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About Nesta

Nesta is a research and innovation foundation. We apply our deep expertise in applied methods to design, test and scale solutions to some of the biggest challenges of our time, working across the innovation lifecycle.

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Innovate to Save case studies

Innovate to Save supports third and public sector organisations to test solutions to a diverse range of challenges.
In Government innovation
Rob Ashelford

Rob Ashelford

Rob Ashelford

Pennaeth Nesta Cymru / Head of Nesta Cymru

Rob was Head of Nesta Cymru, responsible for the delivery of Nesta's strategy in Wales.

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Alice Turner

Alice Turner

Alice Turner

Engagement & Communications Manager, Y Lab

Alice is the Engagement and Communications Manager for Y Lab, Nesta's public services innovation lab for Wales.

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James Lewis

James Lewis

James Lewis

James Lewis is Academic Director at Y Lab, the public services innovation lab for Wales. Alongside this, he conducts research in global health, focusing on conducting pragmatic evaluat…

Alexis Palá

Alexis Palá

Alexis Palá

Alexis is a Research Associate at Y Lab, the public services innovation lab for Wales. She recently completed her MPhil in Public Policy from the University of Cambridge after serving…

Angharad Dalton

Angharad Dalton

Angharad Dalton

Programme Manager, Y Lab

Angharad was the Programme Manager for Innovate to Save.

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Innovate to Save launched in 2017 and took eight projects through research and development to test their ideas for improving public services and generating cashable savings.

In Version 1, projects experimented with their ideas including step-down accommodation for young care leavers, social prescriptions for community gardening and smart home devices for supported living houses. Once ideas had been tested and refined, there was an opportunity to apply for repayable finance to develop and scale the solution; several projects in Version 1 were able to do this.

We recently announced seven new Innovate to Save research and development projects.

These Case Studies aim to show what can be achieved with a small amount of grant funding and innovative practice. Our guide to running your own Innovate to Save programme, 'Repayable Finance for Innovation in public services' will be published in the new year.

Part of
Innovate to Save Nesta Cymru

Grow Cardiff: Community gardening as a social prescribing tool

Llamau: Piloting a sustainable social investment model

FABRIC: Community accommodation for young people leaving care

Leonard Cheshire: Testing Innovation for Active Communities

Gwynedd Council: Developing a Fairbourne Community Interest Company

Innovate Trust: Smart speakers for supported living

Tempo: Time Credit Social Prescribing Pilot

WAST: Health and social care transport integration project

Mockingbird Family Model: constellations of care

Updating a 50-year-old kit system for fire and rescue

Help to Move: Supporting older people to move

Saving energy in public buildings in Newport

Improving choice and wellbeing for older people in Solva

Co-producing a sexual health information service for young people

A powerful ecosystem for innovation

We extend our impact through two specialised units that help people and organisations to solve complex problems and achieve their goals.

BIT

BIT helps clients from government, nonprofits and the private sector to improve people’s lives through our empirical problem solving and deep understanding of human behaviour.

Challenge Works

Challenge Works designs and runs challenge prizes to spark innovation in science, technology and society.

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