The inaugural Innovation Festival ended on a high at the Nancy Rothwell Building, where five ventures went head to head in the Coller AI Competition final, pitching live for a £100,000 equity investment from the Jeremy Coller Foundation.

LanthaGen Bio Ltd won with an AI platform that designs metal-capturing proteins computationally, helping recover valuable metals from electronic waste and onshore the UK's critical-mineral supply. CTO and co-founder Dan Healy led the pitch, and accepted the award alongside CSO Ellie Goulding, which was presented by Investment Principal Harry Kalms.

Nearby, Prime Minister Andy Burnham addressed a local summit, calling for the UK to become the world's leading "innovation nation" and praising the University's role in Manchester's innovation story. Organisers confirmed the festival returns 1–5 November 2027.

Amid the buzz of the Nancy Rothwell Building, five finalist ventures pitched live for a £100k investment at the Coller AI Competition final today. Each team applies AI to a different social challenge: LanthaGen Bio Ltd pitched their platform for combining biomolecules and machine-learning modelling to identify candidates for selectively recovering valuable metals from electronic waste—‘urban mines’—and help onshore the UK’s critical-mineral supply. SenseVale pitched smart glasses that help blind and partially sighted users navigate more independently.

Spore Sense pitched an AI-enabled system that reduces pesticide use by detecting crop disease before symptoms appear. Health Equity Chain pitched a treatment analyser that helps prostate cancer patients understand where they stand among people like them. Finally, Forkprint pitched models that analyse food business data to track greenhouse gas emissions and develop lower-carbon recipes.

LanthaGen Bio Ltd wins, turning electronic waste into a UK mineral supply

LanthaGen Bio took home the prize—presented by Investment Principal Harry Kalms from the Jeremy Coller Foundation—securing the six-figure equity investment for its AI platform that simulates how proteins and peptides bind metals, allowing new metal-capturing proteins to be designed computationally rather than found by trial and error. The approach drastically shortens development while cutting the energy, chemicals, plastic and solvent waste of repeated screening — supporting UK efforts to recover valuable metals from electronic waste and onshore critical-mineral supply. CTO and co-founder Dan Healy led the pitch, with Healy and CSO and co-founder Ellie Goulding accepting the award. The prize adds to £2.4 million in grant funding already secured, allowing their six-person team to build sustainably towards future development.

"We were pitching against the best of the best, which makes it just so exciting—it feels amazing,” Healy shared, adding encouragement for others who might be dreaming of a venture in the future, “Your idea doesn't have to be perfect... we really believed in this and it had some scientific integrity behind it. You really just go from that."

“The three co-founders at LanthaGen Bio each bring their own set of skills... they have such a positive, candid attitude. They've faced stumbling blocks, they've pivoted their thinking, but they are willing to talk to everybody, to absorb the information, and to work out which advice to listen to.” — Aline Miller, Associate Vice-President (Enterprise), University of Manchester

A week that showcased Manchester's role in building an Innovation Nation

As the University’s inaugural Innovation Week closed, Prime Minister Andy Burnham called for the UK to become the world's leading "innovation nation" at a local summit, praising the University's role in Manchester’s innovation story. Friday wraps five days of activity, with the festival hosting more than 25 events across 17 venues, including 116 speakers, 21 new ideas pitched, and over 3,000 registrations. For the University of Manchester’s President and Vice-Chancellor Duncan Ivison, the week capped 18 months of work: "We've created a new innovation agency, set up a first ever £10M Founders Fund, and launched an innovation hub on Oxford Road... I think the festival sends a big message that innovation is a huge part of our future." As the week came to a close, organisers, confirmed the event will return next year, 1–5 November 2027.

Announcements and developments

• Atom Valley takes shape: The Festival’s final day also marked a major milestone in Rochdale, where the base build of the Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre (SMMC) is now complete. It will give businesses in advanced materials and manufacturing access to specialist space, facilities and expertise, helping them move from concept to commercial application. The University of Manchester is lead delivery partner for the centre’s innovation ecosystem, working with Rochdale Development Agency, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Innovation Greater Manchester and UKRI. The SMMC is forecast to generate £107 million in economic value over ten years. “Atom Valley is an exciting opportunity and key to our plans to bring good growth to every postcode in Greater Manchester.” — Bev Craig, Mayor of Greater Manchester

Manchester 2035: voices from the Festival

“Having more startups based in the north would be great. We're quite passionate about putting our roots of a company down here.” — Ellie Goulding, CSO and co-founder, LanthaGen Bio Ltd

“Innovation can breed social mobility. I'd love to see more opportunities for entrepreneurs from working class backgrounds, as queer and female founders.” — Dan Healy, CTO and co-founder, LanthaGen Bio Ltd

“We have worked with over 1,500 people across the city region over the last three years to help them explore and enter into careers in AI. That is a civic responsibility... By 2035, we'll be awash with it.” — Liz Scott MBE, Coller AI Competition judge and Chief Executive Director, Turing Innovation Catalyst

The 30,000 sq ft centre is the first major physical development within the Atom Valley Innovation District (AVID), a 25-acre hub for advanced materials and manufacturing in Rochdale, bringing together businesses, researchers, investors and innovation partners in one location. AVID provides an environment where organisations can innovate, grow and commercialise new technologies, strengthening Greater Manchester's position as a leading centre for advanced materials and manufacturing. 

Completion of the building represents a major milestone for years of partnership working between Rochdale Development Agency (RDA), Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), The University of Manchester and wider innovation partners.

RDA has led the physical development of the SMMC, working with partners to secure investment and position advanced materials and manufacturing as a priority opportunity for Rochdale and Greater Manchester. The next phase will see work move from construction towards specialist fit-out ahead of bringing the centre into operation in 2027.

The RDA brought together partners from industry, academia and government to establish the Centre of Expertise in Advanced Materials and Sustainability (CEAMS) in 2023. Since then, businesses have been able to connect with a national network of specialist expertise, facilities and innovation support through the CEAMS partners, including The University of Manchester, the Henry Royce Institute, National Physical Laboratory (NPL), CPI and NCC.

CEAMS has already supported more than 90 companies, developing new products and processes and demonstrating the value of a more connected innovation ecosystem.

The SMMC will provide a permanent physical gateway into the UK’s renowned advanced materials and manufacturing network. It will offer advanced materials and manufacturing businesses access to specialist space, facilities, expertise and the CEAMS national network of innovation support, helping them move from concept towards commercial application.

The development of the SMMC building has received £15.2 million from the UK Government's Towns Fund, £15m from the GMCA’s Good Growth Fund and £10 million from the Greater Manchester Investment Zone.

The next phase for the innovation district has received a further major boost through £16.4 million from the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF), a flagship UK government programme delivered through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) in partnership with GMCA and Innovation Greater Manchester (IGM), investing £500 million to strengthen regional innovation economies across the country. The University of Manchester is the lead delivery partner for the programme, working with RDA and the CEAMS consortium of national innovation partners to activate the ecosystem around the SMMC. Independent analysis forecasts that the centre will generate £107 million of economic value over ten years, delivering a 2:1 return on public investment while helping to attract new businesses, inward investment and high-value employment into Atom Valley.

Councillor Daniel Meredith, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Housing at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “The building completion of the Sustainable Materials & Manufacturing Centre is fantastic news for Rochdale residents. This landmark facility will help create new employment opportunities, support the development of high-value skills and ensure local people can benefit from some of the most exciting advances in modern manufacturing and materials science.

“We've worked hard to position Rochdale at the forefront of innovation and advanced manufacturing, and the SMMC is a clear example of that ambition becoming reality. It's a major investment in our future, creating opportunities for local businesses, attracting new employers and helping to build a stronger economy for generations to come.”

Professor John Holden, Vice-President for Civic Engagement and Innovation at The University of Manchester, said: “Completing the base build is a major achievement and testament to the partnership that has brought the SMMC this far. The opportunity now is to bring that physical investment to life by drawing together businesses, research, expertise and innovation in a way that creates lasting value for Rochdale, Greater Manchester and the UK.

“The University is the lead delivery partner charged with delivering the innovation ecosystem that will accelerate the growth of the advanced materials and manufacturing cluster already in the region, connecting our research strengths with businesses and national partners to help new ideas develop, scale and reach the market at pace, and attracting over £60 million in private sector investment. The SMMC and wider Atom Valley Innovation District is a crucial part of our commitment to driving innovation-led growth right across Greater Manchester.”

Charlotte Deane, UK Research & Innovation senior sponsor for Greater Manchester said: “Greater Manchester has outstanding strengths in advanced materials and manufacturing. This £16.4m Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF) investment backs those strengths by connecting businesses with a national network of expertise and support to turn world-class research and innovation into economic opportunity by powering the growth of an advanced materials focused cluster of companies on the Kingsway Business Park.

“The SMMC and the wider Atom Valley Innovation District show the potential of universities, industry and

civic partners working together to support innovation-led growth, unlock new supply chain opportunities, create new jobs and strengthen the region’s ability to attract and grow innovative businesses.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester Bev Craig said: “Atom Valley is an exciting opportunity and key to our plans to bring good growth to every postcode in Greater Manchester. The completion of the SMMC building is a major milestone for what will become a nationally significant hub for innovation.

“We’re providing space for businesses and connecting them with investment, world-class research, facilities and support within the wider Atom Valley Innovation District. In practice, that means more opportunities for our businesses to grow, attracting new investment to this part of Greater Manchester, and more high-value jobs for our residents.”

The milestone was announced during a week where The University of Manchester hosted its inaugural Innovation Festival, to showcase Manchester's vibrant, globally connected innovation ecosystem and bring together researchers, students, entrepreneurs, partners, investors and civic leaders to explore how ideas become impact.

Where earlier days celebrated what Manchester is building, Thursday looked outwards. The first Cambridge x Manchester Partnership Innovation Summit filled Sister to the brim with founders, researchers, investors and policymakers from both cities. Panels explored the partnership’s mission to ‘supercharge innovation-led growth’, with speakers from the University, Arm, Northern Gritstone, No. 10 North, UKRI and the British Chambers of Commerce.

Six Manchester founders pitched their innovations in lightning talks, and Bev Craig, Mayor of Greater Manchester, gave the keynote before closing remarks from University of Manchester President and Vice-Chancellor, Duncan Ivison and Shaun Grady, UK Chair of AstraZeneca. The Investor Summit continued the conversation on growth capital in the afternoon. In the evening, University of Manchester founders pitched to investors, mentors and partners at Manchester Venture Builder Demo Day, also at Sister, while Holiferm’s co-founders shared how they built their biotechnology company at The Founders Playbook at Manchester Museum.

Co-opetition: the experiment linking two innovation powerhouses

Opening the summit, Faye Holland, Partnership Director of the Cambridge x Manchester Partnership, argued that the UK's challenge may be less about talent or funding than about systems. The partnership is the UK's first deliberately designed cross-city innovation partnership, with three objectives: driving economic growth, building for global growth, and making sure that growth is good growth that reaches communities beyond the innovation economy. Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said the UK too often gets caught in binaries, such as north versus south, and needs to "multiply our relationships, not narrow them" to compete globally.

“What typically happens is we compete. Our postcodes compete, our councils compete, our combined authorities compete… I wonder why we don't use the word co-opetition, where we bring collaboration and competition together in a really positive way… We only have three years from start to finish to prove that this model can actually work.” — Faye Holland, Partnership Director, The Cambridge x Manchester Partnership

“Cambridge and Manchester are not rivals; they are increasingly one ecosystem, and the UK innovation economy, as a whole, is stronger for it.” — Shaun Grady, UK Chair, AstraZeneca

Six ventures, five minutes each: Manchester’s ideas take the stage

Six lightning talks showed the kind of companies the partnership wants to help scale. Hosted by Dr Karim Bahou, Head of Innovation at Sister, the founders pitched for the audience’s vote. Alongside pitches from N:SYM and Nanoco, Spore Sense, which spun out of the University just four weeks ago, has developed a sensor that detects crop disease before symptoms appear. Silveray has invented flexible digital X-ray film for inspecting pipes and welds, an industry still largely reliant on analogue film. CircKit is helping fashion brands design waste out from the start, and Fava Health is bringing genomics into everyday healthcare for better personalised treatment.

