Chantelle Brandon Reeves, Senior Innovation & Growth Specialist, shares how we're helping innovators turn ideas into action, from entrepreneurs and researchers to business leaders and STEM champions.

At RTC North, innovation isn’t a buzzword; it’s a mindset. It’s about solving real problems, embracing new ways of thinking, and turning potential into impact.

In the past year, we’ve supported hundreds of innovators on their journeys. Through our pioneering work on the Regional Talent Engines and Innovative Entrepreneurs programmes, we’ve helped early-stage founders build confidence, test their business models, and connect with investors, customers and partners.

We’ve also worked with businesses and research institutions to unlock funding, access facilities, and commercialise groundbreaking ideas. From digital twins in healthcare to sustainable rail infrastructure, innovation in the North is diverse, practical and powerful.

At the heart of it all are people, curious, driven and determined to make things better. Our role is to help them navigate uncertainty, spot opportunities, and grow with purpose.

Our annual review highlights some of these stories, from Hannah at Cirkits, who turned her idea into a viable business, to Durham University’s partnership with Hitachi that’s shaping the future of rail.

Read the Annual Review here.