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.
Kate Dearden, Minister for Employment Rights and Consumer Protection, said:
“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.”
Jane O’Riordan, Chair of the Hospitality Sector Council’s Innovation Working Group, said:
“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.”
Together, the partners will pilot new, exciting solutions within these categories:
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
Daniel Saunders, Chief Executive Offcer of L Marks, said:
“We’re excited to be launching the flrst 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.”
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
About L Marks
L Marks is the global leader in corporate innovation, trusted by many of the world’s most well-respected brands and organisations to identify, validate, and implement transformative solutions. Through its global network spanning over 80 countries, L Marks discovers more than 10,000 startups and scaleups annually and has enabled over 480 to pilot with corporate partners, achieving an industry-leading deployment rate of 78%. Their alumni have collectively raised over $3.6 billion in venture funding. With over a decade of experience in delivering 110+ award-winning innovation programmes across Europe, North America, and Asia, L Marks is embedding new structures and technologies, driving an innovative culture, and ultimately fuelling sustainable growth.
To learn more, visit lmarks.com.
About the Partners
Burger King UK
Every day, more than 11 million guests visit Burger King® restaurants around the world. And they do so because our restaurants are known for serving high-quality, great-tasting, and affordable burgers. Founded in 1954, the Home of the Whopper, has remained committed to premium ingredients, signature recipes, and family-friendly dining experiences.
Prezzo Italian
Prezzo Italian is a much-loved Italian restaurant group with sites across the UK, bringing people together over fresh, seasonal, and authentic dishes inspired by the flavours of Italy. Since opening its first restaurant in 2000, Prezzo Italian has become a familiar favourite on high streets and in communities, offering something for every occasion, from casual catch-ups to family celebrations.
The brand continues to invest in its restaurants and menus, combining classic Italian favourites with modern twists, all served in stylish, welcoming spaces. With a focus on quality, hospitality, and great value, Prezzo Italian remains dedicated to making every dining experience memorable.
Punch Pubs
Punch is a multi-award-winning pub company in the UK, with around 1,250 pubs across England, Scotland and Wales. It operates a multi-modelled estate that is well-invested and continues to grow through selective acquisitions. Punch aims to be THE 5 Star Pub Company in the UK, driven by a clear purpose: Inspiring those moments in partnership with its Publicans
and Management Partners to create thriving pub businesses. Together, they deliver exceptional hospitality experiences and lasting community value where vital connections will be made for many years to come.
Bills
Bill’s is a British restaurant group, founded by Bill Collison in 2001, born out of a small greengrocery in Lewes, East Sussex. Today Bill’s vows to keep it colourful and bring you all-day brunch every day of the week with bottomless options available at weekends, daily bottomless pancakes between 3-5 pm, seasonal specials and set-menu dinners all year round, as well as dog-friendly
dining at every restaurant. Your local Bill’s is never too far away, and the team are always ready to welcome friends from near or far. Find your closest Bill’s here.
Azzurri Group
The Azzurri Group is one of the UK’s largest and most successful hospitality investment platforms. We operate two leading national Italian full-service brands, Zizzi and ASK Italian; the UK’s leading quick-service Italian, Coco di Mama; Ireland’s renowned fast-casual Mexican chain, Boojum; and, most
recently, the world-famous, ‘mind-blowing’ fried chicken brand, Dave’s Hot Chicken. We also own Openr, an innovative tech start-up providing a product, pricing and order management technology platform.
Beckford Group
The Beckford Group is a small, independent hospitality group rooted in the South West, with a handful of country inns in rural Wiltshire and Somerset, alongside two restaurants and a wine shop in Bath. Founded by Dan, Matt and Charlie, the group is proudly people-focused. We nurture our teams through dedicated training, care, and genuine opportunity because by looking after our staff first, they’ll in turn create warm and heartfelt hospitality for our guests – this is at the centre of everything we do. A new pub and hotel will join the Beckford Group in early 2026.
Lincoln Green Brewing Company
Founded in 2012, Lincoln Green Brewing Company takes its name from the colour of dyed woollen cloth associated with the Nottingham legend of Robin Hood. We’re an independent brewery and operator of six traditional pubs. We’re passionate about brewing award-winning cask ales and creating welcoming spaces that celebrate the unique culture of the British pub. By combining heritage and innovation, we bring people together over a great pint, delivering quality, consistency, and character in every glass.