Innovate UK, Scottish Enterprise and Glasgow City region form new partnerships for Scottish innovation

Indro Mukerjee, CEO of Innovate UK, and Adrian Gillespie, Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, signed an MOU at Glasgow Science Centre on 7 November. They were joined by Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council, in launching the Glasgow City Region Action Plan with the Glasgow City Region.

The MOU sets a path for Innovate UK and Scottish Enterprise to foster tailored support for Scottish businesses and easier access through the innovation support ecosystem.

This ground-breaking plan builds upon the success of the Innovation Accelerator programme, representing an outcome of extensive local engagement. It outlines a series of pivotal initiatives aimed at further nurturing the City Region’s thriving innovation economy which has seen a £195 million investment from Innovate UK over the last five years.

Innovate UK CEO, Indro Mukerjee said:

As the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK is focused on building strong partnerships across the UK to support innovation and drive economic growth”.

“I am pleased to launch our collaborative innovation action plan, which is the result of a strong and close partnership with Glasgow City Region and Scottish Enterprise. It is a significant opportunity to build stronger links with Scottish regions, giving businesses greater access to our innovation ecosystem, helping them grow and succeed.

The plan spans six major themes: an Inclusive Economy, Skills, Ecosystem, Identity, Investment, and Infrastructure. It encompasses a range of initiatives, including the establishment of new skills partnerships, support to entrepreneurial campuses, and an investor roadmap. This roadmap will help to attract key investors in discovering Glasgow’s capabilities, complementing efforts to enhance the City Region’s identity.

The action plan and MOU were launched at the annual CAN DO Innovation Summit, a celebration of Scottish innovation success. The event organised by Glasgow City of Science and Innovation in collaboration with Innovate UK, Glasgow City Council and Scottish Enterprise, brought together over 1200 delegates from key sectors, offering insights from 40 speakers on a wide array of topics, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence.