A Welsh project working to produce steel in an environmentally friendly way is one of the four new manufacturing hubs that will share £44 million in government funding.
The Indigenous Green-steel for Net-zero Innovation, Technology and Enterprise (IGNITE) Hub will reshape steel design and use.
This will deliver environmental and economic resilience for key areas of the economy, including defence, transport and energy.
Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:
It is great news that significant UK Government funding is coming to Wales to support this green steel manufacturing hub.
Investing in research and innovation in sectors where there is huge potential for growth is vital for the Welsh economy and for the creation of new well-paid jobs which will put more money in people’s pockets.
Driving regional growth in Wales
But this is just the latest in a series of research and innovation investments that are helping to drive regional growth in Wales.
Investments are creating jobs and training opportunities, supporting business and helping to ensure a cleaner, healthier and more prosperous place to live.
Semiconductors
CSconnected drives innovation-led regional growth and local collaborations in Wales’ growing semiconductor industry.
Its aim is to extract more value for the South Wales region and position Wales, and the UK, as a leader in this vital technology.
With funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), including the Strength in Places Fund, it has:
- supported 2,748 jobs by 2024 (32% growth since 2020)
- contributed a further £366 million gross value added to the Welsh economy in 2024
- trained or upskilled 447 people in the semiconductor industry and supported a number of apprenticeship programmes offered by industrial partners
Greener industries
Swansea University’s Natural Products Biohub will lead innovation in natural product use in the agricultural, pharmaceutical and manufacturing industries.
The first centre of its kind in Wales, it puts the Swansea Bay region at the forefront of developing greener industries for a more sustainable future.
It will help co-develop and bring new products and processes to market, helping to create jobs and other opportunities.
Media and the creative industries
Media Cymru is a consortium that is turning the Cardiff Capital Region into a global hub for media innovation with a focus on green and fair economic growth, with investment from UKRI’s Strength in Places Fund.
It supports a range of creative industries, including film and TV, gaming and design, which employ more than 100,000 people across nearly 12,000 businesses in Wales.
Its work includes:
- funding products for the media sector, such as an augmented reality app designed to reduce anxiety in teens
- the first ‘sustainability coordinator’ training summit, in collaboration with University of South Wales, a summit linking deaf, disabled and neurodiverse groups with industry leaders, and soon-to-launch virtual production fellowships that will enhance Wales’ strength in virtual TV and film production
- a project delivered by Rondo Media and Boom Cymru, which saw six new and diverse entrants undertake a fully paid traineeship in TV production
- a project placing Wales on the global map for interactive film experiences, ‘Dead Reset’ by Wales Interactive launched at the 2025 PC Gaming Show
Rural Wales
Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales is a consortium working to strengthen the evidence base for effective policymaking and find solutions to challenges facing rural Wales.
Its work includes innovation labs, community-led research and studies into specific problems caused by the unique challenges of the rural economy.
Although in its infancy, recently completed and ongoing work includes:
- research into the role of women in farm diversification
- community based training and new grants of up £20,000 to identify solutions to local challenges
- a farm, rural crime and policing survey
- support for grassroots cultural activities
- encouraging community food and wellbeing in rural Wales
- training for young people and the unemployed to build and retrofit homes