Leading innovation in Leicester and Leicestershire
Innovative Leicestershire brings together partners from across sectors to create and deliver on their shared interest in building a long-term innovation agenda for the region.
These business, local authority, and education leaders view innovation as a means of building local collaboration, growth, and opportunity. They see innovation as a route to future prosperity and productivity.
Origins of Innovative Leicestershire
Working with Government
Leicester and Leicestershire was one of six local enterprise partnerships selected by the then Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to take part in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program (MIT REAP).
Implementing MIT REAP
The MIT REAP framework is used for growing innovation-driven entrepreneurial ecosystems around the world. Leicester and Leicestershire completed the programme in 2020. The work with MIT REAP became the basis of region’s Innovation Strategy.
Setting a growth target
Our MIT REAP report envisaged Leicester and Leicestershire’s economy growing by 5-10% above the national average. Our aim is to play our part in that by contributing to a high-performing economy existing and emerging innovation clusters.
Building our productivity
Such an aim requires investment, upskilling, and improved collaboration between small entrepreneurial organisations and larger ‘beacons'. Developing our Innovation Strategy will help to achieve this by increasing regional productivity and supporting growth.
"Through their MIT REAP work, the LLEP sought to foster the innovation-driven entrepreneurial culture and community especially in their key regional strengths. We are thrilled to see the launch of the Innovation Board and Innovation Strategy and look forward to celebrating its progress.”
Professor Fiona Murray CBE
William Porter Professor of Entrepreneurship and Associate Dean for Innovation & Inclusion
MIT Sloan School of Management
Our purpose
Innovative Leicestershire provides strategic focus, stakeholder engagement, and thought leadership on innovation in Leicester and Leicestershire.
Led by the Leicester and Leicestershire Business and Skills Partnership, it supports delivery of innovation activity outlined in the MIT REAP vision document and the Economic Growth Strategy.
Our stakeholders
Innovative Leicestershire’s partners are drawn from leading businesses and organisations actively involved in innovation strategy and delivery.
They include:
Business representatives from priority sectors
Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering
Space
Health and Life Sciences
Sport
Federation of Small Businesses
Innovate UK
British Business Bank
Senior representatives of
De Montfort University
Loughborough University
University of Leicester
Our Partners
Get involved with Innovative Leicestershire
Collaboration is fundamental to achieving our goals. If you are interested in becoming part of what we are doing then there are a host of ways to get involved, from attending an event to relocating your organisation.
