Newcastle and Durham universities have been joined by regional peers Northumbria and Sunderland in a commercialisation drive backed by government funding.

Northern Accelerator, a UK-based regional commercialisation pact between Durham and Newcastle universities, is to expand with £4.9m ($6.9m) in government funding to include peers Northumbria and Sunderland.

Northern Accelerator will receive the capital from the UK government’s $125.5m Connecting Capability Fund. The EU-owned European Regional Development Fund is due to contribute funding separately, though further confirmation has not been provided.

The enlarged program concentrates on four industries significant to the northeast of England ­– digital, advanced manufacturing, chemicals and…