“There is still a major imbalance in where innovation capital flows within the UK… Around 80% of venture capital still remains within London, Oxford and Cambridge… A big part of the opportunity is making it easier for founders to move between these two ecosystems, and share deal flow across both of these regions.” — Dr Karim A. Bahou, Head of Innovation, Sister

Competing with the world, not each other 

A panel chaired by Fiona Tuck of Metro Dynamics asked what Britain’s innovation economy still lacks. Professor Dame Jessica Corner, Executive Chair of Research England, said the UK is too small to treat its regions as separate innovation ecosystems, with capital “stuck” in the places that are already well resourced. Harriet Gordon, Deputy Director at No. 10 North, said the UK’s real competition is Boston, Silicon Valley and Paris: for investors, the choice is rarely Manchester or Liverpool, but Manchester or Munich.  

In her keynote, Bev Craig, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said regions need to “complement each other, not just compete with each other”, and set out a vision of good growth that people can feel in their daily lives. 

“Simply creating growth to impact on someone’s bank balance, without seeing the number of jobs increase and the quality of someone’s life improve, is just growth for growth’s sake.” — Bev Craig, Mayor of Greater Manchester 

Announcements and developments 

• The Cambridge x Manchester Partnership will launch an “innovation passport” by the end of the year, giving founders and researchers easier access to office space, accelerator programmes, investors and corporate partners across both cities.
• A joint investment prospectus for Cambridge and Manchester is on its way, Shaun Grady, UK Chair of AstraZeneca, told the summit, urging investors to “get in early”. 

Manchester 2035: voices from the Festival 

“I would hope that eight- and nine-year-olds growing up in Ardwick and Brunswick, right next to us, or a young person growing up in Rochdale, not only see the University as part of the place they live, but see it as theirs in some way.” — Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor, The University of Manchester 

“By 2035, I’d expect to see Graphene in many products, from shoes to clothing to computers to tyres to aircraft – not in there because it’s Graphene, but because it’s adding competitive advantage.” — James Baker, founder, Baker Graphene, and former Chief Executive, Graphene@Manchester 

Demo Day 

On Thursday evening, the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre and Venture Café Manchester hosted Manchester Venture Builder Demo Day 2026 at Sister. University of Manchester founders from the Venture Builder programme took to the stage to pitch ventures they had spent months testing and refining. They ranged from Remi, a platform that helps therapists manage clients and build personalised exercises, to a student startup growing organic bananas and drying them with solar power. Investors, mentors, alumni, corporate partners and a delegation from Hartford in the US then joined the founders for a showcase and networking reception, continuing the outward-looking theme of the day. 

“I’ve made more progress in the paste ten minutes of networking here than in the past 30 days of cold emailing and cold LinkedIn messaging!” — Jacob Katz, founder, AMBS, BSc Management with Strategy, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship 

"Innovation doesn't happen just because you have a great idea… Getting people that have money, people that have technology, people that know how to do business – you can't do it on your own, but you can pull them together into one location." — Gene Goddard, Chief Business Investment Officer, Metro Hartford 

Around the Festival 

Away from Sister, Sow the City shared community-led social innovation at Manchester Museum’s Growing Change event, and Sustainable Futures showcased funded projects at Inclusive Innovation for People and Planet. Beyond the Hearing Loop explored how Auracast audio technology could benefit deaf, hard-of-hearing and neurodivergent communities, and the University and national initiative, E3M met to discuss social enterprise innovation in public services. 

Coming up 

The Festival closes on Friday 9 October with the final of the Coller AI Competition, where University of Manchester AI startups pitch live for a £100,000 equity investment from The Jeremy Coller Foundation.  

The University of Manchester celebrated the very best in collaboration and knowledge exchange on Wednesday 7 October at the inaugural Partnership Excellence Awards, recognising the people, projects and organisations delivering outstanding impact through partnership working.

Held at the Whitworth Art Gallery as part of the University's Innovation Festival, the awards brought together academics, researchers, professional services colleagues and their external partners and collaborators for an evening of celebration. The inaugural awards attracted more than 120 nominations, with 25 partnerships shortlisted across eight awards. They were organised by the Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange team, led by Dr Louise Bates, Director of Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange, and hosted by compere Adam Lovell.

Welcoming guests, Professor John Holden, Vice-President for Civic Engagement and Innovation, said partnership runs through the University's Manchester 2035 strategy. “No matter how good we are as a university, we can only have the scale of impact we want by working with others,” he said. Over the past year, he added, the University has created 191 new business partnerships, around one for every working day, and now ranks first in the UK for contract research with small and medium-sized enterprises.

The awards, Professor Holden said, were about “recognising the people and relationships that make those projects possible… We all know that partnership working depends on brave people.”

This year's winners demonstrate the impact of collaboration across research and innovation, business growth, social enterprise, regional development and strategic industry engagement.

Strategic Alliance Excellence

🏆 Boots / No7 & Prof. Michael Sherratt and Dr. Abigail Langton

The long-standing partnership between Boots / No7 and The University of Manchester was recognised for its outstanding contribution to skin science and evidence-based skincare. Over more than two decades, the collaboration has translated world-leading research into products used by millions of consumers while generating significant research outputs, investment and innovation.

Regional Partnership Excellence

🏆 United Utilities & Prof. Timothy Foster

United Utilities was recognised for a long-standing collaboration with the University covering areas including integrated water management, digitisation, robotics, sustainability and skills development. The partnership has helped inform major regional initiatives and continues to support innovation and economic growth across the North-West.

Research Collaboration Excellence

🏆 FUJIFILM & Prof. Alan Dickson

The partnership between FUJIFILM and the University was recognised for advancing bioprocessing and biomanufacturing research through the Centre of Excellence in Bioprocessing 2.0. The collaboration has supported researchers and PhD students, generated high-quality publications and strengthened the translation of research into industrial applications and novel biological medicines.

Social Enterprise Excellence

🏆 One World Together & Prof. Nicola Banks

One World Together received the award for its partnership with the University to support changemaking education, community engagement and social impact. The collaboration has secured funding to work with schools across Greater Manchester, provided valuable opportunities for students, and supported community-led organisations both in the UK and internationally.

Small Business Partnership Excellence

🏆 Saraco Industries Ltd & Prof. Sarah Cartmell and Prof. Andrew McBain

Saraco Industries Ltd was recognised for a highly successful partnership that has combined academic expertise with industrial innovation to develop plastic-free clinical disinfection wipes for healthcare applications, while strengthening the company's research and development capability. The collaboration has evolved through multiple projects and demonstrates the long-term value of university-SME partnerships.

Academic Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange Champion

🏆 Dr Thomas Bannan

Dr Thomas Bannan was recognised for an extensive portfolio of partnerships that translate atmospheric science into public, environmental and economic benefit. His work spans collaboration with local authorities, industry, policymakers and communities, including leadership of air quality initiatives, Innovate UK projects and the £1.3 million RAMMIC Retrofit Innovation Centre.

Business Partnership Rising Star

🏆 Dr Milo Harries

Dr Milo Harries received the Rising Star Award for his work with Leeds City Council and the Aire Resilience Company, using creative and participatory approaches to engage communities around climate resilience and natural flood management. His work has helped strengthen cross-sector collaboration and support the growth of the Aire Resilience Company as a Community Interest Company.

Partnership Excellence of the Year

🏆 Saraco Industries Ltd & Prof. Sarah Cartmell and Prof. Andrew McBain

The evening's highest accolade, Partnership Excellence of the Year, was awarded to Saraco Industries Ltd in recognition of the depth, longevity and impact of its collaboration with the University. Through multiple collaborative projects, the partnership has combined expertise in bioengineering, microbiology and materials science to drive innovation, support business growth and develop new healthcare solutions with real-world impact.

An evening of partnership

The winners' trophies were designed and manufactured by students in the University's Makerspace, reflecting the creativity and collaboration at the heart of the celebration. The shortlist was reviewed by a panel of 21 judges from academia, leadership, professional services and innovation.

Rising Star category shortlisted nominee Dr Amy Worth had partnered with Eli Lilly and Company for a decade to study the complex neuronal circuitry that underpins the actions of GLP-1 drugs to combat diabetes, obesity and cravings for alcohol. She and lab group lead Professor Simon Luckman said that trust is at the heart of the partnership. “We’ve built it up over 20 years, so now there is very open and honest exchange.”

For Dr Joanne Tippett, whose RoundView project was also shortlisted, a good partnership requires: “It takes the ability to try something out and find out it doesn't work and learn from that and keep going and iterating on an idea.”

Congratulations to all finalists and the many colleagues, support staff and external partners whose commitment and collaboration underpins the success that these Partnership Excellence Awards celebrated in style.

Wednesday was the Festival’s busiest day yet. At Manchester to Market, spinouts supported by The University of Manchester Innovation Factory showcased their work on the ground floor of University Place, from AI-guided enzyme engineering to virtual reality healthcare training and research-led theatre.

A short walk away in Whitworth Hall, the Powerhouse of Innovation Showcase brought together the teams, programmes and partners that help those ideas grow, including a new collaboration between the Innovate UK Innovation-to-Commercialisation of University Research programme (ICURe) and the Henry Royce Institute.

In the evening, the inaugural Partnership Excellence Awards at the Whitworth celebrated the partnerships behind the University’s impact. The evening’s highest accolade, Partnership Excellence of the Year, went to Saraco Industries Ltd, Professor Sarah Cartmell and Professor Andrew McBain, whose collaboration has developed plastic-free clinical disinfection wipes for healthcare.

From enzymes to the stage: Manchester’s spinouts step into the spotlight

Manchester to Market filled the ground floor of University Place with spinouts supported by The University of Manchester Innovation Factory, whose portfolio now numbers around 84 companies worth an estimated £400–500 million. The ventures exhibiting were at very different stages. Among them, Imperagen uses an AI-led robotic lab to engineer enzymes for manufacturers. GiFT, an electromagnetic guidance system for tracheostomy procedures, improved needle accuracy fourfold in trials on mannequins, and its team estimates it could save the NHS around £50 million a year. Not every venture was a technology: Tiny Human Dramas turns anthropological research into short pieces of theatre.

“If it hadn’t been for the Innovation Factory, I wouldn’t have known I belonged in this space… In the arts, a little bit of attention and a little bit of funding goes a long way. The more of us that are in this scene, the more it’ll feel like this is innovation, of a particular kind.” — Megan Rose Donnelly, Lecturer in Social Anthropology and founder of Tiny Human Dramas

The innovation ecosystem backing Manchester’s bright ideas

The Powerhouse of Innovation Showcase in the Whitworth Hall brought together some 25 of the teams, programmes and partners that help ideas grow across the University, and one new collaboration showcased one way in which those pieces can connect. The Innovate UK ICURe programme, ran across the North from The University of Manchester, helps “commercially curious” academics find out whether there is a real market for their research by getting out and talking to potential customers, investors and regulators. Starting later this month, ICURe’s latest local endeavour will bring cohorts of materials researchers at the Henry Royce Institute together with business mentors and potential customers, adding commercial know-how to the equipment and expertise Royce already opens up to researchers, spinouts, and SMEs.

“The best part of this job is, without a shadow of a doubt, talking to these entrepreneurial leads and seeing their personal development growth… to see the light bulb come on above their head.” — Veronica Ferguson, Head of Regional Hub Operations Manager, Innovate UK ICURe

“Don’t put risk-averseness in front of innovation… In order to innovate, in order to keep moving, we’ve got to expand our boundaries… We’ve got to have the freedom to think, the freedom to challenge, the freedom to question and test. Those are the core fundamentals.” — Saeed Adam, Client Relations Manager, Executive Education, Alliance Manchester Business School

Inaugural Partnership Excellence Awards celebrate Manchester's collaborators

The University celebrated its most impactful collaborations on Wednesday evening at the inaugural Partnership Excellence Awards, held at the Whitworth Art Gallery as part of the Innovation Festival.

Organised by the Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange team, directed by Dr Louise Bates, the awards drew more than 120 nominations. The joyous event brought 25 shortlisted partnerships together, adding an extra layer of connection between academics, industry, public sector and community collaborators.

