About us

We are an innovation agency specialising in turning ideas and innovation into measurable impact through human-centred, personalised and data-driven solutions.

Who we are

  • We use a human-centred and data-driven approach that enables us to really understand our partners and their places to identify their needs and opportunities in order to deliver value, impact and positive outcomes for people, organisations and communities.

  • We are deeply curious and hold a symbiotic and empathetic relationship with our partners through intellectual honesty and an obsession with delivering quality over quantity.

  • After years trying to drive change inside universities and the public sector, I got tired of great ideas, projects and partnerships dying in bureaucracy and risk aversion.

    So I started Innovation Catalyst to apply everything I learned in the public sector, industry and academia (the so-called “triple helix”) to drive research, innovation and commercial activity in the ways it should be - fast, fearless, pragmatic, focussed, deeply client-intimate and impactful. Our advice and support is shaped by hands-on experience inside organisations, not just external analysis.

    The result? We now help forward-thinking and mission-driven organisations to punch about their weight - delivering sharper research and innovation, faster organisational learning, and real transformation on people, businesses and place.

Our team

Ben Fisher

Founder and CEO

Ben is CEO of Innovation Catalyst and has over 20 years executive and non-executive experience working with and for higher education institutions, public and private sector organisations in leading and delivering research, innovation, economic development and commercial portfolios. 

Ben held a number of senior leadership roles, including Director of Business and Enterprise at Northumbria University and Associate Dean for Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange at Teesside University. Prior to this, Ben spent 10 years in the civil service, public and private sectors working in senior science, innovation, industry strategy, commercial and delivery roles.   

An economic geographer with a PhD from Newcastle University, Ben has published in peer review journals, secured research and innovation funding, and contributed to regional and national innovation and industrial policy.

Ben supports a number of organisations in a professional capacity including as a Non-Executive Director of Knowledge Exchange UK, Vice-Chair at New College Durham and Director of the Association of Technology Transfer Professionals.