£30 Million Innovation Funding Boost to CEAMS Partnership Supporting Sustainable Materials Breakthroughs

Innovate UK has announced an additional £30 million in funding to extend its highly successful Innovation Accelerator (IA) pilot programme through to 2026—further strengthening the UK’s global position in research and development. Among the pioneering projects continuing under this investment is the Centre of Expertise in Advanced Materials and Sustainability (CEAMS), a dynamic collaboration driving sustainable industrial innovation.

“CEAMS brings together leading institutions including the Rochdale Development Agency (RDA)*, Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), the Henry Royce Institute, Manufacturing Catapult (HVMC), the National Composites Centre (NCC), the National Physical Laboratory, and the University of Manchester.”

This national partnership is designed to help UK businesses:

• Commercialise sustainable materials

• Develop innovative solutions to make their existing materials more sustainable

CEAMS acts as a vital bridge between academic research, industrial application, and commercial scale-up—supporting companies to overcome complex challenges, adopt and invent new materials, and contribute to a greener economy.

“CEAMS simplifies access to world-class materials expertise, connecting businesses to a thriving ecosystem of advanced sustainable material innovators,” said Paul Ormerod, Chair of the RDA, lead agency of CEAMS. “Our aim is to empower companies to create better, more efficient products that drive growth, increase employment, and improve competitiveness.”

As part of the broader Innovation Accelerator programme, CEAMS is helping Greater Manchester—and the UK as a whole—cement its role as a global leader in materials science and sustainability. The IA initiative focuses on locally-led innovation to accelerate economic development in three priority regions: Glasgow City Region, Greater Manchester, and the West Midlands.

This latest £30 million investment builds on an initial £100 million already invested into the IA programme. Co-designed with city regions, the initiative has unlocked new technologies, attracted private sector investment, and sustained high-value jobs across multiple sectors.

With 26 regional projects now underway, Innovate UK and local partners are committed to advancing the UK’s innovation landscape and creating real-world impact through industrial transformation.

*Funded by Rochdale Borough Council