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Northern Accelerator recognised as Place-based Knowledge Exchange Initiative of the Year

People accepting the Northern Accelerator Award collection

Northern Accelerator has been awarded the prestigious Place-Based Knowledge Exchange (KE) Initiative of the Year at the PraxisAuril Knowledge Exchange Awards 2024.

Having transformed research commercialisation across the North East and now grown to a collaboration of six universities, Northern Accelerator received the sector award at a ceremony in Bristol on 21 November.  

The recognition celebrates Northern Accelerator’s impactful work in driving economic growth, innovation, and social value through a strong partnership of Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland, Teesside and York Universities.

Translating world-leading research into sustainable business

Northern Accelerator helps founding academics create R&D intensive, high potential spinouts in the North East and North Yorkshire, realising social and environmental impact from research, and helping create more and better jobs. By supporting technology transfer through a combination of training, funding, networking and executive leadership, the programme has significantly boosted the rate of commercialisation of academic research.

The shared vision of the partners, the founders and funders is that the programme will contribute to economic growth in the North East. To date we’ve launched over 50 businesses, with many now based in regional innovation hubs like Newcastle Helix and Durham’s NETPark.

Northern Accelerator is funded by Research England’s Connecting Capability Fund, and by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund through Durham County Council and The North East Combined Authority

Recognition from the knowledge exchange sector

Knowledge Exchange UK (formerly PraxisAuril) is a world-leading professional association for Knowledge Exchange practitioners. They support and enable professional knowledge exchange and commercialisation between universities and business, helping members stand out as the most effective practitioners in their field, anywhere in the world.

Place-based collaboration

The award underscores the growing recognition of the North East as a hub for innovation, research and development. By focusing on place-based knowledge exchange, Northern Accelerator has worked to ensure that the benefits of research commercialisation are felt within the region, contributing to job creation, investment, and regional regeneration.

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Two energy projects to receive £16.8m investment

Exterior of a NETPark building

Two green energy projects we’re involved in have secured a combined total of £16.8m in new financial support.

The North East Technology Park (NETPark) at Sedgefield, County Durham, and the Energy Central Campus at Blyth, Northumberland, will each receive a share of £16.8m North East Investment Zone (NEIZ) funds from the North East Combined Authority (NECA).

It is hoped the investment will further support the development of electric vehicles, battery technology and offshore renewable energy technology in North East England, creating thousands of new jobs.

More about NETPark

NETPark is one of the UK’s premier science and technology parks, with 40 companies employing 700 people. We have been central to its development, and it’s home to Orbit, our enterprise zone. 

The NEIZ investment of £11.3m will support NETPark’s £100m Phase 3 development.

More about Energy Central Campus

Energy Central Campus (ECC) is focused on developing the skills and talent to make Blyth a centre of excellence for the renewable energy sector.

The NEIZ investment of £5.5m will go towards the Energy Central Institute, an education and innovation facility within the ECC. We are a key partner in the ECI, and recently joined ECC board.

The North East is a manufacturing powerhouse, with a proud heritage, and our investments are unlocking jobs and training for local people in the industries of the future. 

Kim McGuinness, North East Mayor

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Access and Participation: our ambitious plan for a more inclusive Durham 

Students outside of Durham University

We’re introducing an ambitious new plan to improve equality of opportunity in higher education and make Durham more diverse and inclusive than ever before. 

Our new Access and Participation Plan (APP) has been approved by the Office for Students, the independent regulator of higher education in England, and will come into effect from September.  

It builds on our ongoing drive to give everyone fair opportunity to reach university and thrive in their studies. 

We’ve already made great strides in this area, with one in five of our new undergraduate students joining us through a scheme aimed at widening access to education. 

This new APP represents a step change in how we’re identifying and encouraging students from underrepresented groups to study with us. 

We have identified specific groups of students who face extra challenges in accessing and participating in higher education, and we’ve developed targeted support to help them progress.  

There are tailored plans to support mature students, and those with mental health difficulties, and we’re also working hard to make sure everyone feels part of a diverse university community.  

