UK Innovation Districts Group Associate Members Arup, will be joining leaders working across the built environment, placemaking and economic development roles, at the annual UK IDG Summit this Friday (5 June) in Liverpool.
Arup and UK IDG have been collaborating on industry research and policy white papers for almost a decade and today UK IDG can announce that Jack Baker – Senior Urban Designer and Architect at Arup, and Charlotte Cutter – Arup Consultant, will be joining other place-based innovation specialists to facilitate two of the three workshops at the 2026 Summit.
Charlotte will be convening a conversation on ‘Crowding Investment into Innovation: developing prototypes’. Jack will facilitate a workshop – ‘Mapping and Maximising Entrepreneurial Skills – lessons from Liverpool, Newcastle and Belfast’.
Last week UK IDG reported that Metro Dynamics are to facilitate the workshop ‘From data to decisions: how good data drives good outcomes’ – you can read more on that news here: https://www.ukinnovationdistricts.co.uk/uk-innovation-districts-summit-power-up-session-with-metro-dynamics-announced/
Arup, is a global consultancy with 18 UK-based offices and they have been operating in the built environment space for 80 years. A thought leader in the innovation district space, Arup collaborates with UK IDG Members, government agencies, businesses, research partners and placemakers to deliver inclusive and sustainable growth for UK cities and regions.
The team brings with them a wealth of experience, from policy leadership and mapping innovation ecosystems, developing the spatial proposition and case for innovation-led investment, to partnering with universities and other anchor institutions that drive the research and commercialisation capabilities of innovation districts. This includes convening and accessing innovation talent, and identifying opportunities to connect businesses, skills, people and places.
As long-time advocates of the ‘inclusive innovation agenda’, Arup will be sharing their experience working with innovation districts and ecosystems to support economic growth – creating local jobs for local people, and designing places and networks that attract people and investment.
At last year’s Summit UK IDG launched the action paper ‘Unlocking UK Innovation Districts to accelerate Industrial Strategy outcomes’ highlighting the vital role innovation districts play in delivering key elements of the UK’s Industrial Strategy. This paper was co-produced with Members, including Associate Members Arup, who generously supported the development of the report. Lessons learnt from this and policy recommendations made, will feed into this year’s workshops facilitated by Charlotte and Jack.
Ciara Graven, Senior Economist at Arup is one of 100 delegates set to attend the Summit in Liverpool this week. Ciara said: “We are delighted to be both attending and facilitating workshops at the UK Innovation Districts Summit this year! These events convene place-based innovation district leaders and partners from across the UK, bringing people together who just wouldn’t get the opportunity to meet face-to-face otherwise. It’s a great opportunity for people to get together to share knowledge, insights and experiences – and to build those all-important relationships that help shape innovation-led economic growth across the UK.”
The UK Innovation Districts Summit 2026 is being held at the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool, with support from UK IDG Member Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, during the city region’s Innovation Investment Fortnight. The Summit is for UK IDG Members, policy makers, placemakers, entrepreneurs, and changemakers designing and delivering innovation districts, economic growth and placemaking activity. The event is currently at capacity but you can join the waiting list and be notified if any tickets become available here: UK Innovation District Summit 2026
Metro Dynamics Consultants Fiona Tuck, Gillian O’Connell and Mary Dolphin are to join leaders working across place-based innovation roles, government teams and investors, next month, at the UK Innovation Districts Summit 2026.
The Summit, to be held on 5 June within the Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, will convene UK Innovation Districts Group (UK IDG) Members with a wider network of practitioners and stakeholders invested in the UK’s innovation ecosystem.
The Metro Dynamics team will be running one of three power-up sessions programmed into the day-long Summit, delivering an interactive workshop that explores how data drives inclusive growth. Other power-up content will be led by subject matter experts on themes including; ‘Crowding Investment’ and ‘Mapping and maximising entrepreneurial skills: lessons from Liverpool, Glasgow, Newcastle and Belfast’.
Principal Consultant, Gillian O’Connell, Metro Dynamics, said: “At this year’s UK Innovation Districts Summit we’ll be delivering an interactive workshop that explores applications for data collection and the power of data-led stories. Our aim is to support innovation districts and their partners to become more confident in using data strategically: to shape priorities, guide investment decisions, strengthen partnerships and articulate impact. Reflecting the wider theme of the Summit, the emphasis will be on practical delivery and peer learning.”
Metro Dynamics is a place-based economic development advisory business. They work with cities and city-regions to support inclusive innovation-led growth. In 2021 Metro Dynamics and Professor Neil Lee were commissioned by UK IDG to research how, as part of the levelling-up agenda and the Government’s 2022 Levelling Up White Paper, places right across the UK can deliver truly inclusive innovation. This culminated in a report published the following year – Opening the Innovation Economy: The case for inclusive innovation.
Of this Summit Programme announcement, UK Innovation Districts Group Chair, Emma Frost, said: “We are thrilled that Metro Dynamics will host the data and impact themed-power-up session at the Summit this year. Having worked with the MetroDynamics on a major research project exploring the case for inclusive innovation, I know how valuable their experience is for our Members and our wider stakeholders attending. Capturing good quality data and having the confidence to use it remains a significant challenge for innovation districts and knowledge quarters across the UK”.
The UK Innovation Districts Summit 2026 is being held at the Everyman Theatre, with support from UK IDG member Knowledge Quarter Liverpool during the city region’s Innovation Investment Fortnight.
This is an opportunity for curious people working across place-based innovation, to connect with other UK Innovation Districts, explore the year’s most relevant themes, share knowledge and make valuable connections. The Summit is for UK IDG Members, policy makers, placemakers, entrepreneurs, and changemakers designing and delivering innovation districts, economic growth and placemaking activity. Secure your place today: UK Innovation District Summit 2026