Directory

CBI

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

The CBI (Confederation of British Industry) is the UK's largest and most influential private business lobbying and advocacy organisation, incorporated by royal charter and founded in 1965. It represents approximately 190,000 businesses of all sizes and sectors, including over 1,100 corporate members and nearly 150 trade associations, and acts as the primary interface between UK industry and government.

ABPI

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) is the UK trade body representing companies that research, develop and supply medicines, tracing its origins to the 'Drug Club' founded in 1891 and formally established as the ABPI in 1948. Its approximately 120 member companies supply more than 80 per cent of the medicines prescribed through the NHS, and the ABPI represents their interests to government, regulators and NHS bodies. It also sets and administers industry ethical standards through the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority.

ADS Group

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

ADS Group is the UK trade association representing and advancing leadership across the aerospace, defence, security, and space sectors. Formed in 2009 through the merger of the Society of British Aerospace Companies, the Defence Manufacturers Association, and the Association of Police and Public Security Suppliers, it represents over 1,700 member companies. ADS operates UK-wide and maintains an office in Toulouse, France.

Academy of Medical Sciences

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

The Academy of Medical Sciences is the UK's independent body representing the diversity of medical science. It promotes medical research, supports researchers through fellowships and grants, and conducts policy work on major health challenges, connecting the NHS, academia, and industry.

BCS

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, is the UK's professional body and chartered institute for those working in digital, data, and technology roles, with over 70,000 members across 150 countries. Founded in 1957 and incorporated by Royal Charter in 1984, it promotes the education, practice, and ethics of IT for the benefit of the public. BCS awards professional certifications, accredits degree programmes, and is the regulatory body for the Chartered IT Professional (CITP) qualification.

British Science Association

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

The British Science Association (BSA) is a registered charity and learned society founded in 1831 to promote the public understanding and engagement with science across the UK. It organises major national initiatives including British Science Week, the British Science Festival, and the CREST Awards for young people. Its mission is to transform the diversity and inclusivity of science and reach under-served audiences.

Design Council

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

The Design Council is the UK's national charity for design, incorporated by Royal Charter. It acts as the national strategic adviser on design, championing its value, influencing government policy, and providing skills development and thought leadership to help organisations use design to address complex challenges.

FSB

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is a UK member-led, not-for-profit trade body representing around 160,000 small businesses, micro businesses and the self-employed. Founded in 1974 as the National Federation of Self Employed, it lobbies UK, devolved and local government on policy issues affecting small firms and provides members with benefits including legal advice and business banking.

Francis Crick Institute

AcademiaEcosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

The Francis Crick Institute is Europe's largest biomedical research institute, located beside St Pancras station in London. Established through a partnership between the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK, Wellcome, UCL, Imperial College London, and King's College London, it brings together over 2,000 scientists, engineers, and support staff to conduct research into the fundamental biology underlying health and disease.

HVM Catapult

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

The High Value Manufacturing Catapult (HVM Catapult) is a strategic research and innovation hub that commercialises the UK's most advanced manufacturing ideas, operating a nationwide network of seven research and development centres. Established in 2011 by Innovate UK, it employs over 3,700 engineers, scientists, and technicians who support businesses across automotive, aerospace, defence, clean energy, and advanced materials sectors. It has supported over 30,000 manufacturing businesses since inception.

ICE

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) is the world's oldest professional engineering body, founded on 2 January 1818, and the leading qualifying body for civil engineers in the UK. With over 96,000 members across 150+ countries, it supports the profession through professional qualification, education promotion, ethical standards, and liaison with industry, academia, and government. It operates Thomas Telford Ltd as a commercial arm delivering training, recruitment, publishing, and contract services.

IET

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is one of the world's largest engineering institutions, with approximately 168,000 members in over 150 countries. It works to inspire, inform, and influence the global engineering and technology community through professional membership, knowledge resources, events, and advocacy, and was formed in 2006 from the merger of the IEE and the IIE.

IMechE

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) is one of the world's leading professional engineering societies, with over 110,000 members in 140 countries. Founded in 1847 by George Stephenson, it is a registered charity licensed by the Engineering Council to assess candidates for chartered, incorporated, and engineering technician status. Its stated mission is to improve the world through engineering.