Supporting the student journey  

Our Space to Explore Potential (STEP) programme helps Black-heritage students to explore their own potential, and all that Durham has to offer.  

Our 17 colleges each foster unique communities that play a vital role in supporting students throughout their time with us. 

Beyond their studies, our students can also engage in over 1,000 student-led clubs and societies, enriching their university experience with a diverse range of opportunities.   

Meanwhile, initiatives such as our annual Celebrate Science festival and museums and outreach work have engaged with thousands of pupils over the years.   

We support our students with mental health services, transition programmes, and financial aid – and when it’s time to plan for the future, we provide career advice, work experience and mentoring to help our students take their next steps with confidence.  

Setting goals   

Of course there is still work to be done, and our APP sets out seven key objectives to ensure we’re creating an even more diverse student community. 

We are committed to increasing access, improving ethnic diversity, reducing attainment gaps, enhancing continuation rates, supporting mature students, achieving mental health equity and promoting inclusivity.  

We want to raise the proportion of Black heritage and Asian heritage students studying at Durham and we’re working hard to increase the proportion of economically disadvantaged students studying with us. 

Reducing the attainment gap for students reporting mental health disabilities is also an important element of our work. 

Our progress in these and other areas will be continually evaluated to ensure we’re on track to achieve our goals.  

Removing financial barriers  

Financial support is a key part of our plan, and we’ve improved our grant system to help families who might not qualify for the highest level of financial aid but still feel the squeeze.  

Extra funds are being made available for students facing sudden money problems and for those who struggle to afford to fully take part in University activities.   

Our Durham Grant Scheme is one of the most generous grant schemes in the sector and we’re now able to support even more students by broadening the eligibility criteria.     

A range of targeted scholarships and funding options are also available to support underrepresented groups.  

This includes the upcoming launch of a new scholarship funded by our current Chancellor, Fiona Hill, for students from North East England.  

Working with our students  

Our students themselves will be an important part of making these plans work.    

We’re encouraging students to get involved by joining advisory boards, becoming outreach ambassadors, or representing their peers on important committees.   

By closely collaborating with our students, we can ensure that the changes we make are relevant and effective.   

University student

Everyone deserves fair opportunity to reach their full potential. Our new Access and Participation Plan will make Durham more diverse and more inclusive than ever before. If you’re considering your study and career options, think: Durham.

Professor Karen O’Brien
Vice-Chancellor, Durham University
University student

Durham University’s new Access and Participation Plan marks a significant step forward in ensuring that students from all backgrounds have the opportunity to benefit from and thrive in higher education. A diverse student body enriches learning, fosters innovation, and strengthens our communities. Importantly, we must also ensure young people from the North East are able to follow their goals of studying at Durham – finances should not be a barrier to them fulfilling their higher education dreams. I look forward to seeing the positive impact this will have for students from our city and region

Mary Kelly Foy
MP for City of Durham

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Major milestone as first tenant signs up for £100million science park expansion

NETPARK phase 3 CGI image

A leading tech firm which supplies components and subsystems to space, aerospace, defence and telecoms is the first tenant to sign up for a new unit in a growing County Durham science park.

Filtronic will move into custom-built headquarters within the £100million Phase 3 extension to the North East Technology Park (NETPark) at Sedgefield in 2025.

An existing tenant of the park, the award-winning manufacturer’s new facility will more than double its operational footprint.

The move will further strengthen the firm’s capabilities and increase capacity, while enhancing its cleanroom facilities, engineering laboratories and testing facilities.

It comes at a time when the firm’s growth has been boosted by deals struck with Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX, for the supply of critical RF subsystems for low Earth orbit satellites.

Left to right: Michael Tyerman, chief financial officer at Filtronic, is pictured in front of the company’s new unit at NETPark with North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness, NETPark project director, Janet Todd and Leader of Durham County Council, Cllr Amanda Hopgood.Michael Tyerman, chief financial officer at Filtronic, said: “We opted to stay at NETPark due to its modern infrastructure, the presence of innovative and like-minded companies, and the flexibility it provides for scaling our operations.

