National Innovation Centre for Ageing
National Innovation Centre for Ageing
The Catalyst
3 Science Square, Newcastle Helix
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE4 5TG
ABOUT
We are the UK’s National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA) – a world leading organisation supported by an initial investment from UK government and Newcastle University – to help co-develop and bring to market products and services which create a world in which we all live better, for longer.
We bring together cross-competence professionals and researchers, commercialisation experts, scientists, innovators, and technologists working closely together with the public in a seamless way, exchanging their intelligence.
Our sister organisation VOICE® – Valuing Our Intellectual Capital & Experience – is an international network of thousands of ‘innovation savvy citizens’. Through their engagement we want to inspire new thinking, and build knowledge and connections to empower people.
Together with VOICE® we have developed a novel approach, Ageing Intelligence®, which leverages the experience, wisdom, skills, insights and expertise of citizens, older adults alongside people of all ages and backgrounds, together with their stakeholders, while harnessing big data.
Our role as a Global Observatory allows us to be uniquely positioned to help enterprises to capitalise on their return-on-society and return-on-business in the longevity economies, generating new thinking and actions.
Within 10 years, there will be one billion older people worldwide. A globally ageing population presents many challenges around health and wellbeing, quality of life and housing being amongst the most critical as well as multiple economic and social opportunities.
A national Centre, NICA is based at The Catalyst, a 100,000 sq foot prize winning Innovation Centre : www.thecatalystnewcastle.co.uk on the Helix Urban Innovation Quarter in the heart of Newcastle and acts as a focus for economic growth both in the region and nationally/internationally.
Chief Development Officer: Patrick Bonnett
Turnover: >£1 million
Number of staff: 30
NEWS
‘Newcastle intelligent City of longevity’ and home to The Catalyst shortlisted in global real estate awards
Hundreds of entries were received from almost 40 countries across the world and the initiative ‘Newcastle Intelligent City of longevity: Home to The Catalyst' was shortlisted alongside other leading real estate projects from Singapore, Japan, and France. The MIPIM...
Can a robot help a healthy lifestyle? Newcastle puts it to the test
The UK’s National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA) is the first in the world to evaluate “gita robots”, a cargo-carrying robot which follows you round, to assess the impact on the mobility of older adults. The gita robot pairs with a person, freeing their...
Innovators, researchers and experts are turning the ageing process into commercial opportunity in the heart of Newcastle
As its name suggests, The Catalyst – based in the £350 million Helix development, the site of the old Scottish & Newcastle Brewery base in the Gallowgate area of the city – is a melting pot for the sharpest brains in business, innovation and commercialisation...
Constructing Excellence: An Ageing Intelligent Building
Four and a half years ago, The UK National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA), together with colleagues in NICD (the National Innovation Centre for Data) started the process of defining and shaping what was to be our future home – The Catalyst in Newcastle. As the...
North East England driving growth of life sciences sector in the UK
With two internationally renowned science parks, the UK’s largest research active public health system, and world leading knowledge and talent at our universities, it’s no surprise North East England is widely recognised as one of the leading destinations for...
Interested in joining UKSPA?
Gain exclusive access to members only resources, research papers, statistics and data – as well as discounted or even free entry to the conferences and events we hold through the year.