Top property professional Colin Sinclair appointed to head up high-powered investment task force.

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ONE of the region’s most influential property professionals has been appointed to head up the Invest Liverpool City Region (ILCR) Partnership Taskforce. Colin Sinclair, Chief Executive of Knowledge Quarter Liverpool and Sciontec Developments Ltd, has been unveiled as Chair of the Taskforce which brings together senior representatives from local authorities, the private sector and key stakeholders to ensure a joined-up approach to attracting, securing and delivering inward investment. It also plays a critical role in shaping and delivering the Liverpool City Region Capital and Real Estate Investment Programme. Colin is a prominent figure in the region’s innovation and investment landscape and has been instrumental in driving major regeneration initiatives, positioning the city region as a global destination for science, health, education and technology.

Colin said:

“The Liverpool City Region has an extraordinary investment story to tell and I am honoured to chair the ILCR Partnership Taskforce at such a pivotal moment. I am confident that we can deliver a new strategy which ensures that the city region will build on its successes to date, and use its enormous development potential to attract investment that will not only boost the economy, but create collaborative and inclusive opportunities which leave a positive legacy for generations to come. Our collective ambition is to ensure the region is not only visible on the global stage but competes successfully for investment that drives inclusive growth. Investment doesn’t just happen – you have to win it, and we are ready to do exactly that.”

In his new capacity as Chair, Colin will lead the Taskforce in providing strategic oversight for the programme and ensuring the region’s £11 billion investment opportunity is showcased to global audiences. Members of the Taskforce contribute sector-specific expertise and play a key role in positioning the city region as a prime location for sustainable and impactful development. Councillor Nick Small, Cabinet Member for Growth and Economy at Liverpool City Council said:

“Liverpool and the wider City Region continues to gain recognition for its forward-thinking investment propositions, including transformational regeneration schemes, innovation districts and strategic employment sites. Working in conjunction with the Chair and Taskforce, we will continue to develop our collective effort to leverage the city region’s assets and realise our ambition to attract long-term, sustainable investment delivering high-skilled jobs and careers.”

The news comes as Liverpool City Region prepares to showcase £11bn worth of investment opportunities across the region at UKREiiF 2025, the UKs Real Estate and Infrastructure Investment Forum. The event takes place later this month in Leeds and is set to welcome 16,000 delegates, speakers and investors across three days.

Innovation Investment Fortnight to showcase billions of pounds of Liverpool City Region opportunities

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  • More than 20 diverse events highlighting scale and scope of city region innovation
  • Launch event to showcase University of Liverpool’s groundbreaking Life Sciences Innovation Zone projects and more
  • Builds on last year’s inaugural Innovation Investment Week
  • Includes fourth annual Innovation Investment Summit, major maritime event, and Dragons’ Den style pitching returns
  • Other events covering world-leading sports science, inspiring the innovators of tomorrow, design, and space innovation

More than £2bn of investment opportunities are to be showcased at a two-week festival highlighting the breadth, depth and quality of place-based innovation across the Liverpool City Region.

 

Running from May 12-23, Innovation Investment Fortnight (IIF) will feature at least 20 events covering topics ranging from the city region’s world-leading life sciences innovation to maritime, space, AI and sports science.

 

Innovation Investment Fortnight - blue logo with a picture of a lightbulb

 

The fortnight also includes a Dragons’ Den style pitching event, the fourth annual Innovation Investment Summit for Scaling and three nights of ‘Pint of Science’ in which leading city region academics will speak at pubs across the city region.

 

Liverpool City Region currently has £1bn of live innovation projects with a further £2bn of projects in the pipeline and seeking investment.

 

The city region’s Life Sciences Innovation Zone, which launched in April 2024, is alone expected to attract £800m of public and private sector investment.

 

Kicking off with a major University of Liverpool event showcasing its pioneering collaborations, including Life Sciences Innovation Zone projects, the fortnight will highlight the city region’s world-leading assets and distinctive approaches that put it at the forefront of UK place-based innovation.

