WYCA agrees to revenue grant funding for Huddersfield Health Innovation Incubator (HHII) programme, over the next 3.5 years
A partnership aiming to drive innovation and support businesses in the health, well-being and digital sectors has received a huge boost, with the announcement of £2,023,576.25 in funding from West Yorkshire Combined Authority to cover the period up to March 31, 2029.
Photo by William Warby / Unsplash
The Huddersfield Health Innovation Incubator (HHII) programme is a partnership between Kirklees Council, the University of Huddersfield and 3M Buckley Innovation Centre (3M BIC).
The HHII programme aims to support businesses in the health, well-being and digital sectors, whether new start-ups or established enterprises that are seeking to expand. Through the programme, they will have access to office and co-working spaces at the Glass Box business centre as well as in the Health Business Innovation Centre (HBIC) at the Emily Siddon Building on the health campus due to open in 2026.
The new HBIC will feature state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and a dedicated health innovation ‘makerspace’, one of very few such specialist spaces to be found in the UK. This will provide entrepreneurs with access to professional equipment and expert guidance for the designing, testing and validation of new products. Participating businesses will also be able to access space at the existing 3M BIC premises.
With external funding from WYCA now approved, Kirklees Council and its partners are able to move forward into the implementation phase of the programme.
The WYCA funding comes via government’s Investment Zone initiative. The grant covers a four-year period, based on the business case for the programme that was formally approved by WYCA in February 2025.
Cllr Graham Turner, Cabinet Member for Finance and Regeneration at Kirklees Council, says: ‘The HHII programme will give businesses in health, well-being, and digital the support they need to start up or grow. Along with our partners, we are looking forward to providing tailored advice, workspaces, events, and networking opportunities to build a vibrant community of innovators. From businesses and academics to clinicians and professionals we will all be working together to improve health and care outcomes and drive business growth.
‘Building on successful projects like the Thrive initiative, the programme will complement the university’s pioneering National Health Innovation Campus and contribute to the wider regeneration of the Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor.’
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