Entrepreneurial Futures

Nurturing, embedding and accelerating an entrepreneurial culture in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

Entrepreneurial Futures is a major new initiative that will benefit businesses and communities in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly through a £5.6 million investment from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The project aims to inspire innovation and drive economic growth by connecting businesses with the region’s further and higher education institutions through research and development-led activities.

Focusing on research priorities in support of key sectors for the county’s economy, University of Plymouth is delivering activities around net zero, clean energy, agri-robotics, immersive technologies and coastal communities.

The initiative will see leading experts from the University working with businesses and other stakeholders across the region, providing them with access to advice, support, industry-leading facilities and academic collaboration.

Project title
Entrepreneurial Futures. Nurturing, embedding and accelerating an entrepreneurial culture in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly: an agile approach from higher and further education providers

Funding body
UK Shared Prosperity Fund: Good Growth, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

Funding amount and duration
£5.6 million, 2024 – 2025

University of Plymouth PI

Professor Will Blake

Location
Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (IoS), UK

Project partners
University of Plymouth, University of Exeter (lead), Falmouth University, Duchy College

We are proud to be involved in the Entrepreneurial Futures project, a cornerstone of regional development and innovation aimed at empowering Cornwall & IoS businesses and communities. By fostering transdisciplinary research collaboration, we harness diverse academic expertise to tackle the intricate challenges of entrepreneurship in rapidly evolving markets. Through practical applications and real-world impact, we pave the way for local businesses to navigate and flourish in dynamic landscapes, ultimately benefiting both communities and industries.

Professor Will Blake
Professor of Catchment Science, Director of the Sustainable Earth Institute

Our project strands

Focusing on major research priorities for the region, the programme will include sector support in the following strands with expertise from Plymouth.

Net Zero

Working with businesses to deliver research and development-led approaches to achieving net zero

Clean Energy

Modelling and simulation to develop innovative approaches to floating offshore wind (FLOW)

Agri-tech

Supporting agricultural businesses to use research, technology and data to develop sustainable farming practices.

Immersive Technologies

Inspiring businesses to leverage immersive technologies through expert guidance and collaborative research

Coastal Communities

Investigating a fairer funding model for South West England

Collaborate with us

For further information about each thematic area, including opportunities for collaboration, please visit the relevant project strand pages.

For other enquiries please contact the University of Plymouth’s Entrepreneurial Futures central project team:

Hannah Irwin

Strategic Projects Manager
Mrs Deborah Burhouse

Project Compliance Manager
Mrs Katie Pritchard

Project Officer
Carmel Lawless

Knowledge Exchange Coordinator - Events & Marketing

Previous Next

Across the wider project partnership

The multi-faceted programme covers other major research priorities:

H

Geo-resources
H

Robotics/Automation
H

Agri-food
H

Biodiversity
H

Business Circularity

In support of an entrepreneurial ecosystem, it will establish:

an environmental living laboratory at Duchy College that will enable businesses, communities, academia, and learners to explore different technologies, products, services, and processes used in environmental land management
a pioneering geotracer facility at University of Exeter to trace river/marine pollution, land contamination, and groundwater sources – a capability opening up new areas of development and innovation that can be tackled in-county.

Research Foundation projects will aim to address fundamental issues associated with entrepreneurial growth in Cornwall & IoS – identifying root cause and potential solutions, and providing advice to government and policy makers. Specifically,

University of Plymouth’s work on coastal communities
University of Exeter focusing on localised digital skills mapping and labour market and housing issues.

Support for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly based businesses and organisations

These will include:

academic/research time
access to world-class facilities to assist with business-led research development and innovation (RD&I) projects
internship opportunities to assist with a specific RD&I project
workshops and dissemination events to actively engage and support enterprise and innovation.