 

Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said:

 

“Our region has always been a place where great ideas are born – and through Innovation Investment Fortnight, we’re putting a spotlight on the people and projects turning those ideas into world-class industries.

 

“From life sciences to space tech, our region is helping shape the future – and we’re doing it in our own unique way. We’re not just talking about innovation – we’re investing in it, unlocking billions in opportunities, and making our region a magnet for talent, creativity, and investment.”

 

May 12: The University of Liverpool is teaming up with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to bring together global leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, researchers, and policymakers to explore Liverpool’s cutting-edge collaborations and investment opportunities at the What IIF! How Pioneering Partnerships Are Driving LCR’s Innovation Future event. The event will feature some of the biggest names from LCR innovation and include the launch of the Microbiome and Infectious Disease (MaID) Innovation Hub. It will also showcase groundbreaking innovations in AI, materials, climate tech, and the future of music.

 

May 13: Day 2 will feature an LCR Space Partnership launch workshop

 

May 14: Day 3 includes the opening of Knowledge Quarter Liverpool’s new innovation hub called Central Tech. Plans for a new Animates cartoon book aimed at inspiring young innovators will also be revealed at a special event in Blackburne House.

 

May 15: The all-day Business of Science Conference will be held at The Spine in Liverpool.

 

May 19: Dragons’ Den style Pitching event at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in which innovative early-stage companies from across the region will showcase their groundbreaking ideas to a diverse panel of investors.

 

May 19-21: It’s beer, boffins and banter as leading city region scientists take to pubs and bars in Liverpool and Wirral to share and discuss new ideas in a series of 14 Pint of Science events

 

May 20: Mersey Maritime will be hosting the flagship Navigating Maritime Innovation in the Liverpool City Region event at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU). The same day the University of Liverpool will host an all-day conference on designing biodegradable chemicals and Butters Innovation and IUK Business Growth will host a Summit looking at Design in Innovation at MTC.

 

May 21: The fourth day-long LCR Innovation Investment Summit for Scaling will be held at Sci-Tech Daresbury.

 

May 22: KQ Liverpool – In the Know event – Investing in skills will be held at Liverpool’s new tech hub, CENTRAL TECH.

 

May 23: LJMU will host a Sport Science Showcase, celebrating the 50th anniversary of its pioneering department that catalysed today’s multi-billion-dollar sports data industry.

 

Since the first Innovation Investment Summit in 2022, Liverpool City Region has spearheaded a series of landmark initiatives including piloting Innovate UK’s national Launchpad grant programme now rolled out to 8 other localities. It is also one of very few places invited to forge a new Strategic Relationship with UKRI following publication of the English Devolution White Paper at the end of last year – reflecting the region’s highly developed place-based innovation approach at the national forefront.

 

Liverpool City Region agreed the country’s first place-based partnership and action plan with Innovate UK and in 2023 a landmark innovation deal was signed with South Korea’s second city, Busan, as part of a major government UK-South Korea innovation twinning programme.

 

And last year Liverpool City Region held its inaugural international AI Summit and its first Innovation Investment Week.

 

The city region has also become one of only three places in the UK to benefit from both Investment Zone, known locally as the Innovation Zone, and Freeport status.

 

The Life Sciences Innovation Zone programme will help the city region towards its innovation powerhouse goal of spending 5% of its economy on R&D by 2030 – nearly double the UK target. Achieving the target would deliver an estimated £41.7bn of gross economic benefit, a 10% increase in productivity and 44,000 new jobs.

 

The city region is a world leader in infection prevention and control, materials chemistry and AI solutions and emerging technologies, with growing strengths in net-zero and maritime innovation

£10m funding for AI-powered robotic labs that will accelerate new treatments for deadly infections

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New AI-powered, robotic labs that will accelerate development of new treatments for deadly diseases are to be built in Liverpool after £10m Innovation Zone funding was agreed.

The High Containment Level 3 labs, located at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and supported by the Infection Innovation Consortium (iiCON), will be capable of handling a range of pathogens during development and validation of new treatments that could save lives worldwide.

