InterAct Network+ is a pioneering initiative launched in 2021 as part of UKRI’s £147 million Made Smarter Innovation programme. We bring together economic and social scientists, UK manufacturers, policymakers and digital technology providers to address the human challenges at the heart of industrial digital transformation.
Our mission is to support the adoption of Industrial Digital Technologies (IDTs) in UK manufacturing, recognising that technology alone is not enough - it must be supported by a deep understanding of the people, processes, and systems that enable effective adoption. Our vision is powered by human insight and digital capability.
To date, InterAct has funded over 50 interdisciplinary projects, creating a range of ‘actionable human insights’, practical tools and frameworks to help manufacturers improve resilience, productivity, sustainability and job quality.
Highlights include:

• RESTRAIN – a cybersecurity assessment tool.
• FASHTRAX – a fashion tech tool helping UK brands stay compliant and competitive.
• Net Zero Steel – a strategic framework supporting decarbonisation across the steel sector.

With an additional £1 million in extension funding since April 2025 from Innovate UK, we are now focused on providing SMEs with the stepping stones to enable short-term energy and resource efficiency benefits from adopting IDTs within specific processes, and to harness the greater benefits from new digitally enabled business models.
Led by Co-Directors Janet Godsell (Loughborough University) and Jillian MacBryde (University of Strathclyde), InterAct is powered by a passionate team of researchers and industry experts.
We welcome collaborations with manufacturers, IDT providers and more!
Please visit interact-hub.org to explore and get involved.