Innovate Lancashire promotes regional business growth, enables collaborations, and signposts companies to further support. It also champions university and business-led R&D, and supports the development of Lancashire’s tech and innovation ecosystems.
In addition, Innovate Lancashire is helping to deliver the Lancashire Innovation Plan (LIP). The LIP, which has been developed by Lancashire County Council in partnership with the Lancashire Innovation Board, is focused on maintaining, strengthening, and extending Lancashire’s world-class capabilities in innovation-led sectors such as aerospace, advanced manufacturing, cyber, low carbon, energy, electech and chemicals.
As part of this work, Innovate Lancashire is helping bring forward a new £6m innovation hub at Samlesbury in central Lancashire. Capitalising on the technology assets already based in the area, including the AMRC North West, BAE Systems, and the incoming National Cyber Force headquarters, this will be a cross-sector facility designed to facilitate more ideation, collaboration and commercialisation within a range of high value, high growth industries.
Another enabler identified in the LIP is increasing access to innovation funding and finance. In response, Innovate Lancashire has developed FHundED; an initiative which brings institutional investors and venture capitalists together with Lancashire-based start-ups and scale-ups from across the county. FHundED, which is based at the Fraser House co-working tech hub in Lancaster, has already helped facilitate VC deals worth £29m since its inception last year.
Rory Southworth, Innovation Ecosystem Manager at Innovate Lancashire, said:
I’m proud that the Fraser House hub will be hosting an event as part of the inaugural UK Tech Week. We will use the opportunity to highlight some of the incredible tech businesses which are based here in Lancashire, and showcase the county’s strengths in key sectors such as cyber, electech, clean energy and future flight.
But Fraser House is just one part of Lancashire’s thriving tech ecosystem, and through our Innovation Plan we are bringing employers, entrepreneurs, universities, skills providers and local authorities together to help us drive more innovation-led growth.
With major new projects on the horizon, including the National Cyber Force HQ, Eden Project Morecambe, the Samlesbury Innovation Hub, and Blackpool’s Silicon Sands initiative, it’s an exciting time for Lancashire. We’re therefore greatly looking forward to being part of UK Tech Week so we can share with the UK’s wider tech community what’s happening here.
As if that weren’t enough, Lancashire Tech Summit is back for the third year running. This time, with a FHundED twist to bring you even more tech, innovation, and actionable growth.
Set in the grounds of Williamson Park, FHundED Live is an annual tech and innovation summit unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. Swap the usual conference room experience for an open-air festival as you immerse yourself in Lancashire’s buzzing tech scene.
On Friday, 10th May, enjoy a day of tech and innovation with inspiring keynote speakers, panel discussions, and lightning talks followed by an evening of music at the Highest Point Festival. Book your tickets here.
Follow Innovate Lancashire on LinkedIn for all the latest updates.