The new laboratories will be fitted with state-of-the-art robotics, AI, and liquid handling systems to safely progress research and development of new vaccines, drugs and diagnostics for high-risk and deadly infectious diseases.

LSTM is already home to the largest concentration of Containment Level 3 laboratories in the North West, which played a key role in the rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new facility will also support the next phase of iiCON’s development, bolstering the infection innovation ecosystem between industry, academia, and the NHS to enhance the discovery and route to market for products that tackle infectious disease.

Find out more about the Life Sciences Innovation Zone in the city region.

The new laboratories will enhance innovative human organoid research, which involves sophisticated technologies using tissues grown to mimic different human organs. The facilities will enable closer collaborations with industry and potentially speed up regulatory approval for new treatments.

As well as saving lives, the robotic laboratories are forecast to generate £40m of investment in the first three years – creating well-paid jobs and driving research.

Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said:

“Robotic labs might sound like something out of science fiction, but this is very much science fact – and a massive vote of confidence in our region’s position as a global leader in health innovation.

“We saw during the pandemic just how vital our local life sciences sector is—not just to our region, but to the world. This investment will build on that legacy, helping to fast-track life-saving treatments while attracting new businesses, creating high-quality jobs, and keeping our brightest minds here in the Liverpool City Region.

“This is what devolution is all about—backing our strengths, bringing in investment, and making sure we’re shaping a healthier, fairer, and more prosperous future for our area.”

Professor Giancarlo Biagini, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at LSTM said:

“LSTM is proud to receive this vital investment, which, alongside funding from UKRI’s Expanding Excellence in England (E3) fund and the Wolfson Foundation, enables us to establish a cutting-edge automated facility for developing advanced human infection models for emerging and high-consequence diseases.

“This combined £20m initiative will accelerate the preclinical development of new therapeutics, vaccines, and diagnostics – strengthening the UK’s position as a global leader in health innovation. This investment aligns with our regional commitment to driving health innovation and regional prosperity, ensuring that the Liverpool City Region remains at the forefront of health science innovation and impact.”

Professor Janet Hemingway, founding director of iiCON, said:

“iiCON is delighted to support this transformative initiative. By harnessing iiCON’s extensive network of industry, academic, and clinical partners, we will ensure this cutting-edge facility is maximised to drive innovation and ultimately improve health outcomes.

“This investment strengthens Liverpool City Region’s position as a global hub for infection innovation and reinforces our commitment to fostering impactful collaborations, supporting SMEs, and creating high-value jobs. Through iiCON’s specialist research platforms and translational expertise, we will work closely with partners to unlock the full potential of this facility, ensuring it delivers real-world impact for patients, communities, and the wider economy.”

Combined Authority Cabinet Member for Innovation, Cllr Liam Robinson said:

“iiCON is a superstar of Liverpool City Region innovation – helping to save countless lives through its world-leading fight to control and prevent deadly infections.

“This hi-tech investment through our health and life sciences innovation zone programme promises to speed up the discovery of new treatments which will drive jobs and prosperity in the city region, while making the world a safer place.

“It will also further cement the city region’s status as a global leader in the fight against some of the world’s deadliest infections.”

Founded in 2020 with an £18.6m Government grant, iiCON has quickly grown into a £260m programme working with a global network of more than 1,000 organisations, creating hundreds of jobs and bolstering the city region’s R&D infection spend by £1bn.

By enabling industry access to world-leading facilities and expertise, it has supported 36 new products to market, with more than 5 billion units of life saving products and treatments reaching communities across the world.

iiCON’s ambitious new lab project forms part of the 10-year Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Innovation Zone programme which is expected to attract up to £800m of public and private investment and create 8,000 new skilled jobs to the region.

Read the Life Sciences Innovation Zone prospectus.

The Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Innovation Zone Programme (LCR Innovation Zone Programme) is part of the Government’s national Investment Zone Programme.

New £10m robotic labs investment for iiCON

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New £10m high-containment Category Three robotic laboratories will be built to support innovative infection R&D activity being delivered through the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine-led Infection Innovation Consortium: iiCON.

