Unlocking Institutional Capital: Mobilising Local Government Pensions for Regional Innovation Ecosystems

About

The mobilisation of domestic institutional capital is one of the most significant levers available for accelerating

regional economic growth. This roundtable brings together institutional investors, senior pension fund trustees,

venture capital leaders, and policy makers to address a vital financial mandate: how to effectively unlock Local

Government Pension Schemes (LGPS) to support regional innovation ecosystems in light of the Mansion

House Reforms and the transition towards consolidated pension mega funds. Drawing on frameworks

discussed at recent national investment forums, this session will explore how to bridge the gap between large-

scale pool requirements and the capital needs of early-stage, high-growth deeptech and scientific clusters.

Moving beyond traditional risk-averse paradigms, the panel will map out robust investment structures, co-

investment models, and regulatory pathways that allow local wealth to safely and profitably back regional

innovation.

Who Should Attend

Pension Fund Trustees & Chief Investment Officers: Seeking to recognise fiduciary-compliant

mechanisms for allocating capital into regional venture and infrastructure assets.

Venture Capital & Fund Managers: Raising patient capital to invest in regional science, technology, and

advanced manufacturing spin-outs.

Founders & Scale-Up Executives: Looking to understand the future landscape of regional funding and

the entry of institutional liquidity into the market.

Civic Leaders & Economic Policy Makers: Focused on devolution strategies, capital regionalisation, and

creating attractive investment pipelines.

Why Its Relevant

Local Government Pension Schemes hold significant investment power, yet historically, only a fraction of

these assets has been deployed into the high-growth innovation economies of their host regions. The Mansion

House Reforms have fundamentally shifted this landscape by setting clear objectives for funds to allocate up

to 10% of their assets to unlisted, high-growth companies, alongside a target of 5% for direct local investment.

With increasing political consensus around capital activation, devolution, and this pension mandate, there is a

unique window to build new investment channels. This session is critical because it addresses the practical

barriers to deployment, such as minimum ticket sizes, liquidity constraints, and fee structures. By aligning the

long-term horizons of pension liabilities with the patient capital requirements of deeptech and scientific

Page 3 of 4breakthroughs, regions can create self-sustaining funding loops that drive both commercial returns and

localised economic resilience.

What You Will Get From It

The Institutional Framework: Gain direct insights into the structural models required to safely pool and

deploy institutional assets in regional venture funds.

Co-Investment Strategies: Learn how regional investment vehicles can successfully co-invest alongside

national bodies and institutional pools to derisk early-stage deployment.

Pipeline Development Insights: Understand how to build institutional-grade pipelines within regional

ecosystems that meet the rigorous due diligence standards of major funds.

Influence on Capital Policy: Contribute directly to the post-event white paper aimed at shaping national

policy around regional pension deployment and fiduciary mandates.