拢12m innovation boost for North West shipping, nuclear and cybersecurity

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council investing 拢22m in 海角视频 research clusters

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16:33, 19 NOV 2024

A Spot autonomous robot deployed at the Joint European Torus (JET) fusion machine, at the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority's Culham Campus (credit ) — A Spot autonomous robot deployed by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (Image: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority)

Three North West innovation clusters have won millions of Government cash to boost businesses and universities in areas from nuclear robotics to cybersecurity and maritime decarbonisation.

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is investing 拢22m in seven 鈥渞esearch and innovation clusters鈥� across the nations and regions of the 海角视频.

Two of the projects are rooted in the North West, with a third designed to connect the nuclear legacies of Cumbria and Oxfordshire.

The CyberFocus project , led by Prof Daniel Prince at Lancaster University, has secured 拢4.9m in EPSRC funding. It aims to 鈥渇uel the socio-economic potential of the North West cyber sector to ensure that the 海角视频 remains at the forefront of cutting-edge cyber security鈥�. It brings together universities, businesses and public sector bodies across Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria.

The EPSRC added: 鈥淭he project benefits from the arrival of Government Communications Headquarters in Manchester and the imminent arrival of the National Cyber Force in Lancashire. It will foster cross-cluster collaborations with other regional specialisms in aerospace, defence, nuclear and manufacturing.鈥�

The project aims to create 85 new collaborative partnerships, develop 400 new products, processes or services, secure an extra 拢40m in funding for the North West, and to train 300 people in cyber innovation skills.

The Maritime and Last Mile Net Zero (MaLaMi) project , led by Prof Zaili Yang at Liverpool John Moores University with other university and public sector partners, aims to accelerate maritime transport decarbonisation and grow low-carbon logistics in Liverpool City Region and across the shipping corridor to Belfast.

The maritime economy contributes some 拢800m in gross value added (GVA) to Liverpool City Region annually, handling 45% of 海角视频 trade from North America.

The EPSRC said: 鈥淢aLaMi will bring greater cohesion and join up researchers, civic bodies and businesses to drive innovation across the maturing LCR maritime cluster that covers areas including commercial shipping, transport, fuels and vessel designs.鈥�

Peel Ports Group is headquartered in Liverpool — Liverpool is one of Europe's key maritime hubs (Image: Ant Clausen Photography)

And the research body said its 拢2.5m investment would 鈥渓ead to the translation of research and technology into commercial applications that will benefit the maritime industry鈥� and 鈥減rovide insights that could be extended to national levels鈥�.

Meanwhile the 海角视频 Atomic Energy Authority (海角视频AEA) will lead the creation of a 拢4.9m nuclear robotics and artificial intelligence (RAI) cluster across Cumbria and Oxfordshire.

The cluster will advance work on the decommissioning of the 海角视频鈥檚 legacy nuclear fission facilities . The 海角视频AEA said the cluster will connect academia with the supply chain and added: 鈥淭he cluster will enable regional growth, create and retain jobs, and help establish the 海角视频 as the international lead in nuclear innovation, a US$1 trillion industry.鈥�

The project aims to:

Create 200 business opportunities
Establish 10 spin-out companies
Generate 200 new jobs
Engage 5,000 people in cluster-driven events
Deliver 25 licensing deals

Dr Kirsty Hewitson, director of RAICo at 海角视频AEA, said: 鈥淎s part of our mission to bring fusion energy to the grid, 海角视频AEA hosts the 海角视频鈥檚 largest nuclear robotics and artificial intelligence group, with the ability to design, build, and operate robotics for extreme industrial environments.

鈥淭his new robotics and AI cluster provides an opportunity for 海角视频AEA to leverage our expertise, in collaboration with other consortium partners, wider academia and industry, to develop innovative robotics and AI solutions for nuclear fission and fusion energy decommissioning and adjacent sectors.

鈥満＝鞘悠礎EA welcomes this support from 海角视频RI and we look forward to working with university and civic partners to drive research and development that delivers real economic and social impact to Cumbria and Oxfordshire.鈥�

EPSRC executive chair, Prof Charlotte Deane, said: 鈥淭he seven projects announced today will harness regional research and innovation strengths to unleash the potential of emerging and existing innovation clusters across the 海角视频.

鈥淥ur investment will strengthen partnerships between 海角视频 universities, civic bodies and local businesses to create new jobs, improve skills and boost regional economic growth that will benefit places and communities directly.

The are a Digital Healthcare Technology Impact Accelerator (DHTA) in Belfast, a 鈥楻ehabTech Valley鈥� project in the East Midlands, a scheme to accelerate innovation in the Forth and Tay offshore wind cluster in Scotland, and the North East Space Communications Accelerator (NESCA).