At the NLA Innovation Summit, I had the opportunity to join a panel discussion on how we scale London’s innovation economy — and ensure that growth is not only ambitious but also inclusive and enduring.

One theme that came through strongly was the need for Progressive Collaboration. It’s something we’ve built into our approach at Lateral — not just as a delivery model, but as a mindset. In practical terms, that means working in partnership with public institutions, local authorities, academia, and communities to design space, opportunity, and systems that respond to real need.

At sites like Cavell Street in Whitechapel, this model is already showing results. We’ve co-designed new incubator space with QMB, doubled capacity for early-stage ventures, and aligned with The Royal London Hospital to support the translation of research in key therapeutic areas — from RNA to neuroscience.

But building for innovation isn’t just about the lab. It’s also about the place — and the people who live, work, and learn there. That’s why we’ve embedded programmes like STEM For Life into our developments, providing a local, cradle-to-career framework to support access into science and technology careers.

Still, as the panel made clear, the opportunity goes far beyond individual projects. Across London, local authorities have launched some exceptional place-based initiatives — but many are still funded on a short-term, borough-by-borough basis. The risk is that we lose what works. That we lose the relationships, the trust, and the community infrastructure — what I called the “social IP” — that take years to build.

To avoid that, we need system-wide thinking. Balanced, coordinated 106 contributions could provide the kind of long-term funding mechanism needed to sustain local programmes and build real economic resilience.

And there’s another piece we urgently need to address: housing for key workers in the innovation economy.

If we’re serious about growing the sector in a way that supports public health, equity, and innovation, we need to think just as seriously about who can afford to live in the communities surrounding these innovation hubs. The doctors, nurses, lab technicians, clinical researchers and data scientists who form the backbone of our health and research ecosystem are often priced out of the very areas that depend on them.

Affordable housing for key workers shouldn’t be treated as a separate issue from the innovation economy — it’s a central enabler. It supports recruitment and retention. It strengthens the social fabric of innovation districts. And if planned properly, it can form part of the mixed-use, mixed-tenure developments that make these places vibrant and future-proof.

So, as we talk about scaling innovation, let’s broaden the conversation. Let’s embed global ambition in local systems. Let’s align not just on infrastructure but on outcomes — health, opportunity, and access.

Because if we get that right, London can lead not just in science and technology, but in the way it delivers innovation that’s truly inclusive — and built to last.