Innovation

Priority one: Enabling impact

Our world-leading research and innovation helps to improve lives, fuel economic growth, drive investment, create skilled jobs and boost national prosperity, extending across the city, region and UK.

In just one year, our research and innovation, education, skills development, research commercialisation and community engagement contributed over £4.82 billion to our regional and national economy.

Our research alone contributed £1.8 billion and Knowledge Exchange generated £55 million from IP licensing. Of our 138 spinouts and start ups, 60 per cent are based in South Yorkshire, and we are one of the top five higher education institutions in the UK for securing successful equity deals by
our spinouts. These spinouts now account for around 20 per cent of all venture capital fundraising in South Yorkshire each year and provide 629 jobs.

The University supports 22,990 full-time equivalent jobs across the UK, with 12,890 located in South Yorkshire, and for every £1 of expenditure, we generate a return impact worth £6.40.

Priority two: Translational innovation

Researchers at the University are taking fundamental ideas and discoveries from theory and translating them into practical applications to improve our world.

Alongside government and industry, we support better, faster, economical, more efficient and greener processes and products. We work with industry, SMEs, academia, public sectors and policy engagement to make change happen and offer thought leadership for the areas in which we undertake research and innovation.

Our translational innovation facilities and expertise span the critical sectors highlighted in the UK government’s industrial strategy to deliver impactful, innovation-led growth, and provide the skills that businesses need.

Advanced manufacturing

Our Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) continues to be a sector leading inspiration. Engineers turn the latest world-leading research into vital practical improvements for industry. We make things faster, cheaper, safer, cleaner and more sustainable - for example reducing the time taken to make a component from 40 hours to just three.

Clean energy 

The University’s clean energy innovation and research expertise is making a significant contribution to addressing the global climate crisis and supporting the transition to low-carbon energy. The University of Sheffield has been chosen to lead a £1.5 million project to accelerate the commercial production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and we are working with Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactor (SMR) to develop small modular reactors for the UK.

Defence

The University partners with organisations that work in the defence sector, helping them overcome productivity and sustainability challenges and supporting UK security and sovereign capabilities. Our research capabilities align to the government’s Defence Science and Technology portfolio, to help ensure the UK and its allies remain at the forefront of technological advancements and insights.

Digital and technologies

We are one of the UK’s leading universities for semiconductor research. In April 2025, the University won a £7 million investment to fund new equipment that will revolutionise the discovery and development of new semiconductor materials. Building on our semiconductor facilities and expertise within the National Epitaxy Facility, we are also set to partner on a new semiconductor skills course to help the UK meet the rising demand for semiconductor engineers.

Life sciences

Our Gene Therapy Innovation and Manufacturing Centre (GTIMC) is helping to accelerate the development of gene therapies into life-changing treatments for patients. It brings together academic institutions, NHS trusts, non-profit and industry partners to translate scientific discoveries into new and exciting treatments for patients, faster.

Priority three: Sheffield and the South Yorkshire region

The University plays a central role in our region working with partners including the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, local authorities, businesses and other key stakeholders to support a healthier, greener, more innovative and culturally vibrant region.

Through South Yorkshire Children’s University – a collaboration with Sheffield Hallam – we’re inspiring the next generation of students, educating and inspiring school children in the region about the options university presents for them. Our students also contribute to our region, with 2,200 of our student volunteers contributing more than 36,000 hours of their time to local community groups and charities.

Our apprentices and graduates are also training and learning with local businesses to gain professional experience during their studies. They then often go on to work with those same organisations, providing them with the specialised expertise they need to develop and grow their businesses.

We are developing the Sheffield Innovation Spine with our partners across the city and through the South Yorkshire Investment Zone we have created opportunities to encourage inward investment and commitments from our business and innovation partners. The South Yorkshire Innovation Programme (SYIP) is one such programme which is helping regional organisations to innovate, accelerate and grow. Similarly, the mission for the AMRC FerretWorks Startup funding is clear: turn ambitious ideas into investable ventures through supporting entrepreneurs with the tools, resources and expert guidance needed.

We also support our culturally vibrant region with the annual Off the Shelf Festival of Words, one of the longest running literary festivals in the UK which returned for its 33rd edition in 2024.

Runway Park: A vision for innovation-led growth takes flight

We launched Runway Park - our vision for a transformative, innovation-led development base, designed to attract investment, create high-quality jobs and accelerate economic growth. Working with external partners and investment, we will develop Runway Park over the next ten years to unify the existing Innovation District. The surrounding area is already home to world-leading companies, including Boeing, Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, McLaren Automotive and others, harnessing the University’s state-of-the-art research and development facilities and collaborating with our leading researchers to advance technology and manufacturing.

Read more about our Innovation pillar and explore related case studies