• LCR Innovation Investment Fortnight (IIF) runs from 1-12 June
  • The fifth annual LCR Innovation Investment Summit will also take place at The Spine
  • The fortnight will feature more than 20 events covering topics ranging from life sciences innovation to maritime, games development, AI and sports science

  • More than £2bn of investment opportunities are to be showcased at a two-week festival highlighting the breadth, depth and quality of place-based innovation across the Liverpool City Region.

  • Running from 1 – 12 June, LCR Innovation Investment Fortnight (IIF) will feature more than 20 events covering topics ranging from the city region’s strengths in life sciences innovation to maritime, games development, AI and sports science.

  • The fortnight also includes the fifth annual LCR Innovation Investment Summit at The Spine, a Dragon’s Den style pitching event, an LCR Innovation Zone Showcase, and the UK Innovation Districts Group Annual Summit.

  • Birds eye view of The Spine building in Liverpool.

  • Liverpool City Region currently has £1bn of live innovation projects with a further £2bn of projects in the pipeline and seeking investment.

  • The City Region’s Life Sciences Innovation Zone, which launched in April 2024, is alone expected to attract £800m of public and private sector investment.

  • Kicking off with a Royal Academy of Engineering event featuring deep tech entrepreneurs and local innovation stakeholders, the fortnight will highlight the City Region’s world-leading assets and distinctive approaches that put it at the forefront of UK place-based innovation.

  • The IIF 2026 programme includes a broad range of topics from the Science of Sport Endurance to how the City Region is shaping the future of women’s health as well as taking a deep dive into Sea Level science to mark World Oceans Day.

  • Tim Games, Executive Director of Investment and Delivery at Liverpool City Region, said:

  • “Our region has always been a place where great ideas are born – and through LCR Innovation Investment Fortnight, we’re putting a spotlight on the people and projects turning those ideas into world-class industries.

  • “From infection prevention control to materials chemistry to AI, our region is helping shape the future – and we’re doing it in our own unique way.

  • “We’re not just talking about innovation – we’re investing in it, unlocking billions in opportunities, and making our region a magnet for talent, creativity, and investment.”

  • Innovation Investment Fortnight logo

  • Key LCR IIF 2026 events include:

    • June 3: LCR Pitch Day
    • June 3: University of Liverpool’s Shared Research Facilities Showcase
    • June 4:The fifth LCR Innovation Investment Summit, at The Spine in Paddington Village.
    • June 5: UK Innovation Districts Group Annual Summit
    • June 9: LCR Innovation Zone Showcase
    • June 10: From Prototype to Production: Industrialising Innovation in the Liverpool City Region
    • June 10: AI in Manufacturing: Panel Discussion with Glass Futures and the Virtual Engineering Centre
    • June 11: LJMU Innovation Fair
    • June 12: R&D Impact Series Finale & LCR IIF Closing Reception

  • SEE the full Innovation Investment Fortnight programme here

  • Liverpool City Region has a north star mission to invest 5% of GVA in R&D by 2030. Achieving the target would deliver an estimated £41.7bn of gross economic benefit, a 10% increase in productivity and 44,000 new jobs, and since the first Innovation Investment Summit in 2022, Liverpool City Region has spearheaded a series of landmark initiatives.

  • This programme of activity includes piloting Innovate UK’s national launchpad grant programme now rolled out to eight other localities. It is also one of 10 places earmarked for funding as part of the Local Innovation Partnership Fund and creating new relationships with UKRI – reflecting the region’s highly developed place-based innovation approach at the national forefront. And planning is already underway for the region’s third international AI Summit this Autumn.

  • The City Region is also one of only three places in the UK to benefit from both Investment Zone and Freeport status. The Combined Authority has brought these programmes together within its Innovation Zone, to offer investors a coherent package of support and to accelerate and de-risk property investments

  • The City Region is also a world leader in infection prevention and control, materials chemistry and AI solutions and emerging technologies, with growing strengths in net-zero and maritime innovation.