Business Secretary Greg Clark to officially open £15m innovation hub in Liverpool

Greg Clark MP, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, is officially opening Liverpool’s £15m Sensor City scheme.

Among those giving speeches today (November 8) to mark the launch of the technical innovation centre are Prof. Nigel Weatherill, vice chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and chairman of the Sensor City board; Prof. Janet Beer, vice chancellor of the University of Liverpool; Steve Rotheram, Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor; and Sensor City executive director Alison Mitchell.

Over the next decade Senor City, a joint venture between the University of Liverpool and LJMU, will aim to create 1,000 jobs, help launch 300 startups and foster collaborations between key players in academia and industry.

The facility is already open to startups, entrepreneurs and big business that require access the sensor-related skills, services and equipment.

Discussing the new innovation hub and the economic role it will play, both within the region and the Government’s wider Industrial Strategy, Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said: “Sensor City is a brilliant example of our Industrial Strategy in action, a hub that will bring together the best academic minds and entrepreneurs with businesses, large and small, to explore opportunities and foster collaborations that will turn innovative ideas into scaleup businesses. I am delighted we have been able to support its creation with £5m of funding.

“Our modern Industrial Strategy has an ambitious long-term vision for the UK. We are committed to building on our strengths as a country and delivering a high-skilled economy for the years ahead.”

He added: “Sensor City will help us deliver on this ambition and make a valuable contribution to this work, driving forward innovation.”

Prof. Nigel Weatherill commented: “This is a landmark day for the city of Liverpool. Sensor City embodies a truly pioneering partnership that will enable Liverpool to be a leading British city in addressing modern industrial challenges through sensor technology.

“It is testament to the significance of Sensor City that Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Business and Energy, is launching the facility and he will see first-hand how sensor products developed here in Liverpool, are already breaking boundaries in healthcare, sports and gaming innovation.”

Prof. Janet Beer said of the launch: “Sensor City is an exciting example of industrial collaboration in action and has huge potential for the delivery of both regional and national prosperity.

“Bringing together the expertise of our two universities with the experience of the UK’s most forward-thinking sensor technology companies and the wonderful facilities here at Sensor City, we have the makings of something very special and exciting.”

Sensor City executive director Alison Mitchell said: “Since we moved into this iconic facility earlier this year, we’ve made great strides towards building a community of tech companies that are pushing the boundaries of IoT and sensor innovation.

“Our partnerships – both with academia and big business - are opening up access to world-leading knowledge, support and services. Together, we’re creating the skills base for emerging technologies in the North West, boosting jobs for the future and supporting our local community.”

Located at the gateway to the city’s eight-figure Knowledge Quarter development, Sensor City is already home to a number of businesses – including an organisation set up to solve some of the biggest challenges in healthcare and another run by a former Liverpool FC man.

Around 2,000 sq ft is still available on the building’s second floor and 2,800 sq ft on the first.