Innovation key to Newcastle’s FDI appeal
Abundant universities and research establishments place Newcastle in a prime position to attract global companies looking for innovation and a skilled workforce.
The UK city of Newcastle, with its rich industrial heritage and vibrant culture, is positioning itself as a destination of choice for innovation-led investment.
Central to this endeavour are Newcastle’s innovation partners — universities, colleges, research centres, and specialist infrastructure. These institutions not only bolster the local economy through direct employment and their educational roles, they also serve as a magnet for international businesses seeking cutting-edge innovation and skilled talent.
“We’re interested in engaging companies that want to locate or expand their research and development hubs by establishing partnerships and collaborations with our universities to drive innovation across their divisions,” says Jenny Hartley, director of Invest Newcastle.
Newcastle’s city-centre based universities and colleges, such as Newcastle University and Northumbria University, are at the forefront of research and innovation across various fields including digital technology, renewable energy and life sciences. Together with Durham University, they offer the highest concentration of researchers in the UK outside of London.
Pushing technological boundaries
These institutions offer a dual advantage: they produce research that pushes technological boundaries and they cultivate a skilled workforce. By partnering with these academic institutions, international companies gain access to pioneering research and a pipeline of graduates equipped with the latest skills and knowledge.
For instance, Newcastle University’s National Innovation Centre for Data (NICD) provides businesses with the expertise to harness the power of data, driving innovation and productivity. Such centres make Newcastle an attractive location for tech companies looking to leverage big data and artificial intelligence, critical areas of modern business operations.
They are also supported by local colleges, such as Newcastle College Group, and specialist schools such as North East Futures University Technical College which are building the pipeline of talent focused on key strategic sectors and capabilities.
Skills development is also being enabled by leading further education providers like NCG and Gateshead College, which work closely with employers to ensure that the next generation of talent is equipped with the knowledge to drive innovation at every stage of their careers.
Research centres in Newcastle are instrumental in translating academic research into commercial success. The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), for example, helps companies develop, prove, prototype, and scale up new products and processes.
Infrastructure meets innovation
Infrastructure is another critical factor in attracting investment. Newcastle Helix, a 24-acre science and technology hub, is one such example where infrastructure meets innovation. This development is designed to support science and technology businesses, offering state-of-the-art facilities and fostering a collaborative environment between researchers, startups and established businesses.
Moreover, connectivity plays a crucial role. With Newcastle International Airport providing direct access to major global markets, and ongoing investments in digital infrastructure, the city is committed to ensuring that businesses located there can operate on a global scale seamlessly.
Investors are responding to Newcastle’s offer. In 2023, global defence and security firm Leonardo opened an office at Newcastle Helix and has pledged to create upwards of 200 high-quality jobs. What attracted Leonardo to Newcastle was the city’s research and innovation assets, namely NICD and the Defence Sciences and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), which are both also located on Newcastle Helix. Leonardo has teamed up with NICD on a research partnership to explore applications of AI in defence and security and will use its Newcastle base to drive R&D across its different areas of expertise.
Meanwhile, aerospace giant Lockheed Martin is investing in creating a space skills and technology centre at Northumbria University. The city has also had significant interest in its Biosphere commercial lab space, which is now at full occupancy, housing homegrown and foreign companies that are driving innovation in the life sciences space.
“It’s about taking what has worked really well for us at Newcastle Helix — clustering researchers/academics together with startups and established businesses to create a thriving innovation ecosystem that international companies want to be part of — and building on that across the wider city,” Hartley says.
Collaboration and synergy
The symbiotic relationship between Newcastle’s innovation partners fosters a collaborative ecosystem that is highly attractive to foreign investors. These partnerships facilitate the commercialisation of research, encourage the sharing of technology and ideas, and ensure that educational programmes align closely with industry needs.
As Newcastle continues to develop its innovation landscape through strategic partnerships among universities, research centres and infrastructural developments, it enhances its appeal as a prime destination for investment. The city’s commitment to fostering a supportive environment for innovation not only drives economic growth, but also positions Newcastle as a leader in the global knowledge economy.
It’s a place where anchor institutions, from the city council to the universities to the hospital trusts, work together to harness the research and development within and between companies, spreading jobs and opportunity to all communities.
Investing in Newcastle means tapping into a thriving hub of innovation, technology, and talent, poised to meet the challenges of the future.