“The new facility expands our manufacturing and office space as well as upgrading test facilities. It will support the continued development of our leading-edge products and enable us to scale capacity to meet growing customer demand.

“This commitment to innovation was recognised earlier this year when we were honoured with the King’s Award for Innovation, making us one of the few businesses in the UK to hold both the King’s and the Queen’s Award simultaneously.

“It was also a core reason why SpaceX entered into a strategic partnership with us in April of this year, which includes the ongoing supply of E-band solid-state power amplifiers (SSPAs), alongside collaborative efforts in developing and delivering comparable products across multiple frequency bands core to SpaceX’s Starlink constellation.”

Cllr Amanda Hopgood, Leader of Durham County Council, added: “Filtronic is one of a number of world-class companies we have at NETPark, and its success story really encapsulates what NETPark is all about.

“It came to NETPark as part of a company expansion in 2014, starting in a small incubator space and going from strength to strength ever since. Here we are 10 years on, with the company having had a spectacular five months during which it has secured £30million of orders from Elon Musk’s SpaceX for RF subsystems for its Starlink platform as part of an ongoing strategic partnership.

“To think there will be critical products travelling through space that were made in County Durham is pretty mind-blowing really and it’s something we should be incredibly proud of.”

20 years of NETPark!

The announcement was made as NETPark, which is owned by Durham County Council and managed by Business Durham, celebrated its 20th anniversary today (5 September).

The occasion was marked with an event held in one of the Phase 3 extension’s new units.

Representatives of NETPark businesses, Durham County Council, and the North East Combined Authority were among those in attendance.

Born from a clear strategic vision and developed and delivered in partnership, NETPark has established itself as one of the UK’s leading science, engineering and technology parks.

It is currently home to more than 40 pioneering companies employing more than 700 people.

NETPark based companies are developing cutting-edge products that help people live healthier lives, keep people safe, generate sustainable energy and more.

Cllr Hopgood said: “Twenty years ago, when the council took the bold decision to allocate land to establish a science park in County Durham, the vision was for NETPark to become a global hub for engineering, science and technology-based companies.

“It’s certainly achieved that, and the county is reaping the benefits now as NETPark’s success has brought hundreds of higher-skilled, high-value jobs. The 20th anniversary has given us an opportunity to celebrate that success and thank all of the partners and businesses that have made it possible.

It’s a success based on harnessing the skills and knowledge base of our advanced manufacturing heritage and bringing them together with the research capabilities of a world-class university. The combination of those things makes for a unique and world-class offer.

“We’re now investing £100million to expand NETPark and this will take things to a new level, bringing another wave of high-value jobs. The new units are attracting major interest, while enabling us to retain growing companies like Filtronic in County Durham so they can realise their ambitions here and not somewhere else.

“All in all, we expect the expansion will unlock over 285,000 sq ft of new lab and scale-up production space and create up to 1,250 high-value jobs on site along with a further 2,200 jobs in wider supply chains.”

Earlier this year, NETPark was confirmed as a Growth Site in the North East Investment Zone as part of the £4.2billion devolution deal.

North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness, said: “NETPark has become a driving force for attracting national and international businesses in Durham and the North East, demonstrating our reputation as a fantastic place to live, work and do business.

“As Mayor, I will back NETPark, and the whole of County Durham, so we create more jobs, attract businesses and investment and create real opportunity for local people. As a Combined Authority we are investing in NETPark through our Investment Zone, creating over 1,200 high skill, high-paid jobs, building amazing new lab and production spaces for businesses to grow; and adding over £600million to the North East’s economy.

“We have spades in the ground, with infrastructure and enabling works already underway. From semi-conductors to the next generation in space technology, we can create a very bright future for NETPark, County Durham and our great North East.”

For more information about opportunities at NETPark visit www.northeasttechnologypark.com.

Pic caption: Michael Tyerman, chief financial officer at Filtronic, is pictured in front of the company’s new unit at NETPark with (left to right) North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness, NETPark project director, Janet Todd and Leader of Durham County Council, Cllr Amanda Hopgood.