Innovate Finance

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

Innovate Finance is an independent membership association and the industry body representing the UK's global FinTech community, founded in 2014. It works to accelerate the UK's leading role in the financial services sector by directly supporting the next generation of technology-led innovators, spanning digital banking, payments, RegTech, and digital currencies.

Innovate UK Business Connect

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & InstitutionsGovernment

Innovate UK Business Connect is the strategic delivery partner to Innovate UK (part of UK Research and Innovation), formerly known as the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN). It brings together businesses, researchers, investors and partners across more than 22 industry sectors to connect them with funding opportunities, innovation programmes and expert support. The organisation runs programmes including Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and ICURe across the UK.

Institute of Cancer Research

AcademiaEcosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) is one of the world's leading cancer research organisations and a higher education institution, founded in 1909 and a member of the University of London. It specialises in identifying cancer genes, discovering novel cancer drugs, and developing precision radiotherapy, and has an outstanding record of drug discovery unmatched by any other academic centre in the world. The ICR operates across two sites in Chelsea and Sutton, working in close partnership with The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

Institute of Physics

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

The Institute of Physics (IOP) is the professional body and learned society for physics in the UK and Ireland, with over 20,000 members worldwide. It promotes physics education, research, and careers, publishes journals through IOP Publishing, and advocates for the value of physics to society.

London & Partners

GovernmentEcosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

London & Partners is the Mayor of London's official business growth and destination agency, incorporated on 14 January 2011. It is a not-for-profit public-private partnership funded by the Mayor of London and a network of commercial partners, whose purpose is to promote London internationally as the best city in which to invest, work, study and visit. The agency also delivers business support programmes including Grow London on behalf of the Greater London Authority.

London Chamber of Commerce

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) is one of the UK's most established business membership organisations, founded in 1881 at Mansion House in the City of London. It supports over 11,000 member businesses through networking events, international trade documentation, policy advocacy, and business services, hosting more than 200 events annually. Accredited by the British Chambers of Commerce, it serves as London's key hub for the business community.

London Councils

GovernmentEcosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

London Councils is the collective body representing London's 32 borough councils and the City of London Corporation. Formed in 1995 as the Association of London Government through the merger of the London Boroughs Association and the Association of London Authorities, it was renamed London Councils in 2006. It acts as a cross-party lobbying and policy organisation, advocates for London government interests, and coordinates shared services such as the Freedom Pass concessionary travel scheme.

London Tech Week

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & InstitutionsCommunity

London Tech Week is Europe's largest annual technology festival, held each June in London, bringing together innovators, investors, enterprise leaders, and startups from over 100 countries. Founded in 2014 and organised by Informa Tech, Founders Forum, and London & Partners with support from HM Government and the Mayor of London, it features keynote speakers, exhibitions, content stages, and fringe events distributed across the city. The event is a platform where strategies are set, policies are announced, and business is conducted across the global technology ecosystem.

MTC

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) is a leading UK research and technology organisation at the forefront of manufacturing innovation, founded in 2010 and operating as one of seven centres within the High Value Manufacturing Catapult supported by Innovate UK. It employs over 600 engineers and scientists across sites in Coventry, Liverpool, and Oxford, engaging in thousands of commercial projects each year. The MTC bridges the gap between academia and industry across sectors including aerospace, automotive, defence, and digital manufacturing.

Make UK

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

Make UK is the UK's leading manufacturers' trade body and employers' organisation, representing engineering, manufacturing, and technology businesses across the country. Originally founded in 1896 as the Engineering Employers' Federation (EEF), it rebranded as Make UK in 2019, combining policy advocacy, employment law services, skills and apprenticeship training, and business support. It campaigns on behalf of manufacturers to government and in Brussels.

Microbiology Society

Ecosystem Bodies, Catapults & Institutions

The Microbiology Society is a UK-based membership charity and learned society for scientists working in microbiology, founded in 1945 as the Society for General Microbiology. With over 8,000 members across more than 100 countries, it is the largest learned microbiological society in Europe, publishing eight peer-reviewed journals and awarding over 500 grants annually. It advances understanding of microbiology through conferences, publications, and community support.