Cardiff Capital Region to receive at least £30m from UK Government to drive innovation and economic growth
Cardiff Capital Region to receive at least £30m from UK Government to drive innovation and economic growth
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Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) has been awarded at least £30 million from the UK Government to help unlock locally led innovation, as part of a new £500 million Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF).
The announcement, made by UK Science Minister Lord Vallance, places Cardiff Capital Region alongside Glasgow and the Belfast–Derry/Londonderry corridor as the first three regions to secure a minimum allocation of the fund. Seven English regions, from Greater Manchester to Greater London, were confirmed last month.
The investment will be directed by partnerships between local authorities, businesses and research organisations, working with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Funding will support a range of regional and national science and technology priorities, including life sciences, AI, green energy solutions and advanced engineering.
“From driving the development of electric vehicle components that will help deliver a greener planet to cutting-edge data science work, the Cardiff Capital Region is playing a leading role in the technologies of the future that can benefit people throughout the UK,” said Lord Vallance. “By targeting this funding with local leaders to a range of science and technology sectors we can make the most of the expertise across Cardiff and wider Wales to grow the economy as part of our Plan for Change.”
The fund could also build on CCR’s existing strengths in areas such as electric vehicle component manufacturing and data science, helping to generate high-value jobs and support the UK’s transition to a greener economy.
Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens described the funding as “vital to support Wales’s leading science and technology sectors.” She added: “We are already punching above our weight in areas where there is huge potential for even more growth. Wales has the talent and expertise to develop high tech solutions to a range of challenges, and this investment will help kickstart innovation, create new well-paid jobs and grow the Welsh economy.”
Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, said the investment was a further vote of confidence in South East Wales. “This investment represents another vote of confidence in the Cardiff capital region and builds on our work supporting its growth, strong university research ecosystem, industry base and innovation clusters over a number of years,” she said. “We will continue working closely with the South East Wales Corporate Joint Committee and the UK Government to build on the region’s strengths, attract significant private investment, strengthen regional partnerships and deliver real benefits for people across South East Wales and beyond.”
The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund is a key pillar of the UK Government’s Plan for Change and is part of a record £86 billion R&D settlement until 2030. The fund represents a shift in place-based innovation policy, handing greater control over research and development investment to local leaders.
Partnerships will be able to begin deploying funding from April 2026. High-potential innovation clusters in other regions will have the opportunity to compete for future rounds of funding, with UKRI set to publish further details soon.
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