Cardiff University welcomes £30m strategic innovation boost for southeast Wales

Cardiff University is set to support a major new investment of at least £30 million in innovation across the Cardiff Capital Region, backed by the UK Government’s Local Innovation Partnership Fund.

The funding, announced on 29 July, positions Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) among ten regions across the UK selected to pioneer new local innovation models, driving sustainable economic growth through science and technology.

The UK Government’s £500 million Local Innovation Partnership Fund aims to empower regions to design and lead innovation strategies tailored to their own areas of strengths and needs. This unique form of funding will see progress being made through a ‘Triple Helix’, which brings together civic institutions, business, and universities so that the programme developed matches the needs, capabilities, and assets aligned to regional context.

Led by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the local innovation partnership fund aims to convert research excellence into tangible products, services, or technologies that deliver impact through increased productivity, greater investment, and the creation of high-value jobs.

This strongly supports co-creation and innovation through deep collaborative approaches to commercialisation and economic growth, which have been growing across the region. The new funding will build on the existing strengths of Cardiff, and the region more widely.

Professor Roger Whitaker, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Enterprise said: “I’m delighted that Local Innovation Partnership Funding is coming to the Cardiff Capital Region. This timely investment in our region will enable a new wave of innovation to take hold. Critically, it will be driven by new forms of partnership and co-creation on which the region can thrive.”

Secretary of State for Wales, Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP said: “This funding from the UK Government is vital to support Wales’ leading science and technology sectors. We are already punching above our weight in areas where there is huge potential for even more growth. Wales has the talent and expertise to develop high tech solutions to a range of challenges, and this investment will help kickstart innovation, create new well-paid jobs and grow the Welsh economy.”

Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans MS, said: “This investment represents another vote of confidence in the Cardiff Capital Region and builds on our work supporting its growth, strong university research ecosystem, industry base and innovation clusters over a number of years.”

The indicative timeline involves Local Innovation Partnership Funding projects going live from April 2026, subject to approval.