Our Structure


GDI Hub is made up of the UCL-led, Academic Research Centre (ARC) and the associate non-profit Community Interest Company (CIC).

Academic Research Centre (ARC)

GDI Hub is made of two core components, an Academic Research Centre based at UCL, and a Community Interest Company.

GDI Hub engages with its founding academic partners through an Academic Board led by UCL.

The Academic Board is chaired by Professor Catherine Holloway, Academic Director of GDI Hub and each academic institute is represented by an Academic Associate Director.

The Board has oversight of the MSc Disability Design and Innovation, and actively seeks the growth of the ARC, and the broader ecosystem, through facilitating funding opportunities for research between partners.

To find out more visit GDI Hub Academic Research Centre UCL site.

Community Interest Company (CIC)

The CIC is governed by its Articles and is registered with Companies House UK as a social business since 2017. Its assets are locked to the pursuit of its purpose and the CIC is governed and managed by its Directors: Vicki Austin, Iain Mckinnon and Cathy Holloway, with the support of its members: Dr Paul Brickell, Steve Hailes and Ben Cole. Maria Kett and Lord Chris Holmes were also co-founders of GDI Hub.

Diagram showing the flow of knowledge through GDI Hub into academia and industry
Diagram of the GDI hub eco-system showing the two core components of GDI hub: the Academic Research Centre and the Community Interest Company

Our ambition is bold, and necessary. Through research collaborations, technological innovations, and policy interactions, we want to create a movement to accelerate disability innovation to secure a fairer world for disabled people.

Professor Catherine Holloway