Newcastle Innovations is making it faster and easier for businesses, investors and partners to collaborate with Newcastle University and turn ideas into growth.
The recently launched initiative provides a single, joined-up front door to the University’s innovation, commercialisation and partnership activity, simplifying access to expertise, facilities, talent, funding pathways and commercial support.
For organisations and investors, Newcastle Innovations offers a clear route into collaboration – whether co-developing new technologies, accessing specialist research facilities, commissioning applied research, investing in high-growth spin-outs, or building skills for the future workforce.
Newcastle Innovations builds on a strong track record, with Newcastle University already working with a wide range of partners, from global organisations such as Procter & Gamble, Siemens and Curium Pharma, to SMEs, scale-ups, public sector bodies and third-sector organisations across the UK and internationally. The University already has 42 active spin-out companies that have attracted more than £90 million of investment in the past two years, and created more than 370 jobs.
Flagship initiatives at the University such as the National Innovation Centre for Data and the Arrow programme, which provides innovation support to SMEs, have delivered productivity gains for businesses, opened new markets and supported long-term regional growth.
An example of how Newcastle Innovations is already building impactful collaborations with business, is the partnership with Pentland and their which includes premier outdoor clothing brand Berghaus. Pentland partnered with Newcastle Innovations to develop new legwear technology that would adapt to women’s bodies and support them to feel truly comfortable when exploring the outdoors.
Biomechanical modelling and physiological analysis was carried out at Newcastle University’s advanced sport and exercise research facilities to refine the final design of the new product, and Berghaus is now incorporating ZonalAdapt into all of its legwear.
The collaboration brought together Newcastle University’s scientific and technical expertise with Pentland’s product development experience to help address a real-world challenge and push innovation further.
In addition, in July, Newcastle Innovations announced that research originating from a long-standing partnership between Newcastle University, Astex Pharmaceuticals and Cancer Research Horizons had helped secure an exclusive worldwide research collaboration and licence agreement between Astex and Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, to develop potential new breast cancer treatments, demonstrating the value of knowledge exchange in translating academic research into global patient impact.
Newcastle Innovations also supports programmes and events that invite people to explore ideas, share perspectives and engage with research and innovation, with 1.6 million people attending the University’s events in 2024/25. Working with partners across culture, education and public life, these activities help strengthen connections between the University and the wider community.
For Newcastle University, partnership working is at the heart of what it does. Newcastle Innovations is about removing barriers and making it easier for organisations to collaborate with the University locally, nationally and internationally, delivering innovation and growth and tangible benefits for businesses, communities and society.
Estelle Blanks, Director of Newcastle Innovations at Newcastle University, said:
“From a business perspective, the idea is simple – a clear route into expertise, talent, facilities, and partnerships.
“We are responding directly to feedback from industry, so that more companies can access our support and expertise to accelerate growth, attract investment and create a skilled workforce.”
Professor Jane Robinson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Business, Partnerships and Place at Newcastle University, added:
“Partnership working is at the heart of what we do. Newcastle Innovations is about removing barriers to turn ideas into impact.
“We are making it easier for organisations to collaborate with us locally, nationally and internationally, to deliver innovation and growth and tangible benefits for businesses, communities and society.”
Andrew Mackenzie, Director of Strategic Networks, attended the launch of Newcastle Innovations:
“It was a pleasure to attend the launch of Newcastle Innovations and see first-hand the ambition behind this exciting new initiative. I look forward to seeing how Newcastle Innovations builds on Newcastle’s strong track record of creating new opportunities for innovation, skills and economic growth across the North East and beyond. This ambition speaks directly to NCUB’s mission to strengthen university-business collaboration and maximise the contribution they make to the economy and society.”
Find out more about Newcastle Innovations here: www.ncl.ac.uk/newcastle-innovations
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