The Hospitality Sector Council, in partnership with corporate innovation leader L Marks and the Department for Business and Trade, has announced the launch of the first sector-wide Hospitality Innovation Lab. The initiative is designed to accelerate innovations that support workforce excellence and strengthen the sector’s future.
The Hospitality Innovation Lab will connect major operators, including Burger King UK, Punch Pubs, Bill’s Restaurant, Prezzo Italian, Azzurri Group, Beckford Group and Lincoln Green, with emerging sector solutions, global startups, scaleups, and innovators at the forefront of technology. Through the Lab, they will gain a structured environment to test, trial and embed breakthrough technologies that deliver measurable impact, reshaping the future of hospitality. Building on the work already made in workforce, data and HR innovation, the lab aims to add further value by integrating, scaling, and strengthening these advancements across the sector.
The hospitality sector employs over two million people and plays a vital role at the heart of our high streets, supporting our economy and communities. That’s why, as part of our Plan for Change, we are partnering with industry to drive innovation, strengthen resilience, create good jobs and help Britain’s pubs, restaurants and cafes thrive. Kate Dearden, Minister for Employment Rights and Consumer Protection
The challenges of labour productivity facing hospitality won’t be solved by the old ways of thinking. The Hospitality Innovation Lab is about uncovering fresh, practical solutions that can overcome the many legacy barriers to innovation. By bringing together businesses and innovators to work collaboratively, we aim to improve productivity for the broader sector and build a stronger, more connected future for hospitality. Jane O’Riordan, Chair of the Hospitality Sector Council’s Innovation Working Group
Together, the partners will pilot new, exciting solutions within these categories:
- Sales Forecasting & Labour Deployment – We are looking for the next generation of sales forecasting for labour deployment. Tools that take in the full picture, from sales data and item counts to external events and compliance needs, and can automatically turn these into accurate, costed rotas. The best systems don’t just plan, they adapt. They update as conditions change, connect effortlessly with EPOS and payroll, and remain simple enough for busy managers to use every day.
- Extracting Data Insights – We’re looking for solutions that transform fragmented information into a single, trusted source of truth, enabling operators to understand correlations, model scenarios, price with confidence, and staff more accurately. Moreover, we seek tools that connect operational, behavioural, and customer data to reveal what creates great guest experiences and boosts labour productivity.
- Driving Team Effectiveness – We are on the hunt for solutions that act like a digital co-pilot for managers, cutting through the noise with timely alerts and clear prompts, so decisions are made quickly and confidently. We are also seeking stock and ordering platforms with real-time visibility, seamless supplier connections, and accuracy. Furthermore, we’d love to see compliance systems that maintain high standards, automatically triggering the right tasks at the right moment, capturing proof of completion, and removing admin headaches.
- Talent Development – That means smarter tools to identify talent more effectively and streamline large-scale hiring. We are also looking for innovative ways to train talent in hospitality through engaging formats that fit seamlessly into day-to-day operations, alongside solutions that track engagement, map clear career pathways, support succession planning, and identify future leaders.
- Wildcard – Not every great idea fits into a box; that’s where the Wildcard comes in. This category is designed for bold, unexpected solutions that bring something new to hospitality. Whether it’s a breakthrough technology, a fresh way of working, or an idea that challenges convention, we want to see it.
We’re excited to be launching the first sector-wide Hospitality Innovation Lab to tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing the UK hospitality sector. In partnership with the Hospitality Sector Council and the Department for Business and Trade, we will work with leading industry operators to identify and validate practical solutions that drive workforce excellence, build resilience, and create lasting positive change across the industry. Daniel Saunders, Chief Executive Officer of L Marks
For more information and to apply, please visit here. Applications will close on 28th November 2025. The selected innovators will join the collaboration program, together with the industry partners, in April 2026.
About the Hospitality Sector Council (HSC)
The Hospitality Sector Council is a dynamic collaboration between the UK government and the hospitality industry, dedicated to driving sector resilience and growth. Co-chaired by the Minister for Hospitality, Gareth Thomas, and hospitality leader Dame Karen Jones DBE, the Council champions key themes such as innovation, sustainability, skills development, and revitalising high streets. Its Innovation Working Group connects hospitality businesses with the UK’s world-leading innovation ecosystem to nurture the next generation of startups and scale-ups. To learn more, visit hospitalitysectorcouncil.org
