Liverpool leads the way on growth
Steve Rotheram, Mayor
| Liverpool City Region Combined Authority
Liverpool has always done things differently. Now it’s leading the next wave of innovation – creating jobs, improving lives, and building a stronger, fairer economy for all
Innovation is one of the buzzwords of the moment. It’s in every speech, every strategy, every spending plan. But for all the times it’s mentioned, it’s not always clear what it actually means – or why it matters.
Innovation isn’t just about science labs, supercomputers or startups. It’s about finding better ways to do things – whether that’s delivering faster healthcare, building cleaner homes, or giving young people the skills to get on in life. It’s how we solve problems, create good jobs, raise productivity and build stronger, more resilient communities. And if Britain is serious about driving economic growth, it must start by backing innovation.
In the Liverpool City Region, we’re already showing how that works in practice.
This is a place that’s always done things differently. From the world’s first passenger railway to The Beatles, our region has never been afraid to change the world. That same spirit is driving the next wave of innovation-led growth.
We’re home to one of Europe’s largest pharmaceutical clusters, where firms like AstraZeneca, CSL Seqirus and Pharmaron are delivering breakthroughs that save lives. But this isn’t just lab work – it’s local people powering global change.
The £260m iiCON programme – led by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine - has helped bring over 30 new products to market, from diagnostics to cutting-edge treatments. It’s delivered billions of life-saving interventions worldwide – all driven from our region.
Alongside the University of Liverpool and the Pandemic Institute, we’ve built the UK’s strongest infection research ecosystem – worth £2bn a year to the national economy and ready to respond to whatever comes next. It’s one of several world-class research specialisms based here - from materials chemistry to maritime innovation.
That spirit of innovation runs throughout our region. At the Hartree Centre in Halton, the UK’s most powerful supercomputer dedicated to industry is helping companies turn ambition into reality – from AI and advanced manufacturing to digital health and clean growth.
Ours is also a region that cares – with the largest cluster of specialist hospitals outside London, we’re leading the way in treating cancer, supporting mental health and improving children’s care.
But we’re not standing still. Across Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral, we’ve built a £2bn pipeline of innovation – with £725m already underway. That’s real momentum, in every borough, transforming lives and livelihoods.
We’ve set an ambitious target: to invest 5 per cent of our GVA in R&D by 2030 – nearly double the national goal. Why? Because innovation is how we’ll raise living standards, create better jobs and unlock opportunity in every community.
We’re also honest about the challenge – and the opportunity – our region represents. Liverpool’s productivity is 13 per cent below the national average. Closing that gap could generate an extra £4.5bn a year for the economy. The case for investment couldn’t be clearer.
Through devolution, we’ve already shown what local leadership can deliver. We’ve proved we can turn ambition into action – quickly and effectively. With the right support, we can go even further.
The Liverpool City Region isn’t just ready to grow – we’re ready to help Britain grow too.