The funding is part of Liverpool City Region’s Investment Zone plans, unveiled yesterday, to ‘supercharge’ health and life sciences. Overall, the Investment Zone plans to create 8,000 new jobs and potentially deliver £800m of public and private investment over 10 years.

The new labs, one of 21 funded projects, will be fitted with state-of-the-art robotics, AI and liquid handling equipment to safely study dangerous pathogens. The funding will further enhance iiCON and LSTM’s ability to deliver innovation and life-saving research into new drugs and diagnostics to combat infectious disease. LSTM is already home to the largest number of Category Three laboratories in the North West.

Research in the new labs will focus on iiCON’s innovative R&D platforms led by LSTM: Organoids and its Bio-Actives Library. iiCON and LSTM will also develop RIBA Stage 2 plans for a new facility in Liverpool which will provide increased specialist biotech and high-containment Category Three laboratories to house the expansion of iiCON’s existing R&D platforms.

Professor Janet Hemingway, founding director of iiCON, said:

“We’re pleased to have secured this important funding as part of the Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Investment Zone programme. This funding is an important next step which will enable us to continue to develop and expand our operational pipeline – opening out our highly specialist offering to industry partners of all sizes to support their innovation and save and improve lives worldwide.

“As a place-based initiative, our location in the heart of the Liverpool City Region’s thriving health and life sciences ecosystem has been key to the success of the programme. The region has world-leading capability in drug discovery, diagnostics, clinical trials, & vaccine manufacturing capability within one of Europe’s largest biopharmaceutical manufacturing clusters and the plans laid out in the Investment Zone prospectus speak to the scale of the ambition within the region.”

Liverpool City Region’s full Investment Zone plans are detailed in a new prospectus, launched yesterday, and include new hi-tech facilities, business and innovation support and initiatives to train the next generation of talent.

Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, said:

“With up to £800m of investment and thousands of quality, high skilled jobs on offer, the Liverpool City Region Innovation Zone is an important tool in our arsenal to position our area at the head of UK science and innovation.”

Drones, swabs and robotic dogs feature in latest Future Innovators Programme tour

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We were pleased to be joined by students from Cardinal Heenan School in West Derby as part of our Future Innovators Programme.

The programme encourages young people to learn about the innovation, science and technology career opportunities available in KQ Liverpool, with an aim of creating tangible aspirations. The programme works with Secondary school pupils and their career leads, physically bringing them into previously unopened areas within KQ Liverpool to demonstrate what’s on offer right on their doorstep.

The group of Sixth Form students took part in a tour of several facilities and were able to experience first-hand the incredible variety of innovation that takes place in our innovation district.

The day-long tour included visits to iiCON at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Digital Innovation Facility at University of Liverpool, Manufacturing Technology Centre at Liverpool Science Park and LJMU Built Environment, where a range of experts were on hand to kindly give their time to explain the work their organisations undertake and some of the career opportunities available within KQ Liverpool.

 

 

New £1.5 million novel technologies initiative launches to accelerate new approaches to infection transmission

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Companies and research groups with novel solutions to tackle infection transmission will have the opportunity to shape the direction of the UK’s infection response and bid for funding through a new initiative to stimulate innovation.

The Infection Innovation Consortium: iiCON, a consortium led by Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, has been appointed by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to deliver the new project.

The consortium will bring together and support the formation of diverse cross-disciplinary networks to propel the development of new concepts and solutions that leverage disruptive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital and automation, advanced humanised infection models, and novel diagnostics to combat the spread of infection.

Professor Janet Hemingway, founding director of iiCON, said:

“Combatting the transmission of infection is one of the key health challenges of our time, and one that is growing in urgency. As such, it’s critical that we leverage novel, disruptive technology to drive forward our collective efforts to tackle the spread of infection. We are particularly keen to engage individuals and companies who have not previously worked in this area.

“We hope this exciting programme will spark the formation of new cross-disciplinary networks and support participants to shape the future direction of our response to infection transmission – bringing forward novel concepts and approaches that may hold the key to unlocking this critical issue.”

