Experimenting for the greater good
Liverpool’s history is marked by a willingness to experiment and adapt. Being European Capital of Culture in 2008, not only celebrated the city’s cultural heritage but also served as a catalyst for significant regeneration and economic impact, by growing the City’s knowledge economy. The civic pride that being European Capital of Culture instilled in its citizens was key to Liverpool leading the way in the UK during Covid-19 with mass testing, use of civic data and events research and trailblazing initiatives like “Liverpool Without Walls” supporting local businesses at that difficult time.
Furthermore, Liverpool’s Covid-19 response saw the creation of The Pandemic Institute, helping the world prepare for future pandemics. Similarly, Liverpool’s innovative hosting of Eurovision on behalf of Ukraine enabled Liverpool to go on to be recognised as a UN Accelerator City, with a commitment to decarbonise live music and TV/film production sectors through innovative pilot programmes.
Creating the conditions for innovators to thrive
The City and its Knowledge Quarter (KQ Liverpool) Innovation District actively creates the conditions for innovators to thrive. Whether through Baltic Creative CIC transforming derelict land into spaces for creative industries or through the unique triple-helix science and tech development company Sciontec.
Liverpool City Council and Combined Authority are ensuring that innovative businesses have the right spaces to grow, with Sciontec’s Liverpool Science Park and SciTech Daresbury full and thriving. Complementary to this, the Combined Authority has backed LYVA Labs and Baltic Ventures to incubate, accelerate and fund businesses with high-growth potential in the life sciences and tech sectors.
Orchestrating its diverse innovation ecosystem
This support does not exist in isolation. Liverpool effectively orchestrates its diverse innovation ecosystem, bringing together various stakeholders. This is primarily through the Liverpool City Region Innovation Board, founded in 2014, bringing together industry, academia and government bodies to achieve an R&D target of 5% of GVA by 2030. The LCR Science and Innovation Audits guide a “Smart Specialisation” approach, focusing on key strengths like infection prevention, materials chemistry and AI solutions.
This strategic oversight and drive culminates in delivery on the ground with the Liverpool City Region Innovation Zone expected to unlock £800m investment and create 8 000 jobs. Projects include lab developments at Liverpool City Region’s two major science and innovation places; KQ Liverpool and SciTech Daresbury. As well as microbiome, paediatric, infection research and commercialisation and skills initiatives with KQ Futures focused on children and young people.
Sharing innovation success
Ranked one of the world’s most friendly cities with a rich cultural heritage, Liverpool actively shares its innovation success and acts as a leader in the European urban innovation community. Liverpool is committed to being the UK’s most European facing city with numerous research, industrial and innovation partnerships and the University of Liverpool now ranked in the global top 150.
For example, the Music Futures programme which will see Liverpool become a global hub for music innovation and sharing of learning through the UNESCO City of Music global networks. Of course, Liverpool has music innovation in its DNA.
A future-proofed vision
The transformative work that is ongoing across Liverpool City Region is underpinned by a cohesive, proven and future-proofed plan for a fairer, stronger and cleaner region. This vision comes to life through developments such as Paddington Village – the £1 billion flagship KQ Liverpool expansion site, with The Spine and the future HEMISPHERE development – and Glass Futures, in St Helens, a world-first centre for decarbonising the glass industry. And ambitious plans to harness the power of the River Mersey through Mersey Tidal Power.
Beyond large infrastructure investments, like the new AI supercomputer “Mary Coombs” at the STFC Hartree Centre at Daresbury, Liverpool is also championing digital inclusion at buildings like CENTRAL TECH and through initiatives such as the Digital Inclusion Network and being a healthy City too, demonstrated through Marmot City status and a commitment to tackling health inequalities.
Liverpool Innovates for Everyone
Ultimately, the collaborative efforts across Liverpool are in a shared mission to build a fairer and more democratic society for all, with a focus on marginalised groups. Barriers to innovation are actively removed through inclusive innovation programmes such as the aforementioned KQ Futures and also the Race Equality Hub, which delivers initiatives to promote the economic advancement for Black, Asian, and Minority communities. Liverpool truly Innovates for Everyone.