95. Assessing the innovation performance, strengths and opportunities in the East Midlands
In November 2022, a devolution deal was agreed by the four upper tier councils of Derbyshire County Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Derby City Council and Nottingham City Council. The East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) is led by Mayor Claire Ward, elected as the first Mayor of the East Midlands region in May 2024. With two cities, large towns, major industries, technology strengths and energy innovations, the EMCCA area is transitioning from its industrial legacy to industries of the future.
To inform its thinking and investment innovation, EMCCA required a robust evidence base of its innovation strengths and assets. EMCCA commissioned Kada Research to comprehensively scope out the area’s innovation performance, strengths under priority sectors and new technologies reshaping the local economy by driving growth, creating new industries and transforming existing new ones.
An extensive desk review was undertaken, providing an assessment of the EMCCA area’s innovation economy, the regional innovation investment landscape, its performance in higher education innovation measures and its innovation activity and adoption. Following the establishment of EMCCA, the authority identified four key priority sector areas to focus on in their Corporate Plan. These included: advanced manufacturing, clean energy, creative and digital and life sciences and MedTech. The study focuses on the innovation strengths and niches in these four priority sector areas. In addition to the desk research, thirty-five regional stakeholders were consulted to inform this study. These engagements provided rich intel on EMCCA strengths from academia, further and higher education providers, industry and cluster leaders and representatives.
The advanced manufacturing sector was found to be a valuable asset in the region, with significant capabilities in aerospace, rail and automotive sectors and the power electronics, machines and drives sub-sectors. There is a large-scale opportunity for growth in the clean energy sector in the EMCCA area, with investment in STEP able to propel the region into the next generation of nuclear energy production and drive new opportunities across the supply chain. The creative and digital sector is growing and has initiatives to build on, including gaming strengths, immersive technologies and design. Life sciences in the EMCCA area have strong pedigree that requires more investment in early-stage companies. There is a rich seam of health and drug discovery work.
The study concludes with twenty tailored recommendations to increase innovation and collaboration which are designed to support research and innovation strengths identified within priority sectors and the region’s outstanding assets, companies, institutions and infrastructure.
If you are thinking about commissioning a similar study, or would like to find out more about this study, talk through an idea or work with us, please get in touch at info@kadaresearch.co.uk.