Strengthening Innovation Across the UK: A Study on Regional Patent Activity

A new study by RapidDirect reveals significant regional innovation gaps across the UK, based on patent activity from 2019 to 2023. The East of England leads, followed by London, while Northern Ireland ranks last. The findings highlight the need for greater support, industry collaboration, and access to modern manufacturing tools in underperforming regions to drive innovation.

A comprehensive study by RapidDirect, a leading manufacturing technology company, uncovers significant disparities in innovation levels across the UK.

By analysing more than five years of patent activity, the research sheds light on where the country’s brightest ideas are being born and where there are gaps that need addressing.

UK’s Most (and Least) Innovative Regions

Rank	Region	Patents Granted Per Million Residents	Patents Filed Per Million Residents	Innovativeness Score
1	East of England	540	1231	95.45
2	London	366	1406	86.35
3	South West	374	928	81.80
4	South East	342	940	72.70
4	West Midlands	367	647	72.70
6	Scotland	251	647	54.50
7	North West	182	536	36.40
7	Yorkshire and The Humber	184	524	36.40
9	Wales	178	536	31.85
10	East Midlands	178	411	22.75
11	North East	160	407	9.10
12	Northern Ireland	146	369	0.00
	United Kingdom	309	840

Leading the Innovation Charge: The East of England

The East of England stands out as the UK's most innovative region, with an innovation score of 95.45. This high ranking is driven by a strong presence of patent grants and filings, particularly in world-class research universities, pharmaceutical companies, and technology firms.

The region records 1,231 patent filings and 540 patents granted per million residents, showcasing its role as a leading hub for innovation.

"Patent activity is one of the clearest signals of where new ideas are being built and tested," says Leon Huang, CEO and Manufacturing Innovation Lead at RapidDirect. "The data shows that the UK has strong innovation hubs, but it also highlights areas that could benefit from more support, more industry collaboration, and more access to modern manufacturing tools."

London: The Capital’s Innovation Dominance

London, often regarded as the nation's innovation capital, ranks second with an innovation score of 86.35. While the city leads the country in patent filings per million residents, with 1,406 filings, its lower patent grant rate suggests that while new ideas are entering the system, a smaller proportion of them are reaching completion.

Despite this, London remains a major force in patent activity, reflecting the city’s dynamic and fast-paced innovation environment.

The South West and South East: Strong Regional Performers

The South West and South East regions follow closely, ranking third and fourth, respectively. Both regions show strong patent activity, particularly in sectors such as manufacturing and regional R&D hubs.

The South West records 374 patent filings and 928 patents granted per million residents, while the South East achieves 342 filings and 940 grants per million residents.

The West Midlands ties with the South East, with 367 filings and 647 grants per million residents, a testament to the area's engineering and manufacturing base.

The performance of these regions highlights the growing influence of regional hubs beyond major metropolitan areas, with manufacturing sectors playing a key role in driving innovation.

Northern Ireland, North East, and East Midlands: Innovation Gaps

On the other end of the spectrum, Northern Ireland, the North East, and the East Midlands show the lowest levels of patent activity. Northern Ireland ranks last with an innovation score of 0.00, recording just 146 patent filings and 369 grants per million residents.

The North East and East Midlands also perform poorly, with patent filings per million residents being significantly lower than the national average.

The study highlights the longstanding challenges these regions face in securing research investment, attracting a specialist workforce, and gaining access to advanced manufacturing facilities. These gaps raise important questions about where investment is flowing and whether smaller regions are being left behind in the race for innovation.

Regional Innovation Disparities: A Call for Greater Support

RapidDirect’s research underscores the regional disparities in innovation output, revealing the urgent need for greater support in certain areas of the UK. The data points to the importance of fostering collaboration between industry players, universities, and manufacturing sectors to strengthen innovation pipelines.

The UK’s average region recorded 840 patent filings per million residents, but the significant variation across regions reveals a broader issue: the long-standing differences in research funding, access to R&D facilities, and the concentration of high-value research sectors.

Smaller regions, in particular, require better tools, skills, and collaboration opportunities to improve patent success rates and drive long-term economic growth.

Leveraging the UK's Innovation Potential

Huang emphasises that the UK has the talent to lead globally, but not all regions have the same access to resources. "Innovation grows faster when inventors can access prototyping tools, modern manufacturing equipment, and strong partnerships with universities. When teams can test ideas quickly and secure support for science and hardware start-ups, they move from concept to product far more efficiently."

He concludes that providing smaller regions with the right tools, skills, and collaboration opportunities will help raise patent success rates and strengthen the UK’s position as a global leader in innovation.

As the UK strives to boost productivity and remain competitive in industries such as advanced manufacturing and AI-driven technologies, addressing regional innovation gaps will be key to ensuring a more equitable distribution of opportunities across the country.