Fife Council’s Economic Development Team, along with partners of the Arrol Gibb Innovation Campus (AGIC) at Rosyth have submitted a funding application which seeks to identify AGIC as a future UK innovation cluster location through Innovate UK’s Launchpad programme.
AGIC, based at Babcock International’s Rosyth site, is a global centre of excellence aiming to transform large-scale manufacturing through innovation and skills and is comprised of delivery partners; the University of Strathclyde/National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland, University of Edinburgh, Fife College, Skills Development Scotland and Scottish Enterprise.
If successful, the selection of AGIC, could mean that up to £7.5M of supportive investment is made available by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation. Innovate UK has announced the Launchpad programme to grow innovation clustering in all parts of the UK. The aim is to strengthen the business base of innovative SMEs with high-growth potential and to design a Launchpad programme of investment that will support the interests of the local or regional economy and society.
The role of AGIC has already been successfully showcased this year by Scottish Development International which promoted AGIC as a key location during the 2022 Edinburgh World Forum for Foreign Direct Investment. The Forth Green Freeport Bid in June 2022, of which a decision is still to be announced, also identified AGIC as a central component in ensuring the sustainable reindustrialisation of the Forth and supporting the growth of the advanced manufacturing sector which is likely to contribute an estimated £162 Billion to the UK economy.
AGIC’s role as a global centre of excellence for Large Scale Advanced Manufacturing aligns with the principles set out within the Edinburgh & South East Scotland City Deal and the Fife Council Economic Strategy in addition to supporting the delivery of National Manufacturing Institute (NMIS) of Scotland activities within Fife. A decision on the funding application is expected in December 2022.