A massive £185m government-backed science injection is set to create up to 8,000 high-value jobs of the future across the Liverpool City Region over the next decade.
The pioneering initiative takes centre stage this week at its first major public showcase, a flagship event in the Innovation Investment Fortnight taking place on 9 June at The Spine in Paddington Village.
The public event will demonstrate how bold global ambitions are being turned into local action by accelerating medical innovation, attracting international investment, and securing employment opportunities for residents.
Launching a World-First AI Excellence Centre to Revolutionise Global Science
The event comes exactly a week after Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall revealed that Metro Mayors will be handed direct control over regional R&D spending after the next Spending Review.
In a further boost to the local economy, the Combined Authority announced that two groundbreaking science projects at the University of Liverpool are set to receive £23.7m in dedicated funding.
This multi-million-pound package includes the establishment of the world’s first AI centre of excellence, known as AIM-HI, which is designed to completely revolutionise chemical materials research.
The overarching Innovation Zone brings together two major national programmes, the LCR Freeport and the Life Sciences Investment Zone, to unlock a total of £800m in private investment over ten years.
A packed programme of public sessions will bring this futuristic work to life, featuring industry insights on commercialising ideas from LYVA Labs, the Science and Technology Facilities Council, and local education providers.
Handing Funding Control to Local Leaders to Transform Merseyside Communities
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:
“Innovation only really matters if it improves people’s lives, which is why we’re making sure this incredible research translates into better health and new opportunities for local people.
“Whether it’s attracting major investment into our life sciences sector or backing groundbreaking projects like the University of Liverpool’s new AI centre, we’re building on our strengths and showing what can be achieved.
“The Liverpool City Region has always been a place of pioneers, and the Innovation Zone is helping us write the next chapter of that story by creating opportunities that will keep our region thriving for decades to come.”
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