News: Suppliers
5 October 2026
Cardiff Capital Region’s £160m 10-year Investment Zone program moving into delivery
Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) says that its £160m 10-year Investment Zone program is moving into delivery, marking a major step forward in the region’s ambition to become a global hub for advanced manufacturing and digital technologies.
Designed to accelerate innovation, attract investment and create thousands of high-value jobs, the program, which is funded by the UK Government and supported by the Welsh Government, will build on the region’s compound semiconductor cluster, unlocking new opportunities for businesses, communities and talent across South-East Wales.
The program is expected to attract more than £500m of private sector investment over the next decade, create up to 4000 high-skilled jobs and unlock significant new research, development and advanced manufacturing space.
Developed in partnership with Cardiff Council and Newport City Council, as well as Cardiff University, the program establishes a shared vision for regional growth, aiming to position South-East Wales as one of Europe’s most competitive locations for innovation-led businesses.
“Cardiff Capital Region’s Investment Zone represents a landmark opportunity to accelerate growth, innovation and prosperity across South-East Wales,” says Councillor Dimitri Batrouni, leader of Newport City Council. “While focused within Newport and Cardiff’s travel-to-work area, its benefits will be felt across all ten local authorities through new investment, stronger supply chains, enhanced skills provision and high-value employment opportunities,” he adds.
“Cardiff, Newport and the wider Cardiff Capital Region are already driving innovation in sectors that will shape the future economy, from semiconductors and advanced manufacturing to cyber security, creative industries, and digital technologies,” says Councillor Chris Weaver, leader of Cardiff Council. “The £160m Investment Zone program gives us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build on those strengths and attract hundreds of millions of private sector investment: supporting businesses to grow and innovate, attracting investment, and compete on a global stage. Crucially, this can help create thousands of jobs, and make our region more prosperous, resilient, and help drive growth for decades to come.”
The Investment Zone activity is already delivering impact. CCR has supported a range of early initiatives to strengthen the regional technology ecosystem, including investment in infrastructure, targeted skills interventions and programs designed to deepen local supply chains and increase business competitiveness.
“The launch of the Cardiff Capital Region Investment Zone marks a defining moment for South-East Wales,” reckons Adam Price MS, Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy. “By bringing together business, academia and government around our world-leading semiconductor cluster, we’re turning opportunity into delivery and creating high-skilled jobs, unlocking major investment, and building a sustainable, innovative future economy for the region,” he adds. “The Investment Zone is the result of sustained partnership working and will be key to helping us boost growth, improve productivity, strengthen supply chain resilience, and ensure that public investment helps unlock private sector confidence.”
A £4m skills program is now open for delivery partners to come forward and will play an important role in supporting workforce development, helping local people to access high-value careers, it is intended.
“South-East Wales is at a strategic inflection point, and we are delivering active, dynamic, high-impact research that will generate tangible, sustainable, and inclusive economic and social renewal across the region,” says professor Wendy Larner, president & vice-chancellor of Cardiff University.
“CSA Catapult has a clear focus on the growing markets of AI and defence,” says Caroline O’Brien, CEO of CSA Catapult. “From our base in the Investment Zone, we help scale UK semiconductor companies, delivering long-term economic benefit. We currently have several international partners co-located at the Catapult and we are keen to attract more,” she adds. “We fully support the ambitions of CCR Investment zone to become a global hub, linking to the rest of the UK.”
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