Ward Hadaway’s role in the North East innovation ecosystem
1st April, 2026
We recently hosted the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) North East Dinner at our Newcastle office. Naomi Weir, Policy Director for Technology and Innovation at the CBI, and Matt Cormack, Partner and Head of Ward Hadaway's Company Commercial team, were joined by leaders of businesses from across the technology sector that are shaping innovation, investment, and growth across the region and beyond.
Our interest in innovation
Our business was founded and remains proudly rooted in the North of England, with Newcastle as our largest office. So, whilst innovation in the region is important because it matters to our clients, it matters to us too. We recently reported record financial results for 2025, marking a fifth consecutive year of growth. In the challenging economic conditions we’ve all seen, this would not have been possible for us without our own innovation.
Innovation also matters to us because it drives our clients’ progress.
Our clients span high‑growth technology companies, established regional employers, innovative start-ups, and national corporates and public sector organisations.
Our lawyers see every day how investment in innovation underpins competitiveness, productivity, and resilience. Whether it’s navigating new technologies, securing funding, protecting IP, implementing AI, or scaling operations internationally, our role is to help businesses move forward with confidence.
Our role in the North East innovation ecosystem
Ward Hadaway has long invested in helping the North East become one of the UK’s most vibrant centres for innovation, particularly in the technology space.
We are long term supporters and members of Dynamo and Software City. We are also partners of Newcastle Gateshead Initiative, and support their land-in programmes. Our commercial team have supported over 65% of current Newcastle University spin-outs with their commercialisation. We partner with the British Library’s Business & IP Centre, which operates across many of our regional hubs.
Our corporate team advise on major funding rounds and transactions for early‑stage ventures and established technology companies, including advising recently on the set-up of the new North East funds for the North East Combined Authority, ensuring businesses can access the capital they need to innovate and grow.
The North East has extraordinary strengths: world-class universities, a collaborative business community, and a growing pipeline of technology talent. But to realise that potential fully, continued innovation investment is vital.
What our clients are telling us about innovation – the challenges, trends, and opportunities
From our work across the technology sector, several consistent themes are coming through.
First, the challenge of scaling innovation efficiently.
Businesses tell us that the ambition is there, but the cost, timeframe and complexity of turning ideas into commercial outcomes remain significant. Access to funding is still uneven in the North East, especially at the growth‑stage. Many companies are also grappling with how to balance innovation with operational pressures and regulatory change.
Second, the rapid rise of AI and digital transformation.
Clients say they are excited but also cautious. Questions about governance, data protection, liability, IP ownership, and workforce implications are front‑of‑mind. Many businesses are innovating faster than regulation can keep up, creating both opportunity and risk.
Third, talent and skills remain a core concern.
Even with strong graduate pipelines, businesses are struggling to recruit and retain the specialist skills needed to drive innovation, particularly in areas such as AI engineering, cybersecurity, advanced data analytics, and complex software development.
But despite these challenges, the opportunity landscape is undeniably strong:
- The AI Growth Zone will place the North East right at the heart of data centre and AI capacity and capability, with significant investment and skilled job creation.
- We see great diversity across the North East when it comes to tech, with start-ups, scale ups and spin outs with great ideas and innovation in AI, data science, fintech, cybersecurity, life sciences and diagnostics and clean energy tech. There is a sense that the next five years could be transformational, if the right investment environment is in place. And that, of course, brings us to the focus of tonight’s discussion.
It was a pleasure to host this event and hear the experience and perspectives of a wide range of innovative business leaders. These conversations help shape how we, as advisers, support clients; how policymakers understand the barriers and opportunities; and how, collectively, we strengthen the UK’s innovation ecosystem.
If you’d like to find out more about Ward Hadaway’s expertise in the technology sector, please get in touch.
Please note that this briefing is designed to be informative, not advisory and represents our understanding of English law and practice as at the date indicated. We would always recommend that you should seek specific guidance on any particular legal issue.
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