THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION
How CPI is helping shape the future of industry
FROM TEESSIDE
Excellence – at work in the CPI biologics lab.
TO THE WORLD
When CPI was established in 2004, its purpose was simple: to drive economic growth in the North-East by helping companies turn great ideas into commercial reality.
More than two decades later, that mission remains unchanged. Every year, CPI works with hundreds of companies to develop, test, scale and commercialise new technologies and products.
Whether it ' s supporting a start-up developing a breakthrough healthcare technology, helping manufacturers adopt digital and automated processes, providing access to specialist laboratories and pilot-scale facilities or connecting innovative businesses with investors and funding opportunities, CPI exists to help tackle the risks that come with innovation and accelerate business growth.
As part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, CPI works across sectors including pharmaceuticals, health technologies, engineering biology, advanced materials, chemicals and sustainable manufacturing.
By combining technical expertise, industrial-scale facilities and a powerful network spanning industry, academia, government and investors, CPI helps businesses move faster from concept to commercial success.
Over the past year alone, CPI delivered more than 1,000 business support activities, worked on 156 innovation projects and helped develop 158 new products, processes and services.
Importantly, two-thirds of support activities were with SMEs, demonstrating CPI ' s continued commitment to helping ambitious businesses of all sizes grow and succeed.
One of the best examples of this long-term approach is Pragmatic Semiconductor. Over a 14-year collaboration, CPI provided access to specialist facilities, process development expertise and manufacturing scale-up support as the company developed its pioneering flexible semiconductor technology.
Working alongside Pragmatic from early-stage R & D through to automated production, CPI helped the company de-risk development and build the manufacturing capability required to scale.
Today, Pragmatic is recognised as one of the UK ' s leading deep tech success stories with a manufacturing facility in the North-East – a powerful example of how sustained innovation support can help companies grow and remain in the UK.
Supporting emerging innovators is equally important. This year, CPI worked with Cambridge-based cancer diagnostics company Verinnogen to help scale a technology designed to improve the accuracy of tumour measurement in pre-clinical cancer research.
The challenge centred on manufacturing thousands of highly consistent phosphorescent pins used within the device, where even small variations could affect performance.
CPI ' s materials scientists and engineers reformulated the phosphorescent material, validated its performance and developed a robust semi-automated production process.
This reduced variability, improved manufacturing consistency and helped move the technology from Technology Readiness Level 2 to 5, accelerating Verinnogen’ s product towards commercialisation.
The momentum was further strengthened by a £ 500,000 investment through Innovate UK’ s convertible loan model, working with CPI Enterprises to combine technical support with access to growth capital.
A significant milestone came with
the establishment of the RNA Centre of Excellence in Darlington, which provides companies with open-access facilities for developing, scaling and manufacturing next-generation RNA vaccines and therapies.
Building on this success, CPI was selected to host the UK RNA Biofoundry, as part of the international R3 Global Programme supported by £ 29.6m of government investment.
The facility will provide researchers and businesses with access to advanced automated manufacturing capabilities, helping them move promising RNA innovations from the laboratory towards clinical production more quickly and efficiently.
The region ' s growing reputation in advanced manufacturing and life sciences is no accident. It is the result of sustained collaboration between industry, academia, government and organisations such as CPI that help connect innovation with commercial opportunity.
Through programmes such as CPI Enterprises, businesses can access investor networks and private capital alongside technical expertise.
That collaborative approach extends beyond the UK. International partnerships are also creating new opportunities for UK companies, helping them access overseas markets while attracting investment and collaboration back into Tees Valley.
CPI ' s role is to help businesses through specialist technical expertise, provide access to facilities and equipment, digitalisation and scale-up support or connections to funding and investment.
The ambition remains to help businesses succeed, strengthen the UK economy and ensure that Tees Valley remains at the forefront of industrial innovation.
Find out more at uk-cpi. com 83