Design Innovation Network

The Design Innovation Network has been established to encourage innovators to form a collaborative community and embrace design to a greater extent.

The Design Innovation Network has been established to encourage innovators to embrace design as a forethought rather than an afterthought and to a greater extent.

The innovation network will include start-ups, spin-outs, established businesses, not-for-profit, third sector, government organisations and consortia of companies with a common innovation agenda.

We use the term ‘design’ in a broad sense to encompass tools, methodologies and mindsets that encourage consideration of systems beyond the specific technologies. Specifically, we are interested in design activities that address the question of “doing the right thing” as well as “doing the thing right”; design that is human-centered, and system-aware, inclusive and sustainable.

We will work with the innovation community to determine the impact of design on innovation performance and mitigate the barriers to its adoption. With the Network, we will explore how design needs to change, and develop tools to maximise its impact. These insights will also help shape Innovate UK’s evolving Design in Innovation Strategy.

In addition to addressing innovation at an individual project level, the Network will explore how design can respond to complex and uncertain multi-stakeholder challenges such as decarbonisation, food supply, critical materials and inclusion.

We are keen to understand how you use design and what excites you about design in innovation. To explore the possibilities for design in your sector or technology area, please get in touch.

Join the Design Hive Community

Would you like to get involved with a collaborative platform that is connecting innovators with designers? Network with sector experts, discover new technologies, consume valuable resources, apply to funding opportunities and thinking all in one place.

Click here to find out more and join the Design Innovation Platform.

Become a Design Innovation Network Member

Are you interested in becoming a member of the Design Innovation Network? Complete the below form that is linked below to receive monthly email newsletters about the latest Innovate UK KTN events, funding opportunities and announcements.

Join the Design innovation Network by clicking here.

Additional Design Resources

Click here to find out more about the KTN Design team.

Click here to explore the Innovate UK KTN Innovation Canvas website.

Contact Us

If you have any questions relating to the Design Hive or Design Innovation Network, please contact the Innovate UK KTN Design team at design@ktn-uk.org.

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Programmes related to Design Innovation Network

Innovation Canvas

Innovation Canvas

KTN’s Innovation Canvas is designed to help you create value from innovation and identify the changes needed to make your idea succeed. It provides a framework for assessing the strengths and weaknesses of a specific project, identifying the most urgent challenges to overcome, and prioritising what action to take.

Navigating the Design to Manufacture Journey

Navigating the Design to Manufacture Journey

Navigating from design to manufacture can be challenging. Translating an idea from a design into manufactured reality requires skill, expertise and tenacity! Through guides, webinars and events, the Navigating the Design to Manufacture Journey Programme supports innovators as they look to get develop and commercialise physical products that require manufacturing.

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