Innovation Unit

Who we are

Innovation Unit is a not for profit, social enterprise - this means that above all else, we are an organisation that is deeply committed to making a positive, social impact in the world.

Our mission is to grow and scale the boldest and best innovations that deliver long term impact for people, address persistent inequalities and transform the systems around them. 

We have seventeen years experience of doing this work with ambitious partners in local and central government, schools and hospitals, voluntary and community sector organisations, trusts and foundations.

We are proud of the impact of our projects; in recent years Living Well UK, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, has supported four areas of the UK to pioneer new solutions for community-based mental health and wellbeing that are now spreading nationally; we been a children’s social care innovation partner for the Department for Education for many years, most recently as part of Strengthening Families, Protecting Children, scaling innovations to safely reduce the number of children entering care; we host a UK-wide network generating learning about the role of local health ‘anchor’ organisations (like big hospitals) in tackling health inequalities, thanks to funding from The Health Foundation and NHS England.

Our team come from a wide variety of professional backgrounds and life experiences and we share a core set of beliefs about enabling change that is owned and driven by the people it affects. This is embodied in IU’s core values of: Human potential; Agency; Collective action; Belonging; Contribution. Together, we all work with the tools and methods from our tried and tested formula for innovation and impact. 

If what you see speaks to your values and experiences, we want to hear from you.