Congratulations to everyone, especially each category winner:

• Regional Partnership – United Utilities with Prof. Tim Foster, Department of Civil Engineering and Management.
• Social Enterprise Partnership – One World Together with Prof. Nicola Banks, Global Development Institute, School of Environment, Education and Development.
• Strategic Alliance – Boots/No 7 with Prof. Michael Sherratt and Dr Abigail Langton, School of Biological Sciences.
• Small Business Partnership – Saraco Industries Ltd with Prof. Sarah Cartmell and Prof. Andrew McBain, Department of Materials and School of Biological Sciences.
• Research collaboration – FUJIFILM with Prof. Alan Dickson
• Academic Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange Champion – Dr Thomas Bannan.
• Business Partner Rising Star – Dr Milo Harries.

The multidisciplinary partnership with Saraco Industries also won the Partnership of the Year Award. The relationship began with an award-winning Knowledge Exchange Partnership in 2021 that advanced materials science, biophysics and microbiology expertise into the business, enabling development of plastic-free clinical disinfection wipes that met stringent EN standards. The partnership deepened with further projects to on formulation development and collaboration on a clear, data-driven R&D roadmap. A second KTP is now developing bacteriophage-infused wipes for healthcare applications.

Professor John Holden, Vice-President for Civic Engagement and Innovation, said: “Partnership working depends on brave people.” The University applauds all the pioneers and risk-takers nominated for these awards.

Read the full awards story story.

Announcements and developments

• On Tuesday evening, the University celebrated the completion of William Kay House, putting innovation at the heart of campus and creating a new home for Unit M.

Manchester 2035: voices from the Festival

“If by 2035 we can tangibly say that, through the things we’ve supported, we have improved quality of lives, through environmental and social impact, I would feel extremely proud.” — Catherine Headley, Chief Executive Officer, The University of Manchester Innovation Factory

“I’d love one of our spinouts to get to the scale where they’re employing 10,000 people. It’s about jobs, and the impact that has. For me, that’s what it’s all about.” — Nic Gowland, Portfolio Director, The University of Manchester Innovation Factory

“Next month we’ll use it in patients in hospital… This could actually save people’s lives.” — Professor Andy Weightman, Professor of Medical Mechatronics, The University of Manchester, on his hopes for the GiFT guidance system

Around the Festival

Beyond the core events, the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre hosted an Enterprise Educators UK exchange event on partner-enabled learning, bringing together academics, University colleagues, students and industry representatives to explore how industry partnerships can be built into enterprise and entrepreneurship education. At Contact Theatre, Creative Manchester’s Re-imagining Innovation: The Value of Creative Practices, part of The Cultural Welcome festival, explored how creative writers and artists approach ideas about innovation – a fitting companion to the theatre of Tiny Human Dramas at Manchester to Market.

Coming up

On Thursday 8 October, the Cambridge x Manchester Partnership Innovation Summit brings founders, researchers, investors and policymakers to Sister / Renold Building (8.45am–1.30pm), followed by the invite-only Investor Summit (1.30pm–5pm).

University founders then pitch at Manchester Venture Builder Demo Day 2026, also at Sister (5pm–8.30pm), while Holiferm’s co-founders share their story at The Founders Playbook, Manchester Museum (5pm–7pm).

Fringe events include:

• Growing Change: Social Innovation from the Ground Up
• Social Enterprise Innovation in Public Services
• Inclusive Innovation for People and Planet
• Beyond the Hearing Loop: How Auracast is Transforming Accessibility at Manchester.

Unlocking ideas with Manchester’s future innovators

MEC Ideas Unlocked, a hands-on event at University Place, brought together students from across the University to explore what it means to think and act like an entrepreneur. Masood Entrepreneurship Centre’s Louise Taylor, Enterprise Manager, and Dan Syder, Ecosystem Development Manager, worked with students in groups as they identified a problem, brainstormed solutions, and shaped their thinking using the MEC Business Model Canvas.

For many, it was a first taste of enterprise: "Usually we have lots of ideas, but we don't know how to structure them, how to convert them into a business," said Prem Todeti, a first-year renewable energy master's student.

The event reflects MEC's university-wide remit — and its momentum. Director Lee Pugalis said the Centre has almost trebled business formation over five years, with over 80 businesses created in the last year alone.

"I never would have met any of these individuals had I not come to the event. It just demonstrated the importance of people from all over the world having different ideas, but you can still come together and make one solid foundation." — Darcey Cornish, final-year International Management student, Alliance Manchester Business School

"Today’s event showed me that every problem has a solution. Collectively, we can work together and do better." — Dr. Soumya Pujar, Master's in Public Health student, University of Manchester

Rooted in the North, global in mindset

The strongest spin-outs think globally from day one. That was the consensus at Northern Gritstone's panel at the Whitworth Art Gallery, which explored how northern start-ups can scale worldwide without losing their regional roots. From life sciences to battery technology, panellists agreed that companies go global because their innovations meet real customer needs around the world.

But global ambition need not mean leaving the North behind. Dr Nicola Broughton, Chair of University of Liverpool spin-out Extentus Pharma, said a company can run sales and a commercial hub in the United States while keeping its research base in the UK. Northern roots also carry growing weight. As Professor Sam Butterworth, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Manchester spin-out Apini Therapeutics, put it: "I think our Manchester origin builds on reputation. There is great science coming out of the Northwest."

One panellist was missing for the best possible reason. Dr Tim Echtermeyer, founder of PhovIR Technologies, a spin-out from the University's Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre, was in California meeting investors to secure the company's next funding round.

“Recruiting people with experience, I think, is the most important thing you can do to grow globally. If you get that flywheel going, that's what's really exciting.” — Joanne Hosker, Head of NG Innovation Services, Northern Gritstone

Founders find clearer routes to grow at Sister

If the Whitworth panel showed how far Manchester's strongest ventures can go, Founder Momentum Day showed how entrepreneurs take the first steps. Back for a second edition at Sister, the innovation hub on the University's former North Campus, the day connected early-stage founders with peers and more specialist advice.

Getting ready for investment was a recurring theme. In a workshop on investor readiness, Adam Clayton of GM Business Growth Hub said that investors are now backing the founder as much as the product. So, transparency, resilience and a well-organised data room, count as much as the pitch deck. He urged founders to name their rivals rather than avoid them: "Competition is good because it shows there's money to be made."

“Days like this matter for AI founders like me. You can build something technically brilliant, but you only learn how to win people’s trust by talking to customers, advisers, and other founders.” – Leyla Ari, AI entrepreneur

The afternoon's Silicon Sessions, hosted by Lewis Sayes of Silicon Mingle, swapped pitching for problem-solving. Three founders each shared a real challenge, then experts and peers worked through solutions together, including Karim Bahou, Head of Innovation at Sister, and specialists in marketing, commercial law and grant funding. "We always like to present our businesses as perfect," Sayes said. "That’s why I enjoy doing this so much, because it changes that around."

The support continues after the day. Sister runs free Thursday evening gatherings and co-working space for founders, Silicon Mingle holds a monthly mixer on the last Wednesday of each month, and Founder Momentum Day returns in a few months. As Will Pretsell of Evolve Speakers told the room at the close, "Your business is only going to grow as far as you push it.”

Manchester 2035: voices from the Festival

“Students are our most powerful innovators. So, if every student was graduating with an entrepreneurial mindset... it could be well in excess of 50,000 students. That talent pipeline is the biggest impact we can have in terms of innovation.” — Lee Pugalis, Director, Masood Entrepreneurship Centre

Coming up

Wednesday’s sessions: Manchester to Market, 09:30–13:00, Ground Floor, University Place and Powerhouse of Innovation Showcase, 11:00–16:00, Whitworth Hall.

Waitlist available: AI Innovation Café

The Partnership Excellence Awards will celebrate outstanding collaborations, partnerships and knowledge exchange activity that deliver impact across The University of Manchester and beyond… (Invite only.)

That streak of rebellion, the instinct to question the rules, try something different and find another way has remained a defining feature of an exciting and innovative career.

Lomax says studying Liberal Studies in Science at The University of Manchester in the 1960s changed the course of his life. It was a degree that combined pure science with subjects including technology, economics and the history of innovation.

“I just wanted to be an entrepreneur and build things, I love business. Manchester had the Atlas 1 computer, which weighed more than two tonnes. It was fascinating, I learned to programme and that became a transformational part of my life”.

After graduating, he took that knowledge into industry, exploring how computers could transform traditional engineering.

In the 1980s, he helped turn Misys, a small technology software company, into a global business employing thousands. In 1998, it became the first UK IT company to enter the FTSE 100.

Five decades on from that first trip to The University of Manchester as a student, Kevin Lomax has returned-this time with a £1m gift to the Founders Fund. The University of Manchester has pledged a further £2m to the fund to help students, staff and graduates access early-stage investment for innovation and business.

The University of Manchester has set an initial goal to raise £10m for The Founders Fund through philanthropic donations.

The investment will address a critical funding gap facing students, staff, and alumni entrepreneurs as they turn ideas into viable high growth companies.

The Fund is part of Challenge Accepted, the University’s ambitious initiative bringing together its global community to tackle major challenges, unlock new ideas and turn innovation into positive impact.

For Lomax, the crucial word is early.

He has spent much of his career investing in early-stage technology companies and has seen first-hand how a relatively small amount of money at the right moment can make a difference to an idea becoming a successful business.

One investment he describes has since reached a valuation of billions of dollars. But four years earlier, the company needed just $150,000 to get started.

“If it didn’t get the $150,000, it wouldn’t have got off the ground” he says.

That, Lomax argues, is the gap the Founders Fund can help address.

“The earliest stage of building a company is also one of the riskiest, 8 out of 10 early ventures may fail. That is precisely why conventional investors can be reluctant to provide the first funding."

Lomax believes that risk is essential.

“That's where the future is. New companies are where much of the future economic growth and job creation will come from. Established businesses can become more efficient and grow steadily, but it is often new businesses that have the potential to grow rapidly and create entirely new markets.”

The Founders Fund is more than simply writing cheques. It is about creating the opportunity to test an idea, learn, adapt and, crucially, sometimes fail. The courage to change direction is something Lomax understands from his own experience.

Misys began with a different ambition. Initially, Lomax wanted to develop computer-aided design technology, but he realised that the company could not build the momentum to compete effectively in the American market. He changed course, turning instead to insurance software.

For today’s entrepreneur, he believes the lesson is simple: don’t become so attached to the original idea that you fail to recognise when the market is telling you to change.

“You start off with one aim, but you quickly recognise that actually you’re going in the wrong direction, and you need to have a different one.”

There are many lessons to learn in business. For Lomax, a fundamental one is that people matter more than ideas.

When he considers investing in an early-stage technology company, he says the first thing he looks at is the people.

“You can have the best idea in the world, but if you don’t have the skill set to deliver on that it won’t succeed. And that means recognising your own limitations.”

For highly technical minds, it could mean bringing in people who understand sales, markets, finance or how to turn brilliant technology into a commercial proposition.

“Understand what needs to be done and trust in the right people to do it.”

The Founders Fund will be launched at the beginning of a week-long programme of activity across The University of Manchester’s inaugural Innovation Festival.

High-potential ventures are expected to typically receive investments of £25,000 to £250,000, in return for a small, non-controlling equity stake. The call for applications is expected to open in January 2027.

Lomax says there is so much to celebrate about Manchester - its innovation, cultural diversity, and welcoming spirit. For him, bringing entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, and students together is valuable because nobody knows where the next idea will come from.

“Innovation requires people to put ideas on the table, challenge them and see what happens.”

Lomax fondly remembers doing just that in the early days of his career.

“We would finish work and head to the pub, where they would debate what the company should do next.”

“It was a very creative process where people were coming up with ideas all the time, obviously not all good.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“The important thing is creating an environment where people feel able to suggest something different.”

The University used the opening day of the Innovation Festival to launch A Powerhouse of Innovation, a delivery plan designed to help create “Europe’s most inclusive and impactful innovation ecosystem” by 2035 as part of the University’s Strategy to 2035. The plan sets out how the University will broaden innovation beyond technology transfer and spinouts to include partnerships, skills, communities and social impact.

