IGNITE Innovation

The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) has been a pioneer in survey methods and methodological innovation since 1969. IGNITE builds on that legacy, creating a bold space where curiosity meets rigour, and where partners across sectors come together to tackle society’s toughest questions.  

IGNITE exists to spark new ideas, rigorously test them, and transform them into trusted methods and tools that help Britain understand itself better.  

Bold ideas to longstanding challenges require fresh thinking.  We bring together partners to exchange perspectives and generate ideas for next-generation research solutions.  To assess each innovative idea, we follow a structured but flexible process:  

1. Explore – Scan the horizon for emerging tools, methods, and questions.  
2. Experiment – Test ideas through pilots, prototypes, and collaborative trials.
3. Embed – Transform promising ideas into trusted solutions that influence policy, shape services, and improve lives.  

At every stage, creativity is balanced with NatCen’s hallmark rigour — ensuring innovation is both bold and reliable.    

We always welcome innovative ideas that challenge current social research approaches and help us better understand society.  

If you work in policy, connect with us to share the questions that current research isn’t quite able to answer. If you work in research, we would like to hear your latest idea for how to surface the social issues that matter or the solutions that work. If you work in technology, share your views on how we should use your applications in surveys, interviews, deliberations or evaluations.  

If you would like to plug straight into existing explorations, we currently welcome additional perspectives on:  

• Promising use of AI for real-time adaptation of research methods, to improve the experience for those who take part in research  
• A re-think of how social researchers engage with low-income households, who are less likely to take part in surveys, interviews and workshops  
• Evidence-based responses to regional and local challenges, where cost-effective access to more localised information and deliberation is needed