Leicester Innovation Hub

Since opening in 2017 the Leicester Innovation Hub Team have been working together with businesses to provide incubation space, innovation support and access to facilities and funding for specialist technical and academic expertise. The Hub also supports Leicester students looking to launch their own start-ups, develop their entrepreneurial skills and identify opportunities for work experience placements with businesses, including student projects to provide expertise to SMEs. The Innovation Hub to opened following an initial investment of £5 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the University of Leicester.  The Hub is based across three historic buildings a short walk away from both the University's main campus and Brookfield. The Innovation Hub Team delivers direct technical expertise, as well as being a link to accessing support within the University and from regional and national expertise.

Alongside the many challenges since the start of the pandemic, the University has been able to continue its work and ambitions that create opportunities in space technologies by growing and developing a world-leading cluster for innovative research, enterprise and education in space and earth observation. The academic teams and industry partners based in Space Park Leicester are developing and able to draw on University’s expertise and heritage in space research and development. This new facility is located close to the National Space Centre and will be a research, development and innovation environment where industry and academia will work alongside one another.

The University’s commitment to regional economic growth is underpinned by the bringing together of activities in the School of Business, Leicester Innovation Hub and Space Park Leicester to provide opportunities for business growth and innovation. Our work together continues and the School of Business regained the Small Business Charter (SBC) Award for a further three years earlier this year.  Supported by the Small Business Charter and funded through Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), leadership development and growth programmes offered through the School of Business have supported small businesses to grow, innovate and increase productivity by adopting digital and new technologies.

The University remains committed to improving the productivity and resilience of businesses and SMEs and working with them to share innovation expertise. Collaboration is key to growing, developing and creating sustainable future and why projects and funding that bring together industry and academic partners as central to achieving together.

To talk to us about your innovation projects you can get in touch with the Leicester Innovation Hub Team on LeicInnovation@le.ac.uk