Sustainable Advanced Manufacturing (SAM) project is a £10.9m project to support the implementation of product and process development and the introduction of technology within the SME manufacturing base in the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (NE LEP) area.

The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) works closely with academia, industry and government to bridge the gap between innovation and commercialisation enabling products to be quickly and cost-effectively brought to market, delivering highly-skilled jobs and economic growth to the UK.

Digital Catapult is the UK authority on advanced digital technology. Through collaboration and innovation, it accelerates industry adoption to drive growth and opportunity across the economy. Through it’s specialist programmes and experimental facilities, it ensures that innovation thrives and the right solutions make it to the real world.

Durham University has a long track record of working with space facilities and space data. Manufacture, integration and test facilities for space instruments and optics are available for collaborative use by industry and research organisations in the UK and abroad, and are primarily located in the Centre for Advanced Instrumentation. The university also hosts the Centre for Advanced Instrumentation and the Institute for Computational Cosmology, as well as the Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy.

Durham University’s Centre for Advanced Instrumentation develops state-of-the-art instruments for use in astronomy, biophysics, remote sensing, fusion diagnostics – all in order to undertake a world-leading programme of education and research with international impact.

The High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult is the catalyst for the future growth and success of manufacturing in the UK. It is a strategic initiative that aims to revitalise the manufacturing industry and was implemented, along with six other similar programmes in different sectors, following extensive independent research – notably the Hauser and Dyson reports.

Established in 2017 with joint funding from Newcastle University and Central Government, our mission is to enable organisations to leverage their data effectively using our expertise in data science and AI.

The North East Technology Park (NETPark) located in County Durham is a nationally important centre for innovation, fostering the growth of science-based or technological industries. NETPark has been hosting the North East Satellite Applications Centre of Excellence (NESACoE). Now, NETPark will become the nucleus for the proposed North East Space Hub. Proposed future developments include constructing a Disruptive Innovation for Space Capability (DISC) that will provide lab facilities to lower the cost barriers for businesses looking to innovate – as well as those wishing to enter the booming space sector.

The University of Newcastle won funding from the UK Space Agency to lead two projects: one on building the University’s strengths in data and geospatial engineering, and one to fund a study to identify regional space capabilities skills and challenges in natural capital and ecosystem services monitoring and management.

Northumbria University is home to the Solar and Space Physics Research Group, a successful group pursuing high-international-priority research across the broad remit of Solar and Space Physics. Additionally, it hosts Northumbria Space Technology Laboratory, which includes all of the state-of-the-art facilities needed for developing and environmentally testing of small payloads for space, as well as a dark room for class-4 lasers and optical system testing.

The Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult are the UK’s leading technology innovation and research centre for offshore renewable energy. They will play a key role in delivering the UK’s net zero targets by accelerating the creation and growth of UK companies in the offshore renewable energy sector. They will use their unique facilities and research and engineering capabilities to bring together industry and academia and drive innovation in renewable energy.

The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) works closely with academia, industry and government to bridge the gap between innovation and commercialisation enabling products to be quickly and cost-effectively brought to market, delivering highly-skilled jobs and economic growth to the UK.

Teeside University hosts the TU2Space Programme which aims to launch a rocket at the altitude of 33km using a weather balloon. It also hosts Pint of Science, bringing together academics presenting their research in new and engaging ways, in informal settings including pubs and cafes in towns and cities across the country.

Sunderland is recognised internationally as a leading university, receiving five stars for teaching, inclusiveness, employability and facilities in the QS World University Rankings 2023. The University is also one of the UK’s leading widening participation Universities and was named The Times/Sunday Times University of the Year for Social Inclusion 2021.

Business Durham has a talented team of highly experienced professionals working with a range of businesses in the county. Their knowledge will enable them to provide tailored options to meet a variety of needs.

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership (North East LEP) is a public, private and education sector partnership. It is one of thirty-eight LEPs in the country and is responsible for promoting and developing economic growth in the local authority areas of County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland. It produces the area’s Strategic Economic Plan, which acts as a blueprint for the activities that need to take place to improve our economy.