Announcing a new £10 million University Founders Fund to help students, staff and alumni turn promising ideas into viable businesses, Professor Aline Miller, Associate Vice-President for Enterprise and Chief Scientific Officer at Unit M at The University of Manchester, said: “Innovation is for everyone, and it’s not just about technology. It’s about doing new things, new ways.” Professor John Holden, Vice-President for Civic Engagement and Innovation and Chief Executive Officer, Unit M added: “We like to talk about those $1 billion unicorns. But innovation is really about helping solve societal challenges.” He aspired to Manchester becoming home to the first “social unicorn” using innovation to improve one billion people’s lives.

Founder and University of Manchester board member at Mattillion, Matt Scullion agreed that Manchester is poised for success in the global community by 2035: “It’s a lovely turnabout that I think other city regions in the UK and Europe are looking to Manchester as this beacon of innovation and growth. And, you know, that’s not been an overnight thing, but it’s also not stopping.”

Planning for Manchester as a centre for inclusive innovation

A panel chaired by Elvira Uyarra, Professor of Innovation Studies at Alliance Manchester Business School and Executive Director of the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, asked how the University’s ambition for Europe’s most inclusive innovation ecosystem might translate into delivery. Dr Julian Skyrme, Executive Director of Social Responsibility and Civic Engagement, framed inclusion around three questions—innovation for whom, by whom, and how—arguing that affected communities must help shape decisions.

Professor Johannes Glückler (University of Munich) urged Manchester to build relationships between currently disconnected sectors, citing Coventry’s linking of automotive and gaming clusters. Professor Meric Gertler (University of Toronto) said research excellence alone does not guarantee local benefit, but universities can deliberately change that, backed by “local, patient” capital.

Lisa Dale-Clough, Director Economy at Greater Manchester Combined Authority, highlighted the Atom Valley innovation district in Rochdale and said inclusive innovation must improve job quality and solve local problems.

Manchester's impact in early-stage ventures

From life sciences spinouts to next-generation diagnostics, innovators at the Festival shared what it takes to turn promising research into real-world solutions. Dr Alexander Stokes, a founder of Imprinted Diagnostics, described his mission to build a portable blood-testing platform based on innovative molecular imprinted polymer technology. He’s grown the company from a two-person team to a wider network of 30 collaborators and is now looking to the US for investors. Professor Sam Butterworth (Apini Therapeutics) highlighted how University support, translational funding and investor backing helped transform early-stage research into a multimillion-pound venture now advancing towards clinical trials. Across the session, speakers emphasised the importance of collaboration, persistence and learning from setbacks. As Matt Scullion, founder of Manchester AI and data unicorn Matillion, reflected: “We've got this deep reservoir of academic and scientific expertise here... I think we can figure out ways to put it together and build the consequential companies of tomorrow better.”

Announcements and developments

• The University of Manchester is launching a £10m Founders Fund to provide crucial pre-seed investment for the next generation of entrepreneurs. Read the full story.

Coming up

Students at Manchester won’t want to miss Tuesday’s MEC Ideas Unlocked event, 10:00-16:00, The Atrium, University Place. Find out more → https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ideas-unlocked-tickets-1994566716742

Join one of Tuesday’s fringe sessions, including a panel session “Building companies that are rooted in the North but Global in mindset” sponsored by Northern Gritstone, 10:15-12:00, Whitworth Art Gallery. Reserve your spot → https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/building-companies-that-are-rooted-in-the-north-but-global-in-mindset-tickets-1999374881091

The University has set an initial goal of raising £10 million for the Fund, predominantly through philanthropic support.

So far, the Founders Fund has received a £2m commitment from the University and a £1m philanthropic gift from alumnus and technology entrepreneur Kevin Lomax.

The announcement marks the beginning of a week-long programme of activity across the University's inaugural Innovation Festival.

The Founders Fund will address a critical funding gap facing students, staff, and alumni entrepreneurs as they turn ideas into viable businesses. Alongside investment, founders will be connected to Unit M’s wider innovation ecosystem, giving them access to support, expertise, and networks as they launch and grow their ventures. As ventures develop, they will be better positioned to attract further private investment, including potential seed-stage backing from investors such as Northern Gritstone.

It will provide founder-friendly equity investment to high-potential start up and spin out ventures affiliated with the University, helping entrepreneurs launch and grow ambitious companies, attract follow-on private investment, and retain entrepreneurial talent within the region.

The Fund is part of Challenge Accepted, the University’s ambitious initiative bringing together it’s global community to tackle major challenges, unlock new ideas and turn innovation into positive impact.

Returns from successful investment will be reinvested in future ventures, helping to support successive generations of university entrepreneurs.

Over time, the Fund will contribute to the University’s ambition to create Europe’s most inclusive and impactful innovation ecosystem by 2035, while generating lasting financial, economic, and reputational value for the University and the region.

Professor Aline Miller, Associate Vice President (Enterprise) and CSO, Unit M at The University of Manchester, said:

“I am incredibly excited to be launching the Founders Fund. It represents a strong commitment from the University to our innovation agenda and to backing talented students, colleagues and alumni who have the ambition to turn great ideas into high-growth ventures. I am looking forward to seeing the quality of ideas that come through the pipeline and helping more founders take their first steps towards impact.”

Kevin Lomax, University of Manchester alumnus and entrepreneur said:

“The University of Manchester has fantastic technology, research, and graduates, as well as an incredible culture and environment. I want to see it become a real heartbeat of the UK. I hope the Founders Fund will help create a legacy, supporting entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into businesses, creating jobs, and helping drive economic growth.”

Investments are expected to range from £25,000 to £250,000, typically in exchange for a small, non-controlling equity stake.

The inaugural call for applications is expected to open in January 2027.

End

Applications are now open for the second cohort of the Unit M deep tech accelerator: Greater Manchester’s programme for researchers, technical founders and early-stage ventures turning scientific and engineering breakthroughs into investment-ready ventures. 7–10 ventures will be selected, with applications open to eligible teams across Greater Manchester.

Delivered by Unit M, The University of Manchester's innovation unit, and backed by Greater Manchester Investment Zone funding, the programme runs from November 2026 to April 2027. Applications close 19 October 2026.

The deep tech accelerator is designed specifically for founders and researchers developing technologies rooted in significant scientific discoveries or engineering advances.

Unlike traditional startup programmes, it focuses on the unique challenges associated with commercialising deep tech innovations, helping participants navigate the journey from breakthrough research to investable business.

Many early-stage deep tech innovations need focused support to navigate the journey from research and development to commercial and societal impact.

Earlier in 2026, cohort 1 supported 10 deep tech ventures from across the University and the region working on next-generation health technologies, clean energy, advanced materials, agritech and space technologies.

Patrick Sarsfield, Founder and CEO of Graphene Thermal, and a member of the deep tech accelerator cohort #, said: “The Unit M deep tech accelerator is what we needed to prepare ourselves to be investment ready. All of the mentorship and guidance that we’ve had has come through the university support system. It’s really been at the centre of getting this business off the ground.”

Tim Bailey, Founder and CEO of WarmTronics, and a member of the deep tech accelerator cohort #1, said: “The accelerator helped us move forward in our commercialisation journey. Funding allowed us to do marketing and customer discovery that we initially wouldn't be able to afford. Off the back of that, we did an exhibition in London, we met with a major supermarket chain and we're now looking at trialling our products with them.”

Why apply?

Teams selected for cohort #2 of the programme will receive £25,000 in equity-free funding, alongside dedicated commercialisation support, access to specialist mentors and industry experts, customer discovery and market validation frameworks, and training on how to pitch effectively to investors.

Each venture will also benefit from support from experienced University of Manchester MBA students and the opportunity to present to investors and strategic partners at a dedicated demo day.

The programme is open to researchers, founders and spinouts from universities across Greater Manchester, as well as technical founders from the region's wider deep tech community. Building on the success of the inaugural cohort, cohort #2 will place an increased emphasis on engaging teams from across the city-region, reflecting a continued commitment to strengthening Greater Manchester's deep tech ecosystem.

What is deep tech?

Deep tech refers to technologies built on significant scientific discoveries or engineering advances that create new capabilities and solve real-world problems.

Areas of interest for the programme include:

· Advanced materials and manufacturing;

· Quantum technologies;

· Artificial intelligence and data infrastructure;

· Biotechnology and health technologies;

· Climate and energy technologies;

· Robotics and automation;

· And space and aerospace technologies.

Who is eligible?

We are looking for teams or individuals based in Greater Manchester who are ready to spend six months building towards investment. We are looking for:

• Researchers whose work has commercial potential you haven't yet acted on, or
• Technical founders with a working prototype or early validation.

Not sure if you’re eligible? Come along to our info sessions on 29 September and 12 October or ask us directly by emailing community@unit-m.co.uk. Or join us at the Powerhouse of Innovation Showcase on 7 October, during the Innovation Festival, where we will have a stand and can answer your questions.

Ready to apply?

Applications close 19 October 2026, with space for 7–10 teams in cohort #2.

Start your application

Further details on eligibility, information sessions and the application process are available via the deep tech accelerator page on Unit M’s website.

Key dates

• Applications close: 19 October 2026
• Information sessions: 29 September and 12 October 2026
• Programme delivery: November 2026 to April 2027

Why Greater Manchester, why now?

The deep tech accelerator is part of a wider ambition to make Greater Manchester a leading hub for deep tech innovation, supported through the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s (GMCA) Investment Zone funding. It is designed to help strengthen the region’s growing deep tech ecosystem by connecting founders with expertise, networks and opportunities for growth.

Bridging the gap between research and commercialisation, the programme provides the expertise, connections and support needed to help turn deep tech innovation into investable businesses with the potential for significant societal and economic impact.

The University of Manchester and the Jeremy Coller Foundation have announced the finalists for the Coller AI Competition with one early-stage venture set to receive a £100,000 equity investment to help turn it’s responsible AI innovation into a growing venture.

The competition attracted applicants from student, colleagues and alumni and brings together the University’s research strength, entrepreneurial talent and commitment to responsible innovation. It aims to identify and support founders developing AI solutions that are not only commercially promising but designed to benefit people and society.

The shortlisted Teams are:

Health Equity Chain

Health Equity Chain is building the Treatment Analyser System, an AI tool that helps doctors and patients make better prostate cancer treatment decisions. It shows a patient where they stand among people like them, making complex clinical information clear, understandable and equitable.

LanthaGen Bio Ltd

LanthaGen Bio has built an AI platform that simulates how biomolecules (proteins and peptides) bind metals, so new metal capturing proteins can be designed on a computer instead of found by trial and error. By drastically shortening the process it removes the energy, chemicals, plastic and solvent waste that repeated screening consumes.

SporeSense

SporeSense has built an AI-powered early-warning system that detects crop disease before any symptoms are visible. This lets farmers act early, cutting crop losses, reducing unnecessary pesticide use, and supporting more resilient, sustainable food production as climate change increases pressure on global agriculture.

SenseVale

SenseVale makes smart glasses that help blind and partially sighted people independently navigate their surroundings with minimal assistance. Sensors in the frame pick up what is around you, and the glasses tell you what they find through sound and vibration.

Forkprint Ltd

Forkprint is developing AI-enabled models that analyse any given food business’ data, such as recipes, menus and supplier information, to provide accurate greenhouse gas emissions GHGE information. This will enable food service businesses to assess and track the GHGE coming from their ingredients and food preparation processes, as well as rapidly develop lower-carbon recipes.

The initiative forms part of The University of Manchester’s Challenge Accepted campaign, which supports ideas with the potential to tackle major global challenges.

The Coller AI Competition is supported by the Jeremy Coller Foundation, the philanthropic vehicle of private equity entrepreneur Jeremy Coller. The Foundation supports initiatives focused on education, entrepreneurship, pensions innovation and the transition to a more sustainable food system. By supporting ambitious ideas, the Foundation helps drive lasting change and empowers the next generation of innovators and problem solvers.

The winner will be announced at The University of Manchester Innovation Festival on the 9^th of October 2026.

