Reinventing the city of Liverpool
Connected Places
In this episode, we visit a city with a proud sense of identity and a bold vision for the future. Liverpool is famous for its maritime heritage, musical legacy, and vibrant culture. But today it’s reimagining itself as a hub for science, technology and inclusive innovation. We explore how civic leaders, entrepreneurs and community voices are driving change, from green shipping corridors and digital connectivity to inclusive growth and skills for the next generation. We hear from Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region; Ruth Wood, CEO of Mersey Maritime; Bill Addy, Chief Executive...
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Reinventing the city of Bristol
Connected Places
In this episode, we visit a city with a powerful story to tell about invention and reinvention. Bristol, in the southwest of England, is famous for its engineering heritage, creative industries, and independent spirit. Today it is forging a national reputation bold plans for sustainable and inclusive growth. We explore how leaders, entrepreneurs, and community organisations are working together to create a city that works for everyone. We hear from Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council; Claire Reddington, Chief Executive of the Watershed; Ges Rosenberg, Research Fellow at the University of...
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Reimagining the economy of Northeast Ohio
Connected Places
In this episode we visit a place with a fascinating story to tell about reimagining the economy of a place. Northeast Ohio in the USA, or the Greater Cleveland region, comprises 30% of the state of Ohio’s economy, which is ranked 5th in the US for its business climate, 3rd when it comes to affordability, and second in the country for quality of life. Team NEO (the NEO stand for Northeast Ohio) is the economic development accelerator for the region and the business gateway for trade and investment. Team NEO have been supporters of our Connected Places Summit and they have a fascinating story...
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In conversation with Dan Labbad, CEO of the Crown Estate
Connected Places
In this episode we meet Dan Labbad, CEO of the Crown Estate - an independent commercial business, created by an Act of Parliament, with a diverse portfolio of UK buildings, shoreline, seabed, forestry, agriculture and common land. Dan sat down with the Chair of the Catapult, Prof. Greg Clark, shortly after giving a keynote address to the Summit our second Connected Places Catapult Summit held in in London on 19-20 March. They discussed the Crown Estate’s approach to long-term stewardship, the future of placemaking, the role of innovation and new technologies in creating that future, and the...
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In Conversation with Andrew Barr, President of Hitachi Europe
Connected Places
In this episode we meet Andrew Barr, President of Hitachi Europe in conversation with Becky Wood at our recent Connected Places Summit, held in London on 19/20 March. Hitachi Europe was one of our strategic Summit partners and we are very grateful for their support. Andrew and Becky sat down in the margins of the Summit to discuss Hitachi’s approach to innovation in rail, the work they do in the energy sector, navigating the clean transition, and how data and digital technologies are changing how we think about rail, energy and place. Andrew is President of Hitachi Group’s Regional...
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Highlights from the Connected Places Summit - 2025
Connected Places
Last week was a big one for the Connected Places Catapult. On the 19/20 March we hosted our second Connected Places Summit, in the heart of London. In this episode we hear from some of the leading voices who spoke at the Summit... Sir Andrew Haines from Network Rail on the future of Britain’s railways and transport connectivity; Dan Labbad from the Crown Estate on the future of innovation in placemaking, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram on the opportunities of devolution, Victoria Hills from the Royal Town Planning Institute on unlocking growth through planning, Prof....
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The future of innovation procurement
Connected Places
Every year the UK spends £380bn on third party suppliers - £60bn of that is spent by local authorities - so it is vital to ensure we are getting the best value from the goods and services we buy. A big part of any public budget is not just the question of what things to buy, but how can we be more creative in how we buy, especially when it comes to innovation. So, in this episode we want to revisit what’s happening in the world of public procurement, and what’s being done to not only improve the UK’s procurement landscape, but also make it more innovation-friendly. We were...
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Inclusive Innovation in the West Midlands
Connected Places
The UK is positioning itself to be a global hub for innovation by 2035. But how do we make sure that the innovation economy creates opportunities for people and communities from all corners of the country? Getting this right has implications not just for businesses and research institutions, but also for the life chances of people and communities who have typically been marginalised or overlooked by the innovation economy. So in this episode we explore some of the latest thinking on inclusive innovation and what it means for places - specifically one of the UK’s most diverse and...
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Highlights from the Connected Places Summit - 2024
Connected Places
Last week was a big one for the Connected Places Catapult. On the 20/21 March we hosted our first ever Connected Places Summit, in the heart of the City of London. It was a big one because even though we run multiple events throughout the year, this was the first time we’ve run a 2-day Summit which brought together all of our flagship projects under one roof. But it also included a keynote programme with some of the most influential thinkers and leaders from across government, business and academia. Over the two days had 220 speakers, 27 companies exhibiting, 30 supporting...
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Minding the gaps in London with Graeme Craig
Connected Places
Ask any Londoner what the city’s greatest challenge is and they’ll probably mention the housing crisis or, more specifically, the affordable housing crisis. Over the last 40 years, London’s population has boomed from 6.9 million in 1980 to 9.6 million today. London now hosts 6 million jobs, £1.5 trillion of housing assets and a £4 trillion property asset base. All of that growth has put enormous pressure on the affordability of living and working in London. In this episode we meet , CEO of Places for London – an innovate, TfL-owned property company that is transforming how...
info_outlineIn this episode we meet Lord Adonis who we were delighted to welcome to our offices last week alongside senior representatives from across the rail sector.
Andrew Adonis is a member of the House of Lords and founding Chair of the UK’s National Infrastructure Commission. He was a Government Minister in Tony Blair’s government, and went on to become Secretary of State for Transport under Gordon Brown.
So his reflections on where we’ve come in Britain when it comes to rail travel, and what we need to be thinking about in the future draw on a wide range of personal experience. Lord Adonis was closely involved with setting up HS2 when it was just a small start-up. He also played a leading role in bringing Crossrail to London – one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects the capital has ever delivered.
Music on this episode is by Phill Ward Music (www.phillward.com)
Show notes:
If you would like to hear more about the themes that Lord Adonis discusses listen to our feature episode “Reimagining our railways and stations” where we explore how innovation and new technologies are shaping the future of the rail industry as it rises to the huge challenges the 21st Century is throwing at it.
You can also listen to our interview with the broadcaster and former MP, Michael Portillo about Britain’s railway history and what the future might look like – click here.
To learn more about the UK’s first ‘Station Innovation Zone’ and how the Catapult is supporting Bristol Temple Meads station to trial new technologies, click here.
If you'd like to get in touch with your feedback, comments and suggestions on what you'd like to hear more of on Connected Places, please email: [email protected]. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!
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