Coventry University drives regional innovation in creative and immersive industries

Coventry University is at the forefront of a new programme supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to advance their ideas toward commercialisation and drive local economic growth.

The national Innovate UK Launchpad programme will nurture local innovation clusters, creating environments where SMEs can thrive through innovation funding, shared resources, networks and collaboration opportunities.

Coventry and Warwickshire’s Launchpad aims to advance innovation in the world-class creative and immersive technologies, experiences and firms in the region. Funded by Innovate UK and Arts and Humanities Research Council, the Launchpad’s £7.5 million innovation funding is led by Warwickshire County Council and Coventry City Council.

The Launchpad will be supported by a Cluster Management Organisation (CMO) comprising regional collaborators, businesses and investment networks, led by University of Warwick in collaboration with Coventry University. The CMO will drive immersive and creative cluster development in Coventry and Warwickshire, promoting collaboration and a shared cluster environment to support sustainable growth and a legacy beyond the programme’s duration.

The “Immersive Future CW: Paving the Way for Coventry and Warwickshire’s Creative Tomorrow” project has been launched as part of the CMO, with Professor Nick Henry, Director of the Research Centre for Creative Economies (CCE), leading from Coventry University alongside Paul Fairburn, Director of Innovation Ecosystems, and Rachel Farrer, Associate Director for Cultural and Community Engagement.

Through managing a cluster gateway portal, the project will help creative and immersive businesses develop innovation maturity, foster collaborations that stimulate local supply chains, enhance ecosystem diversity, and create investment opportunities. Strategic data collection and technology events will further enhance research, development, and market foresight.

These initiatives will be tailored and responsive to industry needs, enhancing regional innovation, and establishing a strong brand and sustainable business model reflecting Coventry and Warwickshire's creative cluster strengths.

The initiative builds on the collaborative efforts of Coventry University’s CCE researchers and Enterprise and Innovation colleagues, with our local authorities and higher education collaborators.

Leveraging Coventry University's research and development expertise, the CMO project continues our long run mission to strategically support the region’s innovation and economic growth through collaboration and ecosystem development.

The Immersive Future CW project commenced on 1 June 2024 and will run for two years.

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Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation. For more information visit www.innovateuk.ukri.org.