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Future Industries Demonstrator
Between 2022 and 2025, the Future Industries Demonstrator (FID) programme positioned Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as a leading testbed for innovation, supporting businesses, piloting solutions and delivering measurable impact for east London and beyond.
Delivered by the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), FID has strengthened the Park’s role as a globally recognised innovation district, where ideas are not just imagined, they are tested, scaled and embedded in real places, with real communities.
Now complete, FID leaves behind a powerful legacy: a stronger SME ecosystem, proven innovation in action, and a blueprint for inclusive, place-based growth.
Real-world results. Lasting legacy.
A snapshot of what FID delivered:
- 255 businesses supported across three years
- 20 innovation trials delivered in real-world environments
- £455,000 in grant funding distributed
- Dozens of partnerships formed across industry, academia and the public sector
- Solutions addressing climate resilience, health, inclusive economies and urban living
A platform to test, learn and scale
A platform to test, learn and scale
Innovation in the real world
Over the years, FID used the unique environment of QEOP - its neighbourhoods, institutions, green spaces and infrastructure -as a living laboratory.
Businesses were able to:
- Test new products and services in live settings
- Access local communities and user insights
- Collaborate with world-class institutions and partners
- Gather real-world data to accelerate growth and investment
This approach ensures innovation is not abstract but grounded in practical application and meaningful outcomes.
Real challenges. Tangible outcomes.
Real challenges. Tangible outcomes.
A focus on mission-led SMEs
FID has:
- Strengthened east London’s innovation ecosystem
- Enabled SMEs to access funding, networks and expertise
- Encouraged cluster development within key growth sectors
- Created opportunities for collaboration between start-ups, corporates and civic institutions
The trials addressed pressing urban challenges, including:
- Climate adaptation and environmental sustainability
- Health and wellbeing
- Data-driven urban solutions
- Infrastructure and mobility
At its core, FID contributes to a more inclusive innovation economy - one that creates opportunity and delivers value for local communities.
Each project was designed to deliver measurable results, demonstrating how innovation can improve everyday life on the Park and beyond.
How the programme worked
The Future Industries Demonstrator was designed as a structured, end-to-end programme to support businesses from early-stage ideas through to real-world implementation.
By bringing together SMEs, partners and communities across Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, FID created a clear pathway to test, refine and scale innovation in live environments.
Explore how the programme was delivered:
1. Hackathon
The programme began with a hackathon-style challenge, bringing together 22 SMEs with a wide range of partner organisations, including local councils, developers as well as venues and Park-based institutions
This collaborative environment helped identify real-world challenges and sparked early ideas for innovation trials rooted in place.
2. Workshops
Following the hackathon, five SMEs were selected to take part in a series of four innovation workshops hosted at Plexal.
These sessions focused on:
- Refining ideas into practical trial concepts
- Designing robust, measurable innovation pilots
- Developing solutions aligned with real user needs and environments
The workshops ensured each project was grounded in impact and scalability.
3. Partner matching
Each SME was then matched with organisations across QEOP and beyond that could support trial delivery.
This included connections to:
- Housing providers
- Local authorities
- Commercial operators
- Community stakeholders
These partnerships were critical in enabling real-world testing and ensuring solutions were relevant to actual operational challenges.
4. Trial delivery
With partnerships in place, businesses implemented their trials across the Park and surrounding areas.
These live trials allowed SMEs to:
- Test solutions in real-life conditions
- Gather data and user feedback
- Adapt and improve their products and services
- Demonstrate impact to potential partners and investors
This phase brought innovation out of the lab and into everyday environments.
5. Grant funding
Each participating SME received £16,000 in grant funding to support the delivery of their trials.
Case studies: innovation in action
Explore how FID-supported businesses are solving real-world problems and delivering impact.
Why Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park?
Recognised in the Mayor of London’s Growth Plan (2025) as one of the capital’s three innovation districts, we are uniquely positioned to support the next generation of ideas.
The Park brings together:
- World-class institutions through East Bank and beyond
- A diverse and growing community and workforce
- State-of-the-art infrastructure and connectivity
- 560 acres of parks, waterways and mixed-use neighbourhoods
This creates a powerful environment to test solutions at scale, while delivering economic, social and environmental impact.
Looking ahead
While the programme has concluded, its impact continues.
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park remains open for innovation partnerships and trials, with a continued focus on delivering healthier, more sustainable urban design.
Be part of what’s next!
- Explore collaboration opportunities
- Test and scale innovation in real-world settings
- Join a growing ecosystem driving change
Sign up below to get involved.