The University of Manchester Innovation Festival takes place Monday 5th October to Friday 9th October 2026

https://www.manchester.ac.uk/collaborate/innovation-festival/events/?utm_source=insider&utm_medium=digital_newsletter&utm_campaign=innovationfestival26

The results demonstrate renewed momentum in the commercialisation of research originating from The University of Manchester (UoM), as the institution puts increasing focus on innovation as part of its ambitious 2035 Strategy.

As the University's dedicated technology transfer office, the Innovation Factory works with researchers to develop early-stage ideas, helping identify commercial potential, protect intellectual property and determine the best route to market. Its support continues through licensing and spinout creation, investment readiness and the longer-term development of companies within its portfolio.

The 11 new spinouts reflect the breadth of research and innovation taking place across the University:

• Grid Stability Ltd, building AI-driven stability assessment tools for modern power systems, reducing cost and carbon while improving stability.
• Lutèo Medical Ltd, developing new clinical eczema solutions based on microbiome science.
• SpinOr Ltd, pioneering a compact and modular superconducting quantum computer design.
• Imprinted Diagnostics Ltd, developing rapid diagnostics, with its first product focused on heart attack triage.
• ColoriQuo Ltd, developing sustainable structural colour technologies inspired by nature.
• FLAG-Me SAFE Ltd, creating digital safeguarding tools to help pharmacies better support people with sight and hearing impairments.
• Pacentrica Ltd, creating digital technologies for pain assessment and long-term pain management.
• Precica Ltd, developing technology to significantly reduce data storage requirements while keeping information searchable and accessible.
• InformiX Pharma Ltd, using advanced three-dimensional imaging to improve the development and manufacture of medicines.
• Zenithym Ltd, commercialising semiconducting polymer nanoparticles for a range of industrial and medical applications.
• C3 Biotechnologies Ltd, converting industrial waste streams into sustainable chemicals and high-value products.

Dr Catherine Headley, CEO of the University of Manchester Innovation Factory, said:

“This has been an incredible year for the Innovation Factory and the results reflect the breadth and quality of innovation emerging from across the University, the strength of our spinout portfolio, and the quality of service that we provide. We are extremely proud of the progress that we have made this year as we build the foundations to play a key role in the University’s innovation plans.”

Investment and the next generation of opportunities

Companies across the Innovation Factory portfolio secured over £56 million in external investment during 2025/26, providing crucial capital needed to develop technologies, attract talent, establish partnerships and move towards commercial scale.

Alongside supporting its established spinout portfolio, the Innovation Factory continues to develop the pipeline of opportunities that could become the University’s future spinouts and licenses.

During 2025/26, the team supported over 300 researchers from across the University’s schools and faculties at the early stages of commercialisation, helping them explore opportunities to create positive impact, develop intellectual property strategies and identify the most appropriate commercial outcomes for their research. This represents the highest level of researcher engagement with the Innovation Factory in five years, reflecting significant growth in the number of individuals accessing commercialisation support.

Professor John Holden, Vice President for Innovation and Civic Engagement said:

“Commercialisation is an important part of translating research into wider economic and societal benefit and positive impact. These results show the value of the rich innovation ecosystem that we are establishing in Manchester and the expertise within the Innovation Factory allows us to support our researchers from the earliest stages.”

A growing innovation ecosystem

The Innovation Factory’s work is increasingly enhanced by a wider innovation ecosystem across the University and Greater Manchester.

In addition to the support from the Innovation Factory, staff, students and alumni can benefit from varied UoM specialist services and programmes including Unit M, Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange and the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre, alongside initiatives such as Ideas with Impact, developed by the University’s Division of Development and Alumni Relations.

To find out more about the Innovation Factory, visit www.uominnovationfactory.com [uominnovationfactory.com]

Key points

• In the age of AI, business communications start to look more alike.

• The researchers generated AI-augmented twins of more than 26,000 real-world crowdfunding campaign descriptions. Across the resulting AI-augmented versions, there was substantially less variation than across the original human-written narratives. Among other differences, the AI-rewritten pitches varied 43% less in how abstract their language was, and variation in length and writing quality fell by around 80%.

• As AI makes polished communications easier to produce, audiences likely develop more demanding expectations about the quality of these communications.

• Business owners may increasingly need to provide evidence for the claims they make about their businesses, as audiences become less willing to rely on plausible-sounding statements alone.

• Cultural competence and storytelling skills could even become more valuable, rather than less, as it becomes more challenging to craft effective business communications in the age of generative AI.

What the experts say

"Generative AI can support entrepreneurs in many aspects of storytelling, but it cannot substitute for the cultural understanding required to navigate an increasingly complex evaluative environment," said lead author Dr Karl Taeuscher from The University of Manchester’s Alliance Manchester Business School. "Business owners will still need to understand their audiences, recognise cultural expectations and know how to position their businesses in ways that are both credible and distinctive."

The researchers caution that the study presents a plausible scenario rather than a prediction, as both AI technology and social norms surrounding its use are changing rapidly. The analysis of AI-augmented crowdfunding descriptions is intended to illustrate the research’s central argument rather than to test it.

Publication details

The research was published in the journal Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/10422587261472523.

Key findings

• Presenteeism is no longer simply about going into work while sick - people can now work while unwell from home or elsewhere.
• Digital technology can make it harder to switch off, with employees potentially feeling pressure to remain available through email, messaging platforms and other workplace technology even outside normal working hours.
• Mental health needs to be recognised alongside physical illness when considering why people work while unwell, as existing research has focused heavily on physical sickness.
• Working while ill can take different forms - from completing a normal working day remotely to doing only urgent tasks or checking emails intermittently.
• Employers should consider whether workers have flexibility to reduce their hours or workload when ill, rather than treating working while sick as an inherently good or bad behaviour.

Presenteeism is no longer just about physical presence

The researchers propose redefining presenteeism as the “behaviour of attending work in the state of suboptimal health, with varied location choices and degree of engagement”.

This means that presenteeism should be understood not simply in terms of whether someone turns up to work, but also where they work, what health problem they are experiencing and how much effort they put into working.

The authors argue that existing approaches to measuring presenteeism are too narrow because they generally focus on how often people go to work despite being ill, or on the extent to which illness affects their productivity. Instead, they propose a three-dimensional framework based on health, location and engagement.

Eight ways of working while unwell

The first dimension considers whether presenteeism is triggered by a physical or mental health problem. The second considers whether someone works on-site or remotely. The third considers whether they work a full schedule with normal levels of engagement or reduce their hours and effort. Together, these dimensions produce eight different forms of presenteeism.

For example, an employee with a physical illness might go into the workplace and work a full day, while another might stay at home and only deal with urgent requests. Someone experiencing anxiety or depression could similarly work either remotely or on-site, with either full or reduced engagement.

The researchers say this approach could help distinguish between situations where working while ill may be harmful and situations where employees are able to adapt their work in ways that allow them to protect their health while meeting essential responsibilities.

The paper also highlights concerns about inequality in access to flexible working. Remote working is not available to everyone, meaning that some workers may be able to adapt their working arrangements when ill while others have little choice but to attend their workplace.

What the experts say

“The world of work has changed dramatically, but our understanding of what it means to work while sick has not necessarily kept pace with this transformation,” said Professor Cary Cooper, 50th Anniversary Professor of Organisational Psychology and Health at The University of Manchester. “Technology has given people much greater flexibility over where and when they work, but that flexibility can become a trap if employees feel they have to be available all the time.”

Making flexibility work for employees

The authors argue that future research should examine whether giving employees greater control over their location, working hours and workload can make presenteeism a more adaptive behaviour. They also call for greater attention to mental health-related presenteeism, which they say has been relatively neglected by existing research.

The researchers stress that working while sick should not automatically be regarded as either positive or negative. Instead, they argue that understanding how someone works while unwell - and the circumstances surrounding that decision - is essential to understanding its effects on health and performance.

The paper concludes that organisations need to strike a balance between maintaining performance and protecting employee wellbeing as digital technology continues to reshape the workplace.

Publication details

The paper was published in journal Health Psychology Research.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36922/HPR026130066

Key findings and recommendations

• China’s state support for green industries is effectively subsidising the global transition to a low-carbon economy.

• China has become dominant in the so-called ‘new three’ green technologies - batteries, electric vehicles and solar power.

• Attempts by countries such as the US and EU states to compete with China could slow the adoption of green technologies and increase the cost of decarbonisation.

• Governments increasingly face four broad choices - compete with China, cooperate with it, accept Chinese dominance, or abandon parts of the green transition.

• The UK should strengthen cooperation with China on green technologies rather than trying to compete directly.

• The UK should continue to avoid tariffs on Chinese green technologies and seek Chinese investment in UK manufacturing.

A global climate dilemma

The report says China now occupies a leading position across many of the technologies needed for the green transition including solar, wind, batteries, hydrogen and electric vehicles. Its dominance has helped drive down the cost of these technologies, but this has also created growing geopolitical and economic tensions.

“China’s dominance of green technology presents a fundamental dilemma for governments,” lead author Dr James Jackson of The University of Manchester’s Sustainable Consumption Institute. “The world needs these technologies to decarbonise, but efforts to compete with China risk making the transition more expensive and more difficult.”

The authors argue that countries should focus more heavily on cooperation - particularly where access to affordable green technologies is essential to meeting climate targets.

Opportunities for the UK

The report identifies green technology as an opportunity to improve UK-China relations following a period of strained diplomatic ties. It recommends that the UK should seek closer trading relationships with China, while maintaining the ability to challenge Beijing on other issues such as human rights.

Among its recommendations, the report says the UK should encourage Chinese EV manufacturers to establish production facilities in Britain, while using the country’s expertise in financial services to support investment in green technologies. It also recommends that the Bank of England consider measures used by China’s central bank to support the development of green industries.

Publication details

Subsidising Global Decarbonisation: China-UK Relations is published by The University of Manchester. Dr Jackson is the lead author, alongside Mathias Larsen of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics.

Key findings

• AI adoption is heavily concentrated in London, the South East and larger businesses, meaning its economic benefits could reinforce existing regional and productivity inequalities

• The country lacks the computing and energy infrastructure needed to deliver the Government’s ambitions, which could consume more than a quarter of the UK’s electricity

• Poor-quality, fragmented data and outdated IT systems could hamper AI adoption across government

• Skills shortages are holding back AI adoption, particularly among smaller businesses and in the public sector, despite years of government investment in digital skills

• AI is not a ‘magic bullet’ for Britain’s economic and public-service problems, and rapid expansion could create new environmental, social and governance risks

Unequal benefits and risks

Researchers Nathan Critch and Darcy Luke say years of short-term and fragmented policymaking by successive governments have left the UK with significant infrastructure and capacity gaps which could undermine Labour’s plans.

The Government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan includes plans to increase UK AI computing capacity twentyfold by 2030, develop AI Growth Zones, establish a National Data Library and expand the use of AI across government and the wider economy.

The researchers warn that the benefits of AI are unlikely to be shared evenly across the UK without policies specifically designed to encourage wider adoption.

Only 15% of UK businesses had adopted at least one AI technology in 2022, with adoption particularly concentrated among larger companies. AI adoption was highest in IT and telecommunications and legal services, while it was much lower in hospitality, health and retail - sectors which employ large numbers of people.

AI firms and businesses using AI are also heavily concentrated in London and the South East.

The study argues that this creates a risk that AI will make already productive businesses and regions even more productive, while areas and sectors which have struggled with low productivity are left further behind.

UK lacks infrastructure for AI boom

The UK currently has only around 3% of the world’s computational power - much of which is not optimised for AI - leaving the country dependent on cloud computing provided by large technology companies.

The researchers warn that expanding computing capacity will place enormous demands on the UK’s energy infrastructure. They estimate that a twentyfold increase in UK computing capacity could increase the energy consumed by AI infrastructure from around 3.6 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2020 to 72 TWh – more than a quarter of the UK’s total electricity consumption.

This creates a tension between the Government’s AI ambitions and its commitment to reaching net zero, particularly given constraints in the electricity grid and limited energy storage capacity. The researchers also highlight the water required to cool data centres as a potential environmental constraint.

