In pursuing a local industrial strategy – called Economic Growth for Everyone – Hammersmith and Fulham Council has worked closely with Imperial, forming a Partnership for Growth and Innovation back in 2017.
One outcome of the partnership has been the ‘Upstream’ initiative which delivers targeted interventions and events that connect academia, innovators, entrepreneurs and corporates, allowing them to collaborate. Ultimately, the vision is to transform the borough into a global beacon of innovation and inclusive growth, and help transform White City into a leading destination for science, tech and creative industries.
Following the pandemic, Upstream pioneered a switch to online networking, with the ‘Deep Tech Network’ encouraging the growth of a digital innovation community amongst White City-based startups, industry and academia. The first virtual event took place in June 2020 and attracted people from further afield in Europe and Asia, demonstrating a key benefit of virtual networking.