 

Companies and groups will have the opportunity to apply to take part in two ‘sandpit’ events held in Liverpool on March 14th and London on May 9th. These intensive innovation workshop sessions will help to spark ideas, foster innovation, and create new collaborative approaches to tackle this urgent challenge and drive forward novel projects.

Complementing the work of UKRI’s flagship AMR and epidemic preparedness programmes, the sandpits will look to pump-prime radical new approaches to tackling infections by engaging new communities and capabilities with the challenge.

The programme is supported with £1.5 million funding from UKRI to bring new research communities together and support feasibility studies. The sandpits will shape the call for funding pots of £50,000 to £150,000 to test disruptive approaches to tackling infections. Network support grants of up to £50,000 will also be available.

The development of new antibiotics and companion diagnostics are out of scope for the new fund, as these are covered by the recently announced PACE initiative.

To find out more and register interest in taking part in the sandpit events being held in March and May, please visit: www.infectioninnovation.com/ukri-sandpit

iiCON strengthens team following ongoing growth

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iiCON, led by Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), is comprised of partners Unilever, Liverpool University Hospitals Foundation Trust, University of Liverpool, LifeArc, Evotec, and Infex Therapeutics.

The c£250 million programme brings together industry, academia, and clinicians to accelerate the discovery, development and deployment of new treatments and innovations– saving and improving millions of lives globally through collaborative innovation.

Following the ongoing growth of the programme, iiCON has appointed a new Senior Programme Manager, Gillian Kyalo, who works closely with iiCON’s founding Director Professor Janet Hemingway to oversee and support the smooth running of the programme. Gillian brings over 20 years’ experience managing complex global International Public Health projects for international consortia and organisations including the United Nations, the European Union, UK Research Councils, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The consortium has also welcomed a new Business Development Manager, Dr Lizzie Crawford, who will focus on fostering strategic relationships and driving commercial partnerships for translational research. Lizzie will work with iiCON’s business development team to engage with companies looking to connect into iiCON’s platforms to support their research and development needs.

With a strong scientific background as a pharmacologist and a Ph.D in molecular and cell biology, Lizzie also has experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. She spent nine years in technology transfer at the University of Manchester playing a pivotal role in supporting translational research, facilitating licence negotiations and establishing successful spin-out companies. Her expertise spans the full lifecycle of research projects from inception to licence agreements within the complex landscape of academia-industry collaborations. Lizzie is also the founder of a digital health spin out company, with experience across all aspects of the start-up process, including business planning, fundraising, partnership development and regulatory planning, providing a solid understanding of the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

iiCON has also strengthened its core team, welcoming a new finance manager, Lauren Thistlethwaite; programme manager Rose Lopeman; project administrators, Amy Collins, and Alexandra Pendleton; data analyst Jolene Dunlop, and senior finance business partner Laura Carney, to support operational activity across the dynamic consortium, which operates across ten platforms of activity.

Professor Janet Hemingway, founding Director of iiCON, said:

“We’re very pleased to have welcomed a number of new faces to the iiCON team, each one bringing particular skills and expertise.

“As iiCON continues to attract investment and expand activity across our platforms, the complementary experience and specialist sector knowledge within our team means we are well equipped to continue to develop and support long-lasting strategic commercial partnerships; collaborating effectively with diverse stakeholder groups to drive forward the programme – enabling world-leading infection R&D.”

New UK partnership and research fund aims to tackle infectious diseases

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  • Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and self-funded charitable medical research organisation, LifeArc, are partnering to launch a new Translational Development Fund to help tackle infectious diseases.
  • LifeArc will invest £2.7 million into the fund, which will support the progression of new technologies and treatments for emerging viral threats and neglected tropical diseases.
  • LifeArc will also join the LSTM-led Infection Innovation Consortium: iiCON, making its platform to progress antibody-based treatments available to partners.
  • The partnership aims to help address the urgent need for new approaches to infectious diseases, which cause millions of deaths globally each year, with numbers escalating due to factors such as climate change.