Poor data and outdated technology

The study identifies the quality and accessibility of government data as another major obstacle. A National Audit Office survey found that 62% of responding government bodies identified a lack of access to good-quality data as a major barrier to implementing AI. Government data is often held in fragmented systems and legacy IT infrastructure, while data held by local authorities can be siloed across incompatible systems.

The researchers argue that these problems will make it difficult to deliver the Government’s plans for AI-enabled public services without significant investment in underlying digital infrastructure. They also warn that the public sector faces persistent digital skills shortages, with problems particularly acute in local government.

Skills shortages could limit AI adoption

Despite a relatively strong range of AI-related training in the UK, demand for AI skills continues to outstrip supply.

Smaller businesses are particularly disadvantaged because larger companies can offer higher salaries and attract workers with scarce AI expertise. The researchers also highlight a lack of in-work training, vocational education and further education provision compared with the emphasis placed on higher education.

These problems could limit the Government’s ambitions to use AI to improve productivity across the economy and make public services more efficient.

Decade of AI policy leaves UK with major gaps

The researchers argue that Labour’s approach is part of almost a decade of increasingly active government policy on AI, stretching back through the Conservative governments of Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. They describe this pattern as “hyperactive incrementalism” - characterised by short-termism, fragmentation, limited evaluation and repeated policy initiatives.

While the UK has developed an internationally significant AI sector, the researchers say this should not be confused with widespread adoption of AI across the economy.

Successive governments have focused heavily on developing the UK’s AI sector, they argue, but have been less successful at encouraging businesses and public services across the country to adopt AI. The result is a significant gap between the Government’s ambitions for AI and the infrastructure, skills and organisational capacity needed to deliver them.

AI is not a ‘magic bullet’

The researchers argue that there is currently little evidence that AI can, by itself, deliver the broad improvements in productivity, government efficiency and public services envisaged by policymakers.

They also warn that rapid AI expansion could create new problems, including threats to data protection and civil liberties, surveillance, deskilling and unemployment, and increased environmental pressures.

What the researchers say

“AI adoption is currently concentrated in the businesses, sectors and regions that are already among the most productive,” said Darcy Luke from The University of Edinburgh’s BRAID (Bridging Responsible AI Divides) Research Programme. “Without policies that encourage much wider adoption, there is a real risk that AI will reinforce existing inequalities rather than reduce them.”

The researchers conclude that while Labour’s plans represent the most comprehensive attempt by a UK Government to harness AI, the scale and depth of the barriers involved mean that AI may ultimately become “another problem for an already problem-laden government, rather than the solution it is hoped to be.”

Publication details

The paper was published in the journal The Political Quarterly.

DOI: 10.1111/1467-923X.70019

The week-long Festival will celebrate and showcase the people, partnerships and ideas that are helping to shape the future through research, enterprise and collaboration.

Through hands-on workshops, live demonstrations, awards, talks and networking opportunities, attendees will have the chance to explore Manchester’s vibrant and globally connected innovation ecosystem and discover how ideas are translated into real-world impact.

Professor Aline Miller, Associate Vice-President for Enterprise at The University of Manchester said: “Innovation happens when brilliant people, ideas and partnerships come together. The University of Manchester Innovation Festival is an opportunity to showcase the extraordinary innovation taking place across our University and to connect our researchers, students, entrepreneurs, partners and investors with new opportunities to collaborate.

“Aligned with our Manchester 2035 strategy - From Manchester, for the World - the Festival reflects our ambition to turn world-leading ideas into real-world impact that delivers benefits for people, places and communities locally and globally."

Whether developing a new idea, looking for collaborators, exploring investment opportunities or simply curious about innovation, attendees will be able to connect with experts, innovators, students, funders and partners from across the University and beyond.

Register your interest

Registration details, speakers and the full programme will be announced in the coming months.

Register your interest and sign up for updates at https://www.manchester.ac.uk/collaborate/innovation-festival/

Pathways for Growth and Prosperity: A Blueprint for Skills Development in Greater Manchester outlines how partners can work more closely together to better understand local skills needs, create clearer routes into employment, and ensure learners can access the opportunities that are right for them. It has been developed alongside Greater Manchester's Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) and coincides with the United Nation’s World Youth Skills Day.

Drawing on the first combined analysis of further education, higher education and employer demand data across Greater Manchester, the report provides a detailed, evidence-based picture of current and future skills needs across the city-region.

Professor John Holden, The University of Manchester’s Vice-President for Civil Engagement and Innovation said: "This report is an important step forward in developing a more connected skills system for Greater Manchester. It is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when universities, colleges, employers and public sector partners work together.

“At The University of Manchester, developing the skills and talent our city region needs is central to delivering our Manchester 2035 strategy. By working with partners to strengthen pathways into learning and employment, we can play our part in creating a more inclusive and prosperous Greater Manchester, ensuring that more people and businesses can benefit from the opportunities being created in our city region.

“We look forward to continuing to work with our partners across Greater Manchester to turn the report's recommendations into action."

Andy Dainty, Manchester Metropolitan University's Vice Provost and Pro-Vice Chancellor Education, who co-led the project, said: “Our new report sets out practical recommendations to help ensure that post-16 education and training provision is shaped by local demand, supports priority sectors and responds to the changing needs of employers and learners.

“At its heart, this work is about increasing options at Level 4 and 5 (advanced vocational qualifications that build specialist skills), strengthening pathways into skilled employment, and ensuring people can access learning that is right for them.

“Grounded in evidence and developed alongside the Local Skills Improvement Plan, this collaboration brings post-16 providers together around a common goal – to deliver skills provision that is rooted in local need, responsive to employer demand, and focused on improving outcomes for learners and communities.”

Julia Heap, Chair of GMColleges, said: “This report is an important step towards creating a more joined-up skills system for Greater Manchester. By bringing together partners from across education, employers and the public sector, it sets out a shared approach to developing the skills our economy needs.

“GMColleges is proud to have supported this work, which recognises that collaboration is key to creating clearer pathways into skilled employment and supporting inclusive growth across the city region.”

The report’s recommendations are centred on four priorities:

1. A single, integrated data system: Creating a shared, Greater Manchester-wide view of learner journeys from education into employment, to enable better planning and accountability.

2. A coordinated approach to careers and pathways: Providing a single source of truth for learners, improving understanding of both academic and technical routes and supporting informed choices.

3. Employer voice embedded throughout the system: Moving to a more systematic, region-wide approach to employer involvement in curriculum design, delivery and progression.

4. Flexible, modular pathways across institutions: Enabling learners to move between colleges and universities, build skills over time, and access short, industry-aligned learning.

The recommendations are designed to support Greater Manchester's ambitions for good growth by helping learners access opportunities in key sectors while ensuring employers can recruit and retain the talent they need.

They are closely aligned with the overarching priorities of the LSIP, ensuring that post-16 education and training provision responds effectively to local skills needs. In particular, the recommendations address employer-identified challenges around increasing employer engagement with the skills system and training uptake, and enhancing careers education, information, advice and guidance (IAG).

As set out in the report, learners currently face disjointed pathways and unclear progression routes, particularly for non-traditional Level 6 options; curriculum can struggle to keep pace with rapidly changing employer skills needs; data is inconsistent and disconnected, limiting system-wide insight; and alternative pathways at Levels 4 and 5 remain small in scale.

At the same time, analysis shows strong foundations to build on. University enrolments in priority sectors have grown 29% since 2019/20 and an average of 40% of graduates remain in city region – retaining more Greater Manchester graduates than any other region attracts. These graduates go on to secure full-time employment within 15 months of graduation.

Nicola McLeod, Director of Education, Work and Skills at Greater Manchester Combined Authority, said: “Greater Manchester has a clear ambition: we want residents to gain the skills they need to move into good jobs, while supporting employers to build the workforce they need to grow. 

“This report reflects Greater Manchester at its best, bringing together employers, colleges, universities and partners behind a shared vision for how we develop the skills, education and training our city region needs.  

“By listening to what businesses need and acting on the same evidence, we can align learning with real jobs, give residents clearer routes into good careers and ensure even more people benefit from the opportunities being created across our city region.” 

Emma Holt, President and in-coming CEO of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce said: “Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce is delighted to be a partner in this important piece of work. As the Employer Representative Body for the region’s Local Skills Improvement Plan, we are acutely aware of the skills challenges businesses and employers face, and the need for continued action to solve these issues, which is fundamental to the prosperity of the city region.

“This report is another example of collaboration between key stakeholders, and, aligning with the Local Skills Improvement Plan, includes the systematic embedding of the employer voice as a core recommendation.”

The University of Manchester has launched a new responsible AI competition in partnership with the Jeremy Coller Foundation, offering a £100,000 equity investment to support one promising early-stage venture from its global community of students, staff and alumni.

Applications are now open for the Coller AI Competition, which is designed to help innovators develop ventures with real-world potential – ensuring technology empowers rather than excludes. The competition will support solutions that use AI in ways that are fair, transparent, sustainable and focused on social benefit. The winner will benefit from the opportunity to work closely with the Jeremy Coller Foundation team to develop their venture.

The initiative forms part of the University’s Challenge Accepted campaign, which champions ideas with the potential to tackle major global challenges.

Backed by Manchester alumnus and philanthropist Jeremy Coller, the competition brings together the University’s research strength, entrepreneurial talent and commitment to responsible innovation. It aims to identify and support founders developing AI solutions that are not only commercially promising but designed to benefit people and society.

Finalists will pitch their ventures at the University’s Innovation Festival in October, where the winner will be selected to receive the £100,000 investment.

Professor Aline Miller, Associate Vice President (Enterprise) at The University of Manchester, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to back one early-stage venture with the support and investment needed to develop responsible AI with real-world potential. We’re looking for founders who want to build something purposeful, practical and capable of making a positive difference.”

Jeremy Coller said, “The AI revolution is already changing and shaping our world at a dizzying speed. Used smartly and responsibly AI can be the key that unlocks solutions to some of the greatest challenges facing this planet, and the Coller AI Competition will help Manchester students, staff and alumni turn that potential into reality.”

The Coller Foundation is the philanthropic vehicle of private equity entrepreneur Jeremy Coller. The Foundation works to create positive impact on globally significant issues with a focus on education, entrepreneurship, pensions innovation and the transition to a more sustainable food system. By supporting ambitious ideas, the Foundation helps drive lasting change and empower the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers.

Application timeline – 2026

The competition is open for applications from any students, staff or alumni from across the University who are working on an AI-driven business. At least one founder in each team must be within one of these categories.

• 14^th July – applications open
• 1^st September – applications close
• 21^st September – finalists notified
• 9^th October – final pitches and award

Find out more and apply now – https://unit-m.co.uk/coller-ai-2026

Join us for a week-long celebration of innovation, from Monday, 5 to Friday, 9 October 2026.

InformiX Pharma, C3 Biotechnologies, Precica and FLAG-Me SAFE have each reached important milestones in their commercialisation pathway, joining Grid Stability, Luteo Medical and SpinOr as University of Manchester spinouts created during the current financial year.

Working alongside academic founders throughout the commercialisation process, the Innovation Factory provides expertise in intellectual property and business strategy, business development, licensing, company formation and investment readiness, helping researchers navigate the journey from discovery to market.

The latest companies reflect the breadth of innovation emerging from The University of Manchester.

InformiX Pharma has developed specialist three-dimensional advanced imaging technology to give pharmaceutical companies un-precedented understanding into the internal structure of medicines, resulting in faster product development, improved product quality and more informed decision making.

C3 Biotechnologies is developing innovative microbial technologies that convert industrial waste streams, including carbon dioxide, into sustainable chemicals and high-value products, helping accelerate the transition to more sustainable industrial manufacturing.

Precica is helping organisations manage growing volumes of data through innovative technology that dramatically reduces storage requirements, allowing information to be searched and analysed without first unpacking it.

FLAG-Me SAFE has developed an innovative digital safeguarding platform that helps pharmacists and medical professionals identify individuals with a visual and other communication impairments earlier, supporting them with medication needs in a safe way.

