May 2026 - IPIP Completion Ceremony
On 30 May 2026, participants from the first cohort of the Innovation Policy Ignition Programme (IPIP) gathered at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge, to mark the completion of the programme and present the outcomes of nine months of collaborative work.
The pilot cohort brought together 25 participants from two regions — Serbia and Silesia (Poland) — representing six stakeholder groups: government, academia, corporates, NGOs, entrepreneurs, and investors. Working in multidisciplinary regional teams, participants explored how innovation ecosystems can be strengthened through greater collaboration, shared learning, and coordinated action.
Throughout the programme, the teams analysed their regional innovation systems, identified key challenges and opportunities, and developed practical Regional Action Plans designed to accelerate innovation-led growth.
The final presentations showcased eight implementation-focused initiatives covering areas such as entrepreneurship education, startup and scale-up support, technology commercialisation, innovation infrastructure, and cross-sector collaboration. Collectively, the teams identified more than €4 million of potential funding commitments to support implementation.
The Completion Ceremony featured keynote contributions from Professor Josh Lerner of Harvard Business School, one of the world’s leading scholars in entrepreneurship, venture capital, and innovation ecosystems, and Seth Rogers, Director of AI at Kyndryl, who shared insights on the opportunities and challenges associated with artificial intelligence adoption.
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Photo: IPIP participants from Serbia and Silesia at Hughes Hall during the completion ceremony with faculty, mentors and guests
Reflecting on the programme, participants highlighted the value of bringing together diverse stakeholders who would not normally work closely together. The combination of academic insight, practical experience, peer learning, and regional action planning enabled teams to build stronger relationships, develop a shared understanding of their innovation ecosystems, and create initiatives with the potential to generate lasting regional impact.
Less than eighteen months ago, IPIP was little more than an idea. Today, it has evolved into a growing international community of practice committed to helping regions become better places to innovate, build, and grow.
While the pilot programme has now concluded, the real work is only beginning. The focus now shifts to implementation as regional teams move forward with the initiatives developed during the programme.
IPIP would like to thank all participants, faculty members, mentors, speakers, partners, and supporters who contributed to the success of the pilot edition. We look forward to welcoming future regional teams to the next phase of the programme’s development.
May 2026 - From Cambridge to Serbia: Building the Foundations for the Next Generation of Innovation Leaders
We are delighted to share that Professor Simon Stockley, Academic Lead of the Innovation Policy Ignition Programme (IPIP) and Senior Faculty Member at Cambridge Judge Business School, has been featured in a recent interview with CorD Magazine.
In the interview, Professor Stockley reflects on the role of innovation ecosystems in driving economic development, the importance of entrepreneurship education, and the opportunities and challenges facing emerging innovation regions. Drawing on his extensive experience as an educator, entrepreneur, investor, and ecosystem builder, he highlights the importance of collaboration between government, academia, industry, investors, and entrepreneurs in creating environments where innovation can flourish.
The themes explored in the interview closely align with the core philosophy of IPIP, which brings together multidisciplinary regional teams to develop practical action plans that strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems.
Professor Stockley has played a central role in the design and delivery of IPIP since its inception, helping participants translate academic insights into practical strategies for regional development.
We are grateful to CorD Magazine for highlighting these important conversations and helping to promote dialogue on innovation-led growth and ecosystem development.
Read the full article here.
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March 2026 - IPIP Cambridge Residential - Turning Regional Ambition into Action
From 2–4 March 2026, Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge hosted the first Innovation Policy Ignition Programme (IPIP) residential, bringing together regional teams from Serbia and Silesia (Poland).
The three-day convening marked a critical shift from planning to execution. Teams presented their initiatives, tested assumptions, and refined concrete action plans under structured challenge from mentors and faculty. The focus was clear: what can be delivered, by whom, and within real institutional constraints.
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Despite different starting points, both regions converged on similar challenges, fragmentation, limited coordination, and difficulties translating innovation into market outcomes. This reinforces a broader insight: these barriers are not unique, but common across many innovation ecosystems.
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What distinguishes IPIP is its emphasis on execution. Rather than producing further analysis, the programme enables regions to align stakeholders across government, academia, and industry, and to develop interventions that can be tested and implemented in the near term.
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Photo: IPIP participants from Serbia and Silesia at Hughes Hall during the residential with faculty and mentors
The Cambridge residential is a central element of this process. It provides a structured environment for challenge, refinement, and decision-making, combined with direct engagement with the Cambridge ecosystem. Interactions with mentors, academics, and practitioners—both in formal sessions and informal settings, support not only the development of ideas, but their practical grounding.
Teams left Cambridge with clearer priorities, defined ownership, and initiatives ready for implementation. Early-stage pilots are now being prepared, supported by ongoing mentor engagement.
IPIP is designed as a transferable model for regions seeking to move from ambition to delivery. As the programme enters its next phase, the focus shifts to implementation—where success will be measured by tangible outcomes: new collaborations, stronger institutional alignment, and more effective pathways from innovation to market.
November 2025 - Silesia & Financial Times
From coal to code - Katowice is rewriting its industrial story.
The Financial Times has published a powerful piece on Katowice’s remarkable transformation into a centre for gaming, tech, and digital innovation.
We’re especially proud to see Simon Stockley, Academic Lead of the Innovation Policy Ignition Programme (IPIP), offering his expert insights on the city’s entrepreneurial journey.
As IPIP, we are truly honoured to be working with the Silesia IPIP Regional Team and supporting Katowice as part of this bold and ambitious regional pivot.
Read the full article here.
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 - 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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Perspektywy – Politechnika ÅšlÄ…ska i UÅš w konsorcjum z Uniwersytetem Cambridge
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COMTV – Utworzenie Konsorcjum Innowacji ze wsparciem University of Cambridge
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Puls HR – ÅšlÄ…sk czerpie wzorce z Cambridge: rusza nowy program innowacji w Katowicach
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Dziennik Zachodni – Eksperci z Cambridge w Katowicach: konsorcjum bÄ™dzie wspierać innowacje
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ÅšlÄ…ski Biznes – MiÄ™dzynarodowe konsorcjum z Cambridge wesprze rozwój innowacji
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W Katowicach.eu – Konsorcjum i Cambridge wspólnie nad IPIP (zdjÄ™cia)
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Forum Akademickie – Dwie uczelnie w konsorcjum z Uniwersytetem Cambridge
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Silesion – Konsorcjum innowacji z udziaÅ‚em Uniwersytetu Cambridge
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Summary of Media Coverage
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Across these outlets, the media has consistently emphasized:
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The strategic value of collaborating with the Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge.
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The transformational potential of the Innovation Policy Ignition Programme for the Silesian region.
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The creation of a broad, cross-sector consortium, bringing together government, academia, investors, and businesses.
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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 Rafał Żelazny, Bogumił 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