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Milestone in mine water heat project as work starts

Ground breaking event to mark the start of work. 11 people in hard hats and safety clothing standing in a row.

A key milestone has been reached in one of the UK’s first large-scale mine water heat projects, with work now underway.

Durham County Council is working with a number of organisations to deliver the project, which will ultimately see mine water used to heat homes on a new sustainable community, near Seaham.

The authority has teamed up with the Mining Remediation Authority and Karbon Homes, to heat 750 affordable homes on the Seaham Garden Village development. The ultra-low carbon district heat network has thus far received more than £4m in government funding.

All legal and land agreements were recently completed, including the appointment of Vital Energi to design, build and operate the ultra-low carbon district heat network that will heat half of the homes on the new garden village.

With the agreements in place, Vital has begun work to construct the energy centre, which will take heat to those homes.

Cllr Mark Wilkes, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and climate change, said: “We are delighted to have started work on what will be the UK’s first large-scale mine water heat project using a mine water treatment scheme, right here in County Durham.

“This innovative project will have significant environmental benefits – making use of currently untapped heat to keep houses warm, and, in doing so, avoiding the need to use non-renewable sources of energy.

“The affordable properties will also provide a welcome boost to County Durham residents looking to get on the housing ladder; while the prospect of more homes, a school and innovation hubs in the future will, we hope, attract people looking for somewhere to live, families and those seeking work.

“A lot of planning has gone into this project in recent years involving a number of organisations and it’s therefore really exciting to have all the necessary agreements in place and work starting on the ground.”

The project will harness mine water treated at the Mining Remediation Authority’s Dawdon Mine Water Treatment Scheme.

Water is extracted from the former coal workings to protect the groundwater aquifer which provides drinking water to local households. This water is extracted at 19-20 degrees throughout the year, is treated to remove heavy metals and is then discharged out to sea.  The heat currently dissipates into the atmosphere. 

However, under the council-led project, the heat from the extracted water will instead feed into the ultra-low carbon district heat network. A new energy centre will increase the water temperature through a heat exchange and the water will then be provided to the new homes through a new pipe network.

The mine water project has received £4.3m from the government’s Heat Networks Investment Project; including £3.23m towards construction.

Richard Bond, Innovation and Services Director at the Mining Remediation Authority, said: “This scheme is a further milestone in our journey to harness mine water heat to provide sustainable heating solutions across the former coalfields. It opens up possibilities to use our treatment facilities across the UK, where warm water is already being pumped to the surface.

“With over 80 mine water treatment schemes across the UK, we see great potential to deliver dual-purpose facilities that protect water supplies and generate renewable heat. Whether accessing mine water heat via our treatment schemes or boreholes, the Mining Remediation Authority is proud to offer innovative ways to reduce carbon emissions by repurposing the amazing UK coal-mining heritage.”

Granted garden village status by the government in 2019, Seaham Garden Village will be built over the next ten years. It will comprise 1,500 homes, 750 being developed for private sale by Taylor Wimpey and Miller Homes and 750 being developed for affordable tenures by Karbon, as well as a new village centre, primary school and innovation hubs. 

The 750 affordable homes delivered by Karbon, the first phase of which is underway with Karbon’s construction partner Esh Group, will connect to the network.

Paul Fiddaman, Chief Executive of Karbon Homes, said: “Our involvement in the delivery of Seaham Garden Village shows our commitment to investing in the area, working with our construction partner Esh Group to build new affordable homes that help meet local housing need.

“With further commitments to ensuring the homes we build are of the highest quality and energy efficiency, it’s fantastic to partner with Durham County Council and the Mining Remediation Authority to connect our homes to this innovative low carbon heat system, one of the first of its kind in the country.

“Paired with boasting a range of energy efficiency technologies, like solar PV panels, these homes will be well on the way to net zero.”

The new homes from Karbon are part-funded by Homes England, through the housing association’s Strategic Partnership with the government’s housing delivery agency.   

The strategic partnership has provided Karbon with £165m in funding, to deliver 2,200 new affordable homes across the North East and Yorkshire over the next few years.

To find out more, visit https://seahamgardenvillage.co.uk/