Innovation Districts: What actually matters, what gets measured and what we’ve all been missing
Wed 20 May
|North East England Pavilion 14
We all know that the UK is full of innovative places and spaces, where businesses, universities, the public sector, and local communities work together to tackle some of society’s most pressing challenges.
Time & Location
20 May 2026, 10:00 – 10:45
North East England Pavilion 14
About the event
We all know that the UK is full of innovative places and spaces, where businesses, universities, the public sector, and local communities work together to tackle some of society’s most pressing challenges. They drive inclusive economic growth through place-based innovation. This is all powered by knowledge and data.
Most innovation districts are measured on the same obvious metrics: jobs, floorspace, spin‑outs, investment.
But what if the least obvious outcomes – the ones no one puts first – are actually the most important?
In this interactive session the audience will co‑create a hybrid “utopian” innovation district by identifying the least expected ingredients of long‑term success.
Working live with researchers from Urban Foresight, panellists and participants will explore:
What innovation districts are really for