Dr Catherine Headley, Chief Executive Officer of The University of Manchester Innovation Factory, said: “These four companies demonstrate the remarkable breadth of innovation emerging from The University of Manchester. From helping people manage their medication more safely, to enabling more sustainable manufacturing, and transforming the way organisations manage data, each has the potential to make a meaningful difference.

“Supporting researchers as they translate ideas into successful businesses, is what the Innovation Factory exists to do. We are proud to have worked alongside these talented founding teams throughout their commercialisation pathway, and we are excited to see how their innovations will benefit people, industry and communities around the world.”

Alongside company formation, the Innovation Factory continues to work with researchers across the University to identify commercial opportunities and help innovations reach the people and industries that can benefit from them.

Held on 28 May 2026, the forum brought together our leading academic researchers and senior scouting teams from pharmaceutical giants including AstraZeneca, GSK, and Sanofi. The event was designed to connect "investment-ready" research projects with companies actively looking to develop them further, accelerating the pathway from early scientific discovery to clinical application.

The forum forms a central pillar of the University's strategy to expand the commercial footprint of its Biological Services Facility (BSF). To meet the accelerated demands of global pharmaceutical partners, the BSF is leveraging its world-class infrastructure and advanced capabilities to play a leading role in preclinical service provision. By connecting industry with our expert researchers, the programme accelerates collaboration and strengthens the region’s ability to attract private investment.

Showcasing Global Research Excellence The day featured comprehensive presentations showcasing our University’s most innovative research across high-priority therapeutic areas. Researchers highlighted pioneering projects ranging from immunology programmes studying how the environment affects health, to innovative uses of advanced materials like graphene in medical treatments.

Further highlights included groundbreaking work on cancer treatments, stroke therapies, and specialist facilities, such as the BSF’s unique European research colony used to study biological rhythms. The event was also enriched by international perspectives, with Professor Karin Loré from the Karolinska Institute sharing insights into global vaccine research collaborations.

Institutional Support for Innovation-led Growth The initiative is strongly backed by senior University leadership, who emphasised the critical need to translate research into practical solutions that benefit patients and society more quickly. Registrar, Secretary & Chief Operating Officer of The University of Manchester Patrick Hackett  outlined the importance of working seamlessly with external partners, while Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor, and Professor Andy Trafford, Vice-Dean for Research and Innovation, championed the institutional commitment to refining commercial pipelines.

Dr Maria Kamper, Strategic Director of the BSF and lead organiser of the event, said: "Our goal with the Research Innovation Forum was simple: to tear down the traditional barriers between academic discovery and industry execution. By aligning Manchester's exceptional scientific minds with the operational agility and world-class infrastructure of the BSF, we are creating a seamless pipeline that allows pharmaceutical partners to confidently accelerate their preclinical timelines. This is about turning incredible science into patient impact, faster than ever before."

The University aims for this forum to be the first of many, cementing partnerships that will turn scientific discoveries into new treatments and position Greater Manchester as a globally competitive leader in health innovation and life sciences.

The new laboratory has been designed as a shared research and innovation space, providing GEIC partners, researchers and technology developers with access to specialist facilities that support a growing range of bioengineering applications. 

Built to Containment Level 2 (CL2) standards and approved for Genetically Modified Organism Class 1 (GM1) work, the facility significantly broadens the scope of projects that can be undertaken within the GEIC. The addition strengthens the Centre's ability to support organisations seeking to develop and scale innovations that combine advanced materials, biotechnology and engineering. 

The laboratory opens new possibilities across a range of application areas, including biosensing, antimicrobial technologies, environmental monitoring, mineral extraction, healthcare and sustainable industrial processes. Supported by GEIC's experienced team of application specialists, the facility will help partners accelerate the development and commercialisation of new technologies. 

The new facility complements the GEIC's existing capabilities in materials development, de-risking and scale-up, providing an environment for multidisciplinary projects that combine biological and advanced materials. 

Since the opening of the GEIC in 2018 we have had to be responsive to industries and the market’s needs. This new bioengineering facility shows our commitment to investing in keeping the GEIC a relevant world class facility. – Phil Hirst, Technical Manager, GEIC. 

The bioengineering laboratory reflects the GEIC's continued evolution in response to emerging industry needs, creating new opportunities for collaboration and the translation of research into commercial applications. It further strengthens the GEIC’s position as a leading hub for advanced materials innovation and industrial partnership. 

To discover how the GEIC can support your next project, explore our full range of capabilities: https://www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk/geic/our-capabilities

The University of Manchester, working with partners across the Greater Manchester region and beyond, has played a leading role in securing £50m investment from UK Research and Innovation’s Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF) that drives innovation-led growth across Greater Manchester.  

The University is lead delivery partner on two projects and will be a delivery partner on the remaining three across the wider funding programme, announced today (17 June 2026) by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.  

Together the whole portfolio is worth £50m and covers nationally significant sectors including advanced materials & manufacturing, digital, cyber & AI, health innovation & life sciences, and low carbon technologies. These projects will attract private investment, create skilled jobs, support business growth and strengthen Greater Manchester’s position as a globally competitive innovation region.  

The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF) is a flagship UK government programme - delivered through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) - investing up to £500 million to strengthen regional innovation economies across the country. 

Forming a central pillar of the government's modern Industrial Strategy and Plan for Change, the Fund brings together local leaders, businesses and research organisations to build on regional strengths to create new jobs, drive innovation-led productivity and attract further public and private investment into communities across the UK. 

Atom Valley Innovation District 

The University is lead delivery partner in the £16.4m invested in the Atom Valley Innovation District, (AVID) a nationally significant advanced materials and manufacturing cluster. 

The investment will help to activate the innovation ecosystem needed to support the growth of materials-focused companies at Kingsway Business Park in Rochdale.  

Through the Centre of Expertise in Advanced Materials and Sustainability (CEAMS) within the new Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre (SMMC), the programme will provide technical support, business services and access to specialist expertise to help companies scale up and adopt sustainable materials and advanced manufacturing technologies. 

By connecting businesses with national research centres, universities and industry, the programme will accelerate collaboration, unlock new supply chain opportunities and strengthen the region’s ability to attract and grow innovative businesses.  

The project is delivered in partnership with the Rochdale Development Agency, and the delivery consortium provides comprehensive access to the national advanced materials innovation ecosystem through the Henry Royce Institute, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), and High Value Manufacturing Catapult centres: NCC and CPI. The University of Greater Manchester will support the delivery of industry-ready skills packages.   

Together, these activities will drive private sector investment in the Atom Valley Innovation District, generating skilled jobs, and build long-term economic resilience for the region. 

GROW AI 

The University will also play a key role in GROW AI (£12.8m). The project will be jointly led by the Centre for Enterprise at Manchester Metropolitan University and the Turing Innovation Catalyst at the University of Manchester.  

GROW AI will rapidly scale the responsible and secure adoption of AI across Greater Manchester, unlocking faster commercialisation of research and delivering inclusive, high-value economic growth. Involving collaboration with the University of Salford, Lancaster University and numerous private sector partners, the initiative will fuse startup and research commercialisation with AI adoption by SMEs across priority sectors, bringing together the public, private and academic sectors to focus on key challenges at pace.  

Utilising the networks, delivery expertise and academic excellence of the partner organisations, it builds on the region’s existing assets and is designed for rapid deployment. GROW AI develops the regional cluster at scale, supporting both new AI firms and existing businesses, so the wider economy can benefit from the AI opportunity. The project will also support the continued growth of the tech community at Sister, a new innovation district which is a joint venture between The University of Manchester and Bruntwood SciTech. 

The University's innovation arm, Unit M – a function designed to unleash the institution's full innovation potential – has supported the development of these two projects.   

Delivery partner on three projects 

The University of Manchester is also the delivery partner for indoor air quality and sustainability assessments in the Retrofit Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Innovation Centre (£8.56m) led by the University of Salford, the GM Wearables and Remote Monitoring Innovation Cluster (£5.5m) led by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, and the Greater Data Accelerator (£6.7m) led by Health Innovation Manchester. 

Professor Duncan Ivison, President & Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester said: “This shows what Greater Manchester can achieve through collaboration between universities, industry and the public sector. We’re very proud to play a central role in this, working alongside our partners to turn research into innovation that supports business growth, builds new ventures and strengthens the economy.  

"Our research, partnerships and innovation activity will increasingly create globally competitive clusters that attract investment, generate high-value jobs and position Greater Manchester as a leader in advanced materials, manufacturing, health innovation and AI. This is about connecting talent, ideas and industry - which ultimately means long-term, inclusive growth is felt across our communities.” 

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Portfolio Lead for Economy, Business and Inclusive Growth, said: “Through this significant investment in five pioneering projects we will translate world-class research and innovation into new jobs and opportunities that benefit Greater Manchester’s businesses and residents. 

“By focusing on advanced materials and manufacturing, health innovation and AI, we are building on the strengths that already set our city region apart and creating the conditions for more businesses to innovate, scale and succeed here. This is the kind of investment and collaboration that helps us deliver long-term, inclusive growth, strengthening our economy and ensuring the benefits of innovation are felt right across Greater Manchester.” 

Andrew Hodgson, Chair of the Innovation Greater Manchester Board, said: “I am delighted that Greater Manchester has secured such a significant investment and is the first region to have all its projects approved.  

“This is testament to the maturity in Greater Manchester and the strong partnership that exists across the region. I would like to thank the partners for their support in the process. At IGM we look forward to continuing to collaborate with UKRI, supporting deployment of world-class innovations that impact lives throughout the region and beyond.” 

The list celebrates individuals who have had an immeasurable impact on the lives of people across the country, such as by creating innovative solutions or driving real change in public life.

We are also celebrating the members of our wider community who have been honoured. Read more here.

Professor David Knowles

Professor David Knowles FREng, CEO of the Henry Royce Institute, has been awarded a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to industry and academia.

His work has focused primarily on the application of advanced materials and engineering research to address major industrial and national challenges across transport, energy, petrochemical and infrastructure sectors.

Responding to the award, Professor Knowles said: “I feel incredibly privileged and proud to have received this honour. It is a recognition not just of my own work, but of everything that the outstanding teams and institutes I’ve been fortunate to be part of have achieved together over many years.

“I would like to acknowledge the contribution of the many colleagues and collaborators I’ve worked alongside across academia, industry and government. Their talent, dedication and shared commitment to innovation have been central to everything we have accomplished.

“Naturally, I owe a great debt of gratitude to my family, past and present, whose encouragement and support have sustained me along the way.”

Professor Luke Georghiou

Professor Luke Georghiou, formerly Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at The University of Manchester, has been awarded an OBE for services to science and innovation. His current role is that of Professor of Science and Technology Policy and Management in the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research in the Alliance Manchester Business School. 

A longstanding figure in UK research and innovation policy, Professor Georghiou has played a leading role in shaping national and international approaches to science funding, collaboration and impact. Among his many contributions, he led Manchester’s successful bid to host the Euroscience Forum and secure its designation as European City of Science, and played a key role in the foundation of Northern Gritstone, a £380m venture capital company supporting university spinouts across the North.

Speaking on his award, Professor Georghiou said: "It has been a privilege to support and guide so many hugely talented people and to help develop Manchester’s outstanding innovation ecosystem.”

Professor Gareth Evans

Professor Gareth Evans, Emeritus Professor of Medical Genetics at The University of Manchester and Consultant in Medical Genetics at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, has been awarded an MBE for services to cancer genetics. His work has made a significant contribution to advancing understanding, diagnosis and care in inherited cancer, benefiting patients and families in the UK and beyond.

Professor Evans said: "I'm very honoured to be mentioned in the King's birthday honours. It's the culmination of thirty six years of work on inherited cancers and I'm extremely pleased. In particular to have my work on breast and ovarian cancer and the BRCA1/2 genes recognised and my setting of a national highly specialised service for patients with NF2 related schwannomatosis."

The birthday honours are awarded by the King following recommendations by the prime minister, senior government ministers, or members of the public.

The awards recognise active community champions, innovative social entrepreneurs, pioneering scientists, passionate health workers and dedicated volunteers who have made significant achievements in public life or committed themselves to serving and helping Britain.

A new University of Manchester report commissioned from CBI Economics, the CBI’s economic consultancy division, has revealed the enormous opportunities for UK growth, regional development and productivity that can come from aligning business needs, universities and government policy.

