Four major innovation projects involving or connected to Durham University are set to receive a combined £23.7 million to develop new technologies, create jobs and support economic growth across the North East.
The projects—CRAFT, NE CAGE, NOVA and Sycamore—will receive funding through the UK government’s Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF). Durham University says the investment is expected to unlock a further £55 million in private investment.
The announcement was made on 2 October 2026. The university is involved with or connected to all four projects, working with businesses and public-sector partners to help companies access specialist expertise, facilities and research capabilities.
Four projects linked to Durham University
CRAFT, the Centre for Realisation and Advancement of Future Technologies, is being led by Durham University. It is planned to be based at NETPark near Durham and will bring together researchers, industry and public-sector partners.
The project will focus on turning scientific research—including work in space and fusion—into practical technologies. It is intended to create new opportunities for businesses to develop and grow.
NE CAGE, the North East Centre for Accelerating the Green Economy, is led by Procter & Gamble. It brings together Durham University and two other North East universities with regional businesses and partners to work on sustainable chemicals and materials.
Durham researchers will contribute expertise in enzyme discovery, bioimaging and omics. The work is designed to support greener industrial processes, bio-based materials and advanced testing, while helping develop skills for the North East’s green economy.
NOVA—the North East Vision for High Value Materials Innovation Acceleration—is led by CPI. It involves Durham University and three other North East universities, as well as two Catapults and high-growth businesses.
Durham’s GJ Russell Electron Microscopy facility will provide advanced materials analysis for clean energy, advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies. The facility will support projects from feasibility through to commercialisation and build on almost 20 years of industry experience.
The university says NOVA will help businesses understand, develop and scale new materials and technologies, including semiconductors, battery systems and lower-carbon alternatives. It is also intended to create opportunities for new products and services to reach the market.
The fourth project, Sycamore, is led by Low Carbon Materials, a Durham University spinout company. It will focus on scaling up and expanding opportunities for carbon-negative additives used in concrete, supporting more sustainable construction as the region grows.
Expected regional impact
Durham University says the four projects will create opportunities for companies to develop new technologies and products, build skills and bring innovations closer to market. The projects are also expected to support new facilities and growth across regional supply chains.
The wider LIPF is a flagship UK government programme delivered through UK Research and Innovation. It is investing £500 million to strengthen regional innovation economies across the country.
According to the announcement, the North East programme is expected to contribute to hundreds of good-quality jobs for local people, around 90 new products reaching the market and major private-sector investment benefiting the regional economy.
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said the programme would bring together universities and innovative businesses, while Durham University Vice-Chancellor and Warden Professor Karen O’Brien said CRAFT would help turn promising research into practical products, services and applications.
Professor Ian Chapman, chief executive of UKRI, said the projects demonstrated what could be achieved when researchers, businesses and regional partners worked around a shared ambition. UKRI said the partnerships would build on local strengths and previous investment, translating innovation into economic and wider community benefits.