Two hi-tech projects in Liverpool have secured more than £23 million in funding to help turn scientific research into job-creating businesses and innovation clusters. The investment marks the beginning of the city region's Innovation Investment Fortnight, which aims to showcase over £2 billion of investment opportunities across more than 25 events.
Projects Receive Government Backing
The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has confirmed two projects that will receive £23.7 million from the Government's Local Innovation Partnership Fund. This fund supports high-potential innovation clusters across the UK that link academia and business. These are the first projects to benefit from the £30 million allocated to the city region in July 2025.
AIM-HI Programme
The University of Liverpool's AIM-HI programme has secured £15 million to build on the success of the existing Materials Innovation Factory. It aims to create a new high-growth chemical super cluster in the city region. This support has been matched by £30 million of industry funding. The project will help the chemicals sector, which accounts for 9% of manufacturing jobs in the North West, to exploit the latest scientific and AI research.
NBIC-LIVE Programme
The National Biofilms Innovation Centre: Liverpool Engine (NBIC-LIVE) programme has received £8.7 million. It will create what is described as the world's first centre of innovation excellence dedicated to AI and machine learning-enabled rapid innovation of antimicrobial and anti-biofilm surfaces.
Innovation Investment Fortnight
Innovation Investment Fortnight will feature events on topics ranging from life sciences innovation to maritime, games development, and sports science. It includes the fifth annual LCR Innovation Investment Summit at The Spine on Thursday.
Quotes from Leaders
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: "This funding is a major vote of confidence in the Liverpool City Region and our position at the forefront of global innovation. We're already building real strength in areas like artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing, and this investment will help us accelerate that progress – turning cutting-edge research into high-quality jobs and opportunities for our communities." He added that it helps launch the Innovation Investment Fortnight and puts a spotlight on the scale of opportunity in the region.
Professor Tim Jones, vice-chancellor of the University of Liverpool, said: "This new funding recognises the power of partnership between universities, industry and civic leaders. Through AIM-HI and NBIC-LIVE, the University of Liverpool will help accelerate world-leading advances in AI-enabled materials chemistry and life science, while creating new opportunities for businesses, researchers and the LCR workforce." He noted that the projects will foster long-term economic growth and support high-value jobs while securing the region's reputation as a global centre for scientific and technological innovation.
Professor Sir Ian Chapman, CEO of UKRI, said: "The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund exists to ensure that world-class research gets into the hands of local organisations and businesses to create real economic value in communities across the UK. Liverpool City Region is demonstrating exactly how that works: taking deep scientific expertise in areas like AI-enabled chemistry and antimicrobial innovation and connecting it directly to industry and global markets." He emphasised that UKRI's investment in places becomes investment in the nation's future.