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) has entered into a partnership with the self-funded charitable medical research organisation, LifeArc, which will join the LSTM-led Infection Innovation Consortium: iiCON and establish a £2.7m Translational Development Fund.

The research fund is being set up in response to a growing need for new and innovative treatments and diagnostic technologies to help tackle growing threats to health across the globe, including neglected tropical diseases and emerging viral threats.

The COVID pandemic highlighted the impact new viruses can have on our society and this new fund will support the progression of potential interventions, including diagnostics, treatments and devices. Infectious diseases currently cause millions of deaths globally each year with the impact expected to worsen due to factors such as climate change, migration and intensive farming.

The fund will be available to LSTM and iiCON partners and their collaborators, including research organisations in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs), and will have a focus supporting interventions that are appropriately aligned with deployment and treatment of patients in LMICs.

As well as the fund investment, LifeArc will make its antibody humanisation platform available to iiCON and its collaborators, to support the development of new potential treatments. Antibodies can trigger the immune system to help treat disease, and this platform enables promising antibodies from lab research to be modified, so that they can be used in people. LifeArc’s expertise and track record of success has helped transform the way many conditions are treated, with more than 90 antibodies humanised over the past 30 years, contributing to five licenced medicines.

LifeArc’s expertise will be made available commercially to any organisation domestically or internationally via a new platform at iiCON. This platform has been designed to provide partners and researchers in the field with streamlined access to LifeArc’s leading capabilities.

iiCON is a consortium led by LSTM with core partners including LifeArc, Unilever, Evotec, Liverpool University Hospitals Foundation Trust, University of Liverpool, and Infex Therapeutics. The c£250 million programme brings together industry, academia, and clinicians to accelerate the discovery, development and deployment of new treatments and innovations– saving and improving millions of lives through collaborative innovation.

Professor David Lalloo, Director of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine said:

“This Translational Development Fund will not only help us to tackle the true diseases of poverty that impact the lives of some of the world’s poorest communities, but also allow us to prepare for the emerging threats of the future. This partnership between LSTM, LifeArc and iiCON will provide a number of significant opportunities for businesses, researchers and clinicians working in the antibody humanisation space and beyond. Facilitating access to advanced capabilities and new collaborations in this way will be a real boost to getting new therapies to market by helping overcome development obstacles and unlocking the potential of new innovations.”

Professor Janet Hemingway, Founding Director of the Infection Innovation Consortium: iiCON, said:

“Working with LifeArc to create a new platform focused on antibody humanisation marks an exciting milestone for both iiCON and for the development of tomorrow’s medical therapies. Our approaches to infectious disease research, prevention, and control are very closely aligned and we’re looking forward to seeing the vital breakthroughs that this collaboration will progress.

“The partnership with LifeArc underlines a core aspect of our mission at iiCON, which is to connect the dots across the health and life sciences sector to ensure that the best ideas and the newest technologies get the support they need to achieve significant, real-world results.”

Dr Mike Strange, Head of Global Health at LifeArc, said:

“LifeArc is committed to investing over £100 million in global health, with a focus on infectious diseases, over the coming years. We are delighted that partnering with LSTM and iiCON is part of this. The consortium’s aim of accelerating the discovery and development of innovative new treatments, diagnostics, and preventative products for infectious diseases, aligns with our own global health strategy. It also mirrors the remit of LifeArc – using translational science to turn lab-based discoveries into medical breakthroughs that can be life-changing for patients.”

“Our work in antibodies has had real impact for patients in other areas and we are pleased that we will also be able offer this platform and expertise to iiCON partners. We look forward to seeing what we can achieve together over the coming years.”

iiCON supports 11 new products to market in first 18 months

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iiCON: Infection Innovation Consortium has supported 11 new products to market since launching in September 2020, with a further 16 in the development pipeline.

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LSTM spinout iiDiagnostics launched

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iiDiagnostics will enable industry engagement and commercial access to the world-leading diagnostics R&D capability and facilities at LSTM.

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