both the public and private sector including setting up an innovation consulting practice within a global professional services firm and experience developing innovation policy as Head of Innovation in Leeds and London, managing investments and stakeholders within local and national government. Richelle has a unique perspective on how to develop a thriving regional ecosystem which works for both business and communities; connecting infrastructure, funding, skills and capacity to drive inclusive and sustainable growth. Richelle recently co-founded Creaticity specifically to help more cities and regions use innovation to leverage new partnerships, develop impact-led programmes and explore alternative funding models to overcome the challenging situations they currently face.