The University of Strathclyde has welcomed an announcement by the UK Government that Glasgow is to benefit from £30 million in innovation funding aimed at driving regional economic growth.
The city is one of 10 regions to receive money as part of the £500 million UKRI-led Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF).
The investment aims to empower innovation leadership through local ‘triple helix’ partnerships between civic institutions, industry and universities.
Key partner
Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Strathclyde, said: “This is a major and welcome investment for Glasgow and the City Region, and we are proud to be a key partner in the LIPF programme.
It recognises the vital role of universities in enabling inclusive economic growth through research, innovation and close collaboration with business and civic partners.
“Strathclyde’s innovation leadership is rooted in our deep commitment to working across sectors and disciplines to translate research into real-world impact. We look forward to contributing to the success of this initiative and to helping shape the future of an innovation-led economy in Glasgow and beyond.”
Set to run from 2026 to 2031, the LIPF will support the development of high-potential innovation clusters in seven English regions – Greater Manchester, West Midlands, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region, North East and Greater London – alongside the Glasgow City Region, Cardiff Capital Region, and the Belfast to Derry-Londonderry Corridor.
Dynamic ecosystem
Glasgow’s selection underlines the city’s dynamic ecosystem – exemplified in the Glasgow City Innovation District – and its long-standing strengths in research, enterprise and skills.
The new fund builds on UKRI’s successful Innovation Accelerator pilot programme which saw 11 projects in Glasgow receive a share of £130 million to address local economic challenges as well as national and global societal and environmental issues.
Strathclyde is leading or involved in six of the projects and the programme was recently extended for 2025/26 with an additional £30m.
UK Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: “All across the UK there are incredible projects and fantastic innovation taking place. We know that these are critical for the UK’s success.
“This fund now gives local leaders in every nation of the UK the chance to proudly capitalise on their city or region’s expertise, from AI to life sciences, medicines to engineering, and beyond, to make a difference to lives across the country.”
Innovation clusters
The LIPF builds on the concept of innovation clusters – local groupings that combine enterprise, research, entrepreneurship, skills and investment. By focusing on local strengths, the fund aims to both scale existing impact and support the development of emerging clusters with high economic potential.
As a leading technological university with a global outlook and a strong regional mission, Strathclyde will play an integral role in co-developing proposals that align with Glasgow’s ambitions for inclusive innovation, sustainability and long-term prosperity.
The intention of the LIPF is to attract a further £1 billion of additional investment, including from the private sector, and £700 million of additional value to local economies.