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September 2025 - IPIP Silesia in the Spotlight

The launch of the IPIP Consortium in Silesia has garnered widespread media attention across regional press, television and radio in Silesia, underscoring the significance of this new international collaboration.

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You can read more (in Polish) in the following articles:

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Summary of Media Coverage

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Across these outlets, the media has consistently emphasized:

 

  • The strategic value of collaborating with the Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge.

  • The transformational potential of the Innovation Policy Ignition Programme for the Silesian region.

  • The creation of a broad, cross-sector consortium, bringing together government, academia, investors, and businesses.

  • Optimism about building a practical, high-impact Regional Innovation Action Plan for economic and technological advancement.

 

 

This visibility is not only a strong vote of confidence for IPIP but also an encouraging sign that the programme’s early stage impact is already being recognized at the regional level.​​

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September 2025 - consortium launch in Silesia

Following the signing of the IPIP pilot agreement with the Silesia region in August at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge, a formal consortium was established on 17 September 2025 in Katowice. Composed of regional stakeholders participating in the IPIP, the consortium will lead the development of a Regional Innovation Action Plan for Silesia over the next six months.

 

The Katowice Special Economic Zone (KSSE) will serve as the lead institution, responsible for coordinating the plan’s development and implementation. Strategic partners include the City of Katowice and the Katowice Gaming-Technology Hub.

 

The IPIP Silesia Regional Team brings together a broad coalition of stakeholders from across the regional innovation ecosystem. Participating organisations include Metropolis GZM, the Fund for the Transformation of the Silesian Voivodeship (FTWÅš), the University of Silesia, the Silesian University of Technology, AIUT, ITEO, Amarant Capital, Balnord and the Silesian Startup Foundation. Kyndryl Global Services Delivery Centre will support the initiative as a consortium partner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo 1: source KSSE

Ahead of the consortium signing ceremony, representatives from Hughes Hall and the IPIP leadership team, including Impact Director Dr Alexis Willett, Programme Director Dr Wojtek Wojaczek, and Academic Leads Dr Chris Coleridge and Simon Stockley, held a strategic meeting with Dr RafaÅ‚ Å»elazny, President of KSSE and Leader of the IPIP Silesia Regional Team, along with Katowice’s First Deputy Mayor, BogumiÅ‚ Sobula. The discussion focused on the pivotal role that both KSSE and the City of Katowice will play in shaping the Regional Innovation Action Plan and strengthening the Silesian innovation ecosystem through IPIP.

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Photo: KSSE

 

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Photo 2 (source KSSE): featuring (from left to right):

Dr Alexis Willett, Simon Stockley, Dr RafaÅ‚ Å»elazny, BogumiÅ‚ Sobula,

Mariusz Jankowski, Dr Chris Coleridge and Dr Wojtek Wojaczek

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August 2025 - IPIP signs partnership with Silesia

​On 21 August, the IPIP formally launched its partnership with the Silesia region of Poland through the signing of a collaboration agreement at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge. The Katowice Special Economic Zone (KSSE) has been confirmed as the lead regional institution for Silesia, marking the official beginning of preparations for the IPIP pilot in the region.

 

The agreement was signed by Dr Rafał Żelazny, President of KSSE (pictured left), and Dr Wojtek Wojaczek, Programme Director of IPIP (pictured right), on behalf of Hughes Hall (see photo below).

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The signing ceremony was held in the distinguished presence of Dr Alexis Willett, Impact Director at Hughes Hall; Jadranka Dervisevic Kitaric, Executive Director of the British-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Country Lead for IPIP in Serbia; the Programme’s Academic Leads, Dr Chris Coleridge and Simon Stockley and Witold Uhma, Director for Investment and International Cooperation at KSSE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo 2: Group photo from the signing ceremony, featuring (from right to left):

Dr Alexis Willett, Dr Wojtek Wojaczek, Dr Chris Coleridge, Simon Stockley,

Dr Rafał Żelazny, and Witold Uhma.

 

This agreement initiates a close collaboration between the Cambridge-based IPIP team and key innovation stakeholders in Silesia, focused on strengthening the region’s innovation ecosystem through cross-sector engagement and strategic planning.​​​​​​​​​​​​

May 2025 - Serbia joins the IPIP 

On 29 May the inaugural contract was signed with the British-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (BSCC) as the lead for IPIP in Serbia. The contract was formally signed by Dr. Wojtek Wojaczek, IPIP Programme Director, on behalf of Hughes Hall, alongside Lord Kulveer Ranger, Chair of the British-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (BSCC), and Jadranka Dervisevic Kitaric, Executive Director of the BSCC. You can read more about it here

Serbia Joins IPIP

Serbia Joins IPIP

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