West Yorkshire Investment Zone: Three sites set to receive funding as part of £80m plan to develop ‘life changing’ technologies

The package of support will bring together universities, businesses and hospitals to deliver cutting-edge research and develop new technologies for patients, to be used in the UK and world-wide.

The plan will be brought forward by West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin later this week on Thursday, when regional leaders meet for the final Combined Authority meeting of her mayoral term.

She said: “For the UK economy to prosper it needs West Yorkshire to succeed, and devolution is helping us empower our healthtech and digital sectors, transforming the lives of patients world-wide.

“This multi-million pound investment will help us build world-leading centres of innovation in Bradford, Huddersfield and Leeds, bringing together our universities, businesses and hospitals to drive the development of life changing technologies and deliver thousands of skilled jobs.

“Through our investment zone, we’re changing our region for the long-term, working with partners and the government to build a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire that works for all”.

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The investment zone will centre around three clusters of economic activity, powered by investment in infrastructure, skills training and business support.

The Digital Health Enterprise Zone at the University of Bradford has been announced as one of the sites set to receive funding. The site supports business growth, knowledge and skills development by connecting academics, researchers and health and social care partners.

It also contributes to the training of future healthcare professionals, advancing research and commercial opportunities through its dedicated simulation space, The Technology House. Its aim is to work with other universities, local government and wider partners to make West Yorkshire the place for health tech innovation.

A National Health Innovation Campus at the University of Huddersfield is also set to receive funding. The university is investing over £250 million to develop a state-of-the-art campus, focused on specialist clinical teaching and research to tackle health inequalities.

A HealthTech Innovation Hub in Leeds is also set to receive funding. The hub is a flagship project of the investment zone, and will see the development of the first phase of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s 1m sq ft Leeds Innovation Village, on the site of Leeds General Infirmary. Alongside the transformation of the Old Medical School will be the construction of the Trust’s new, world-leading, state of the art digital hospital.

Dame Linda Pollard, chair of the Leeds Innovation Partnership, said: “I am delighted that the Old Medical School has been chosen to be the flagship project for the West Yorkshire Healthtech and Digital Technology zone and it is great to see our vision for a leading Healthtech Innovation hub get this boost.

“The Healthtech Innovation Hub will uniquely co-locate clinicians, entrepreneurs, and academics for the first time and provide space for scale ups and start-ups.”