Northern Accelerator

Northern Accelerator is an exciting collaboration between the North East’s universities, creating real-world impact from world-leading research, commercialising innovation and boosting the region’s economy.

It is driving a step change in the commercialisation of research to help address regional imbalance and strengthen the North East knowledge economy.

We bring together academics and business leaders, with a host of funding and support, to form sustainable businesses that create more and better jobs.

North East Universities’ research accounts for a significantly higher proportion of R&D spend compared with the national average. Northern Accelerator partners therefore believe we have a responsibility and an unmissable opportunity to commercialise research to support local and national economic growth.

“Northern Accelerator has seen the North East’s universities join forces to significantly increase the rate at which we’re able to translate world-leading research and innovation into highly investible business opportunities that make a real-world societal impact. 

“With a robust programme of support, we’re bolstering the region’s innovation ecosystem and ensuring our spin-outs have the strongest chance of success. With an exciting pipeline of sustainable innovation, there’s a wealth of untapped investment potential in the region – something we’re proud to showcase through F4SG.” 

Dr Tim Hammond, Northern Accelerator Project Lead and Director of Commercialisation & Economic Development at Durham University