High performing sectors and growing industries🔗

Lancashire generates investment activity across a wide range of technology-based sectors, digital industries and cross-cutting disciplines. Subsector specialisms and industry convergence are also creating new opportunities.

Industrial Technology and Future Manufacturing🔗

Lancashire’s advanced manufacturing expertise and capabilities continue to support economic growth across the county. As this sector moves towards a digitalised and decarbonised future, it is also creating new investment opportunities across the tech and digital industries.

• Anchored by BAE Systems – one of the world’s most advanced defence manufacturers – Lancashire has the 2nd highest concentration of manufacturing activity in the UK
• With 600+ aerospace, automotive and engineering businesses across the county, Lancashire is also home to industry-leading R&D manufacturing assets including the AMRC North West facility at Samlesbury, and the Engineering Innovation Centre in Preston
• The Lancashire-based North West Aerospace Alliance (NWAA) has recently launched the Watchtower II programme, an innovation-focused support and accelerated growth programme for the county’s aerospace businesses and supply chain
• The county also has a specialism in electech- with a cluster of hi-tech electronic engineering firms, such as Forsberg, centred around the Morecambe Bay area working across global sectors including marine, future flight, energy and defence
• In addition, Lancashire has R&D centres dedicated to drone technology, low carbon manufacturing, and medtech innovation, plus a new £12m Innovation Hub in the pipeline at Samlesbury

Cyber and Digital Defence 🔗

Complementing the county’s strengths in physical defence manufacturing, digital protection and cyber is set to be significant growth areas for Lancashire. In addition, the county is set to play a pivotal role in fulfilling the government’s commitment to making the UK the safest place in the world to live and work online. Examples of our cyber strengths and assets include:

• The National Cyber Force, the government’s multi-partner defensive and offensive cyber initiative, will be HQ’d here - creating thousands of new jobs, and generating investment opportunities, across many digital and technology disciplines
• Both Lancaster University and the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) have extensive B2B cyber support programmes – and leading-edge cyber research facilities - which can support firms in the cyber and digital security sector
• Lancaster University – which is the only university in the North West triple accredited for excellence in cyber education and research across undergraduate and postgraduate learning - also leads on the NW Cyber Com initiative: a £1.2m commercialisation project which will see cutting-edge cyber security research transformed into real-world products and services
• The county further has extensive expertise in managing and protecting critical infrastructure - including nuclear and military facilities - via both physical and digital security regimes
• Lancashire’s world-class cyber strengths are set to anchor the emerging North West Cyber Corridor – a regional investment zone which will link GCHQ’s Manchester hub to Lancaster University via the NCF headquarters in central Lancashire.

Energy, Utilities and Cleantech🔗

Lancashire has expertise and capabilities across the whole energy mix. From renewables to Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs), the county has both a highly-skilled workforce and world-class energy R&D facilities. Some key facts include:

• With extensive expertise in nuclear, low carbon and cleantech, Lancashire employs over 40,000 professionals within the energy and wider utilities sectors
• Westinghouse’s Springfield nuclear fuel facility is responsible for over 30% of the UK’s low carbon electricity
• EDF’s Heysham 1 and 2 power stations – which both have had their operating lifetimes recently extended - are some of the most advanced nuclear plants in the UK
• The county’s RedCAT programme actively helps small businesses and startups who are active in the low carbon and cleantech space with funding and R&D support
• By utilising renewable energy and new liquid cooling technologies – and having access to the transatlantic CeltixConnect-2 high-capacity data connection - Blackpool is set to be home to pioneering cluster of low carbon datacentres located near to Blackpool Airport
• Westinghouse’s licensed Small Modular Reactor technology was recently shortlisted for the final phase of Great British Nuclear’s (GBN) next generation SMR technology selection process

Early-stage funding and finance programmes🔗

In addition to helping to support pan-regional investment funds like NPIFF II, Lancashire has several countywide finance and funding initiatives programmes designed to help early-stage, start-up and scale-up businesses. They include:

fhunded🔗

• fhunded is a Lancashire County Council initiative which supports the county’s early-stage finance and funding community
• Through curated in-person events, it brings founders and funders together and helps to kickstart conversations
• A vast majority of equity raised in Lancashire throughout 2024 was generated through connections made via fhunded
• fhunded is also currently exploring how it can support angel investors looking to engage with Lancashire’s founder community

Boost: Access to Finance🔗

• Delivered by Lancashire County Council, Boost: Access to Finance is aimed at ambitious businesses looking to grow
• The service includes a team of finance specialists with extensive knowledge of public and private sector funding channels, and experience across debt, equity and alternative funding options

Rosebud Business Finance🔗

• Established for over 35 years, Rosebud Provides loans for early-stage and growing businesses of between £25k and £100k
• It also offers hands-on support to help drive growth, including business strategy, planning and guidance around different funding options (including potential co-funding pathways)
• The Rosebud team can also signpost founders to wider support and services from Lancashire County Council, and other local partners

Business growth and support networks:🔗

Lancashire is home to a wide range of innovation-led support services and R&D assets which work with businesses to drive growth. These include university knowledge transfer programmes, government-backed initiatives and peer-to-peer networks including:

Innovate Lancashire🔗

• Innovate Lancashire is a Lancashire County Council initiative focused on accelerating innovation-led business growth across the county
• It helps to connect, align and showcase the county’s innovation strengths, strategic investments, and investment opportunities
• In addition, it funds and supports the work of the Lancashire Digital Hub, the Fraser House co-working hub, and several other tech and innovation workstreams

