East of England Innovation Takes Centre Stage at CTW Norwich Launch

The latest Cambridge Tech Week 2025 event at the iconic Sainsbury Centre in Norwich marked a major milestone for innovation in the East of England. The event brought together researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and academic leaders to spotlight the region’s strengths and lay the foundations for stronger cross-sector collaboration.

Delivered in partnership by the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Norwich Research Park, and sponsored by Mills & Reeve, the NR 4ward programme, and UK Research and Innovation, the evening highlighted the power of regional ecosystems in driving global innovation.

Spotlighting Local Strengths and Global Ambition

Opening the event on the 29 April, Professor Julian Blow, Pro Vice-Chancellor at UEA, set the scene with a passionate call to recognise and harness the home-grown strengths of the region. From world-leading research and talent at UEA to a growing cluster of science and tech businesses at Norwich Research Park, he emphasised the role of collaboration, culture, and entrepreneurial support in creating a thriving innovation economy.

He also announced the launch of this year’s Innovation Hot House Competition, a joint initiative from UEA, the Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence (EiR), and Anglia Innovation Partnership. This year’s programme includes a new “Rising Star Award” to support early-stage ventures showing exceptional potential.

NR 4ward: Building a Collaborative Innovation Engine

Dr Vittoria Danino, Project Manager of NR 4ward, reflected on the achievements of the six-month Research England–funded pilot. The programme has united the technology transfer efforts of five research institutions at Norwich Research Park, streamlining support for spin-outs and fostering a collaborative innovation culture.

Initiatives under NR 4ward have included a Health Tech sprint, deep dive audits of early-stage projects, cross-park mentoring, and training in investment readiness. “The programme has sparked a real energy across the Park,” Danino said, “and has helped lay the foundations for a more connected, ambitious innovation ecosystem.”

A Panel of Leaders and Changemakers

The highlight of the evening was a wide-ranging panel discussion on “Fostering a Strong Innovation Ecosystem Across the East of England”, chaired by Michaela Eschbach, CEO of Cambridge Wireless.

Panellists included:

Dr Jason Mellad – Entrepreneur, investor, and former CEO of StartCodon, who emphasised the urgent need to centre innovation on people, values, and cross-sector collaboration.

Dr Daniel Marcu – Co-founder of  Virilitas Labs and UEA spin-out, who shared how visibility at Cambridge Tech Week 2024 helped springboard his start-up onto the international stage.

Professor Sheng Qi – UEA academic and founder, who described the importance of trust, role models, and cultural change in academic–industry collaboration.

Victor Christou – Managing Partner at Pebble Investment Partners, who stressed the global significance of Norwich’s strength in plant and microbial sciences.

Nick Goodwin – Chief Operating Officer, Anglia Innovation Partnership, who underlined the need for Norwich and Cambridge to work together in raising the region’s global profile.

Cambridge Tech Week Comes to Norwich

In a major announcement, Michaela Eschbach confirmed that Cambridge Tech Week 2025 will conclude with a full-day programme in Norwich, focused on collaboration and celebrating innovation beyond borders. The Friday “Collaboration Day” will feature tours, keynotes and showcase the region’s capabilities across life sciences, Agri-tech, Med Tech and more.

Julie Schofield, Associate Director for Business Partnerships at UEA, added: “I am delighted that UEA will be sponsoring Innovation Alley at Cambridge Tech Week for the second time in September 2025.  It is an ideal opportunity to showcase the strength of the innovation ecosystem across the East of England and raise the visibility of our world-leading impact here on campus and across the Norwich Research Park.”

A Moment of Opportunity

As panellists noted, the region’s potential is enormous – but visibility, confidence, and investment are key. “We must break down silos,” said Professor Qi. “It’s time to connect our science with real-world outcomes.” Dr Mellad, added: “The global innovation stage is wide open – and Norwich is ready to lead.”

The evening closed with networking and a clear sense of momentum. From the research labs of UEA to the venture funds investing in deep tech, the East of England is building the future – together.

Interested in taking part in Cambridge Tech Week 2025 or the Innovation Hot House?

Contact info@cambridgetechweek.co.uk or visit cambridgetechweek.co.uk