Milton Keynes has been awarded more than £2.4m to create an innovation hub at the city’s proposed university MK:U.
MK Council and Cranfield University have been working together to establish the Smart City Living Lab (SCLL) as part of the wider MK:U proposals. The programme will deliver education and support services to new and emerging businesses, with a focus on smart technologies including robotics, virtual reality and intelligent infrastructure.
The funding for the project has been awarded by the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) to support MKC’s ambitions to deliver a greener and cleaner recovery from COVID-19. Earlier this month, the Council announced a £3.4m recovery package to help restore business confidence, as well as a plan to protect and inspire around £2bn of identified investment into the city.
Leader of MK Council, Pete Marland said: “We welcome this funding for the new innovation hub which supports our vision for MK:U to become a leader in future technologies. It builds on our long-standing smart city programme. My thanks go out to colleagues and partners for their work in securing this investment which will benefit generations to come.”
MK:U is a joint project between MK Council and Cranfield University to create a model university for the city, focused on smart technologies and the employment needs of the future.