Lancashire Digital Hub🔗

• Funded by Lancashire County Council’s Innovate Lancashire programme and Barclays Eagle Labs, Lancashire’s Digital Hub (LDH) helps to strengthen relationships between different technology clusters across Lancashire
• Through a dynamic programme of free and frequent events, it also connects early-stage businesses and scale-ups together with key tech influencers and policymakers with Lancashire’s wider business community
• Other LDH workstreams include enabling founders to navigate issues like investment readiness, business development, and compliance

Boost; Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub🔗

• Lancashire County Council’s Boost service offer funded business support for Lancashire businesses looking to start and scale
• It hosts a wide range of programmes, workshops and masterclasses – both physical and digital – which can help educate and equip founders with the knowledge and skills needed to grow their business.
• Boost’s website also has a comprehensive online directory of partner business events including sessions run by universities, local authorities, government departments and private sector organisations

RedCAT🔗

• RedCAT (the Lancashire Centre for Alternative Technologies) is a not-for-profit organisation which helps early-stage and growing businesses in the low carbon space access financial and R&D support
• It also drives the accelerated commercialisation of low carbon technologies being developed by Lancashire SMEs
• RedCAT complements the Chamber Low Carbon pan-Lancashire programme which provides support to Lancashire companies seeking to transition to net zero
• It also hosts regular peer-to-peer events as part of the RedCAT Network programme

Two Zero🔗

• A specialist support service funded by Lancashire County Council, Two Zero helps and inspires business leaders to grow their business, create jobs, and support the wider Lancashire economy
• Through a range of programmes on specific sectors and topics, it provides one-to-one advice, educational content and focused peer-to-peer learning
• Two Zero’s aim is to help scaleup founders develop a growth-focused mindset, upskill their workforce, and establish a sustainable business platform which they can build on

University B2B support and R&D programmes:🔗

With academic expertise in a range of fast-growth and disruptive sectors, high quality R&D facilities, and access to a vast pool of young talent, Lancashire’s three universities all have extensive business support programmes: 

Edge Hill🔗

• Edge Hill University’s SME Productivity & Innovation Centre (PIC) identifies and supports scaleup potential within SMEs
• Its flagship Innovation Sprint programme is endorsed by the Scale Up Institute for delivering high impact growth.
• The PIC also acts as a gateway for founders to access a range of expertise and engagement opportunities with the wider university

Lancaster University🔗

• Consistently ranked in the top 15 in major UK league tables, Lancaster University has an extensive business growth, commercialisation and Knowledge Exchange offer
• Home to the Health Innovation Campus, The Data Cyber Quater and many other specialist research facilities – Lancaster has an outstanding track record in collaborating with industry on high-growth, high-value projects in sectors such as cyber, health and net zero
• In addition to support for regional innovation and entrepreneurial leadership, it has built more than 11,000 SME partnerships

University of Central Lancashire🔗

• The University of Central Lancashire helps innovative businesses through consultancy and contract research, KTPs, degree apprenticeships, and other pathways
• R&D assets based there including the Engineering Innovation Centre, the Civic Drone Centre, the Innovation Lab, and the Centre for SME and Enterprise Development
• It’s Enterprise and Engagement Unit (EEU) provides a front door to all these services, and offers guidance and connections to the wider university

Co-working spaces:🔗

Lancashire’s portfolio of hi-tech, high-grade co-working space has grown significantly in recent years, with more on the horizon. Some of the county’s popular workspaces which can help support fast-growth innovative businesses include:

OneCoWork (Preston)🔗

• A premium coworking space with 500 desks for individuals, teams and businesses, it has both flexible and dedicated desks and private offices
• The site also features multiple meeting rooms, private event spaces, and conferencing facilities
• Other amenities include a gym and 4,000 sq. ft of communal areas

Fraser House Hub (Lancaster)🔗

• A Lancashire County Council-funded facility, Fraser House is a diverse and inclusive co-working space for tech and digital businesses
• With a blend of private and shared workspace options, it is equipped with full-fibre internet, conference rooms, presentation theatre, and more
• It also programmes an extensive range of networking and professional development events, including weekly lunchtime events, meetups, and socials, to help its members connect and grow

Society 1(Preston)🔗

• Society1 has a thriving co-worker community including freelancers, solopreneurs, consultants and hybrid workers
• With meeting rooms and event spaces for hire, it is also regularly used by external organisations for meetups and networking sessions

The Landmark (Burnley)🔗

• With monthly co-working memberships and pay-as-you-go hot desking options, tenants can access meeting rooms, large event and conference facilities
• The Landmark is also home to a Barclays Eagle Lab, providing support to startup and scaleup businesses, particularly those who are focused on technology and innovation
• Services include advice clinics and mentoring support in areas such as finance, skills, cyber security and business growth

Strawberry Fields (Chorley)🔗

• Strawberry Fields Digital Hub is a hi-tech business centre for digital and creative businesses
• Providing collaborative spaces, meeting rooms and bespoke office suites -including hot-desking and micro pod options- it is home to startups, scaleups and fast-growing SMEs
• The Hub also hosts regular networking events, business workshops, masterclasses and seminars

To keep up to date with all Lancashire’s tech, innovation and investment news follow Innovate Lancashire on LinkedIn . For more details on Lancashire’s innovation economy and ecosystem, visit www.innovatelancashire.co.uk