Sustainable engineering technologies to be advanced in £14m Future Towns Innovation Hub
Engineering researchers will address environmental and sustainability challenges faced by local towns and their businesses in a new high tech innovation centre being built at the University of Southampton Science Park.
The new Future Towns Innovation Hub will house a range of dedicated facilities, including specialist laboratories, workshops and high-quality innovation and creativity spaces, and office units to attract business to collaborate with researchers as part of long-term enterprises.
The £14 million project is supported by Enterprise M3 LEP through funding of almost £3m from the government’s Local Growth Fund and a further £1.5m from Research England.
Professor Paul Kemp, the Innovation Director of the Future Towns Innovation Hub, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to apply our research to help towns in the region recover and renew from the economic impact of the pandemic.
“Although the Innovation Hub is still under construction, we have already begun to forge working relationships with local authorities and other innovators to start work grasping the opportunities and addressing the challenges our towns and high streets face.”
Professor Mark Spearing, Vice President of Research and Enterprise at the University of Southampton, said: “We look forward to working with businesses throughout our community, helping them find solutions to these challenges and ensure towns in our region and across the UK can meet the demands of the modern world.”
The project is expected to take up to 24 months to complete.