Cyber Alliance Science and Innovation Audit

Tender description

In October 2017, the collaborative submission from 4 LEPs (Marches,Worcestershire, Swindon & Wiltshire and Gloucestershire) to undertake a Government endorsed Science and Innovation Audit (SIA) for the region was selected to be included in the third wave of audits. The submission made a powerful bid to ministers setting out a strong case that this region is unrivalled for its innovation and industrial capabilities in a combination of digital enabling technologies, with applications in key hi-tech sectors, in particular Cyber. Success in the bid means the Consortium will now work, with Government support, and to a Government framework, to map these areas of outstanding commercial existing strength and potential in innovation and collect a robust and compelling evidence base for investing in the area. The Audit will particularly highlight where there is potential for the region, and therefore the UK, to lead global markets. The Audit will test the potential for these areas of innovation to build and develop world-leading ideas, products and technologies that will create jobs, increase UK productivity and drive growth. The SIA audit report will focus on internationally significant science and innovation strengths and will describe how these can unlock future productivity and growth. The ambition is to deliver a robust and convincing SIA report which will inform the UK Government's Industrial Strategy and provide the evidence base and rationale to underpin the prioritisation of science and innovation investments in the region. It will be important to ensure that innovation strengths, clusters and economic potential in the enabling technologies and high-tech sectors, highlighted in the bid to Government, are strongly emphasised alongside scientific expertise in order to maximise commercialisation and business growth, employment and productivity benefits.