Ed Houghton | Director of Research and Insights
DG Cities

Ed Houghton is Director of Research and Insights at DG Cities and a passionate advocate of innovation in the public sector. Ed's interests including systems and complexity, and the role of innovation in communities. His work explores how innovation happens in practice and the potential for the public sector to lead digital and AI innovation.

Much of Ed's work is at the intersection of emerging technology, infrastructure, public participation, and public policy. This includes research policy work for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on AI Assurance, for the Department for Transport on trust and acceptance of automated vehicles, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on electric vehicle charging behaviour, and housing decarbonisation, and NHS evaluating neighbourhood interventions. 

At Connected Britain 2026 Ed will be sharing his perspective on digital exclusion, and the potential for cross-sector partnerships to solve "wicked" problems using evidence and data. This includes translating technical complexity into policies and practices that ensure safety, public trust, and create real impact.