Innovation is at the heart of the UK’s recovery from COVID and the future economy. At the same time, it is now widely recognised that economic productivity is unevenly distributed across the UK. As we await the publication of the Government’s forthcoming UK Innovation Strategy, place leaders across the country are reflecting on how best to invest in innovation and create regional hubs of discovery and job creation. Appetite to broaden the geographic spread of UK innovation activity is not new, but results to date have been mixed: while over the past twenty years some 100 places in the UK have attempted to build an innovation node or hub, only about ten of them have achieved real scale and maturity.

The Connected Places Catapult is hosting this one-day, virtual, Innovation Places Summit to convene innovation district leaders, policymakers, and place practitioners to share ideas for stimulating the innovation economy in their localities and build the next generation of UK innovative hubs, quarters, and districts. Professionals from a range of backgrounds are invited to the summit to share ideas for stimulating the innovation economy in their localities.

Attendees will be invited to work directly with other place-makers and innovation leaders, to share best practice, identify common barriers to growth and acceleration, and discuss potential solutions. Attendees will be provided with a tool to assess the current state of their own innovation hubs, using the framework of the recently published Hubs of Innovation Playbook, and can attend the sessions with places in similar stages of growth.

The Innovation Places Summit represents the first step in creating a National Place-based Innovation Network. This will enable places to collaboration and share knowledge – vital for successful delivery of the Innovation Strategy.

Why attend:

• Learn how to navigate the challenges of setting up and scaling a hub of innovation
• Hear best practice from leading innovation districts and consider how to apply this in local contexts
• Build a network with places for future collaboration
• Prepare for how best to develop a strong bid for forthcoming Innovation Deals
• Identify specific tools and frameworks which can support hubs of innovation in different stages

Who should attend:

• Place leaders – Local Authorities
• Developers
• Academics

REGISTER HERE