The report, which is based on survey and interview data from 610 businesses and university stakeholders, reveals a system that is working well in some areas with eight out of ten businesses surveyed recognise the positive contribution of working with universities. However it is also failing to make the most of talent and the ability to innovate.

Ultimately this is stunting growth, preventing new work being carried out, or forcing businesses to shift operations overseas.

The report shows that this is particularly acute in the UK’s priority ‘frontier sectors’, crucial for delivery of the government’s Industrial Strategy, including advanced manufacturing, digital technologies and life sciences. Compared with firms outside of these sectors, surveyed frontier sector firms are around seven times more likely to report relocating activity outside of the UK if universities were less able to supply skilled graduates or collaborate with business.

The findings also present a significant opportunity – the UK has world-leading universities, strong research capability and businesses operating at the technological frontier. The UK can build on these by strengthening talent pipelines, improving collaboration and aligning policy with business needs.

Talent and skills

Businesses reported that the constraint on talent and skills is largely one of availability, not quality.

Survey responses indicate that around one in five businesses (19%) are currently experiencing a graduate skills shortage or gap, with shortages more pronounced among firms operating in frontier sectors.

The findings show that international talent is filling targeted skills gaps rather than displacing domestic workers.

Addressing this talent gap this will require strengthening the scale and alignment of the domestic skills pipeline, while maintaining access to international talent, where gaps persist.

University-business collaboration

The other significant way in which universities and businesses collaborate is in research and innovation. This, the report finds, delivers benefits including commercial product development and productivity gains, access to specialist facilities and research expertise, that businesses would not be able to invest in themselves.

However, businesses also highlight that it is difficult to find the right contacts, and there are differing timescales and multiple funding streams which complicate engagement.

One SME described how establishing initial engagement with a university could take several months, from securing the right contact through to progressing discussions. This contrasted sharply with their experience in other countries, where similar partnerships could be initiated within days.

Recent University of Manchester initiatives point to the types of practical steps universities can take. This includes plans to offer all undergraduates meaningful real-world experience, such as placements, internships, live employer projects or work with public and community organisations, and the launch of the five-year, £5m, Future of Work Alliance with BNY, focused on responsible human-led AI.

The report calls for clearer incentives and simpler funding routes from government, with universities doing more to speed up and simplify access for businesses.

Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “Economic growth depends on our ability to turn talent and ideas into new products, services, and industries. The countries that do this best will lead the global economy.

“We need to be more ambitious, more responsive and more outward-looking in how we work with employers and entrepreneurs. The issue is not whether the UK produces highly skilled people. It is whether those skills can be connected quickly and effectively to the places, sectors, communities, and businesses that need them most.

“As this report makes clear, by strengthening skills pipelines, removing barriers to collaboration and backing innovation wherever it emerges, we can unlock far more of what universities and businesses can achieve together. This is what the country needs and what we are committed to delivering.”

Adriana Curca, CBI Economics Director, said: “Our research shows that universities are a critical part of the infrastructure that supports business growth, providing access to talent, research capability and innovation expertise. This is particularly important in the UK’s frontier sectors where firms rely on advanced skills, research capability and innovation to grow and compete.”

“While many examples of collaboration are already delivering tangible benefits, there is a significant opportunity to do more. Better connecting business needs with talent, research and innovation capability could help unlock growth in the sectors that will shape the UK's future economy.”

The raise brings Imperagen's total funding to £8.5 million and will accelerate research and development, expand its wet lab capabilities, and build out its go-to-market function over the next 18 months.

Coinciding with the round Guy Levy-Yurista, PhD joins as CEO. An experienced technology and life sciences executive with two successful exits across the US and Europe, he brings a track record of scaling deep tech businesses from early stage to market leadership. 

Enzymes are biological catalysts used to reduce waste, lower energy usage and decrease overall production costs in everything from pharmaceutical manufacturing and personal care to sustainable chemical production. However, engineering an enzyme for practical application is a challenging and complex process. Traditional approaches rely on manual screening, a slow and expensive process with a low hit rate. More recently, zero-shot methods have promised smart designs but often fall short when deployed in real world conditions. Neither method gives industrial customers the predictability and speed they need to de-risk product development at scale.

Imperagen's proprietary platform combines three stages into a single closed-loop system:

1. Quantum physics simulates millions of mutation combinations in silico, generating a rich dataset of predicted properties. 

2. Those outputs are used to train problem-specific AI models, not general-purpose ones, calibrated to the precise engineering challenge at hand.

3. Automated robotics then test the highest-performing predictions in the physical lab, producing high-quality experimental data that feeds directly back into the AI model,  so that it continuously evolves.

That feedback loop is what sets the approach apart, with each round of experiments making the next round more targeted. The system learns from the wet lab as it goes, narrowing in on the highest-performing variants with each iteration. The result is a platform that gets smarter round by round. This is the future of biocatalysis, a recursive, self improving AI platform to help rewrite chemical reactions.

The company has already worked on a number of significant projects, including with a Fortune 500 personal care company looking to launch a new product line. Imperagen’s AI-guided closed loop system improved the productivity of two enzymes by 677x and 572x respectively in just five rounds. 

Commenting on the news, Dr. Levy-Yurista said: "What I see right now is that the companies that will make a radical difference in this emerging AI-driven future are all AI-native, lean on real world data, have genuine impact, and are fundamentally deep tech. Imperagen has each of those characteristics, combining them with outstanding people, phenomenal technology and the undeniable swagger you only get from Manchester. It was a no-brainer to join the team and lead this next stage in its growth."

The funds will be used to accelerate the core R&D platform, scale the wet lab operation, and grow the in-house AI team, both human and agentic. Imperagen will also invest in its go-to-market function to convert growing commercial interest into contracted revenue across its target sectors: pharmaceuticals, life sciences, personal care, sustainable fine chemicals, and industrial biotech.

Sim Singh-Landa, Investment Director at PXN, said: "The North West’s life sciences ecosystem is becoming stronger all the time and stands to gain from Imperagen’s local hiring and growth plans, building on the company’s connection to the University of Manchester's Manchester Institute of Biotechnology [google.com]. We’re excited to be supporting Imperagen with investment from both the GMC Life Sciences Fund and our NPIF II fund, as the company looks to scale success in enzyme engineering and deliver progress within the life sciences sector, which is one of the key sectors highlighted in the UK Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy.” 

Imperagen was founded in November 2021 by Dr Andrew Almond, Dr Andrew Currin and Dr Tim Eyes, all researchers from the University of Manchester's Manchester Institute of Biotechnology.

PXN invested via the GMC Life Sciences Fund By PXN Ventures, which it manages on behalf of the Bruntwood SciTech, Enterprise Cheshire + Warrington and Greater Manchester Combined Authority . Investment has also come from NPIF II – PXN Equity Finance, which is managed by PXN as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II). 

The four-year programme brings together academic research and structured enterprise training, supporting postgraduate researchers to explore how their work can be developed into real-world applications.

It is designed to sit alongside traditional doctoral study, giving researchers the opportunity to develop their ideas beyond the lab. Alongside their research, participants will work with mentors to build entrepreneurial skills and gain practical experience, exploring areas such as technology readiness, market need and venture development.

The PhD remains rooted in original research, culminating in a doctoral thesis, but also includes a business plan as part of the final submission, supporting the aspiration that new commercial or social enterprises may be launched during or following the PhD.

Professor Aline Miller, Associate Vice-President for Enterprise at The University of Manchester, said: “This is something new for us, and it’s been really encouraging to see the range of ideas that have come forward.

“These projects show how much potential there is to take research in new directions and think about how it can be used beyond academia.

“We’re looking forward to working with the students who join the programme and supporting them as they develop both their research and the wider impact possibilities around it.”

Following an internal call for proposals from academic supervisors, 11 projects have been selected, spanning healthcare, artificial intelligence, sustainability and advanced materials. Five fully funded studentships will be available for 2026/27, with a further cohort planned for 2027/28.

• Genome safeguarding technologies for synthetic phage therapeutics against multidrug resistant bacterial infections – led by Professor Michael Brockhurst, this project develops safer engineered virus-based therapies for drug-resistant infections, helping make next-generation antimicrobial treatments more controllable and widely usable.

• Automated Blink-Dynamics Analytics: AI System Development and Translational Planning – led by Dr Claudia Lindner, this project develops an AI-based system for analysing eye movement to support earlier, non-invasive detection of diabetic neuropathy and enable scalable screening.

• Realtime 3D analytics for reducing laboratory animal suffering – led by Dr Riccardo Storchi, this project uses AI-powered video analytics to continuously monitor laboratory animals, enabling earlier detection of distress and improving welfare in real time.

• Autologous tumour-derived nanocarriers for precision drug delivery in Glioblastoma – led by Dr Christos Tapeinos, this project develops patient-specific nanocarriers to improve targeted drug delivery and treatment effectiveness in aggressive brain tumours.

• Infrared quantum cascade laser microscopy for invasive bladder cancer (IQ-Scan) – led by Professor Peter Gardner, this project develops advanced imaging technology to improve the accuracy and objectivity of bladder cancer diagnosis and staging from biopsy samples.

• Field-Deployable Genotyping for Animal Health and Biosurveillance – led by Dr Lu Shin Wong, this project develops rapid, portable diagnostic tools for detecting animal infections in the field, supporting faster responses to disease outbreaks and improving biosecurity.

• Biotech-enabled lures for sustainable food production – led by Dr Christopher Blanford, this project develops biological scent-based systems to manage insect behaviour in agriculture, reducing reliance on chemical pesticides.

• Developing and Commercialising a UAV Perching Technology for Extended Infrastructure Inspection – led by Professor Andrew Weightman, this project develops drone perching technology to extend inspection time and improve monitoring of critical infrastructure.

• Engineering and Translating Graphene-Based Vortex-Ring Aerogels for Industrial Water Purification and Carbon Capture – led by Professor Aravind Vijayaraghavan, this project develops scalable graphene-based materials to remove pollutants from water and improve carbon capture efficiency.

• AIDE: Agentic Intelligence for Decision-making in Investment and Enterprise – led by Professor Richard Allmendinger, this project develops AI systems to support complex investment and innovation decision-making by integrating financial, company and market data into a unified workflow.

• Injectable radiopaque self-assembling hydrogels for biomedical applications – led by Dr James Warren, this project develops injectable biomaterials to support earlier intervention and improved outcomes in conditions such as osteoarthritis.

The programme is a joint initiative between the research and innovation teams within the University, working in partnership with the Doctoral Academies, the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre and the Innovation Factory. Doctoral researchers will be registered within, and supported by, their relevant Faculty Doctoral Academy, ensuring strong academic oversight and integration within existing doctoral structure.  

To find out more about the programme, the projects on offer and see how to apply visit: https://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/funding/phd-by-enterprise/

The awards support entrepreneurs with solutions to the world’s most pressing issues. Ideas with Impact is open to applications from innovators across all disciplines – from engineering to health, and policy to creative. 

Through generous donor support there is a total of £300,000 in prize funding available, and individual awards of £100,000, £75,000 and £50,000 will be given to winners, who will also receive support from experienced mentors to build their networks and accelerate impact. 

This year’s competition follows the success of 2025’s winning ventures that spanned health and life sciences, medical diagnostics, industrial biotechnology, and agri‑tech, reflecting the breadth of Manchester’s research strengths and its focus on real‑world impact. From novel treatments for endometriosis and rapid, field‑based heart attack diagnostics, to sustainable metal extraction technologies and early warning systems for crop disease, the winners demonstrated how academic insight can be translated into solutions addressing major societal, environmental and economic challenges.  

The team behind LanthaGen Bio, who received £75,000 in 2025, highlighted their progress.

Application timeline 

The awards are run in partnership with the University of Manchester Innovation Factory, the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre and Unit M. The window for applications is open now until 22 May 2026. Any students, colleagues or alumni (within three years) from across the University are welcome to apply if they are working on solutions to global challenges, and must be at an early stage in their entrepreneurial journey. 

To find out more and apply, visit the Ideas with Impact Awards website. 

• 22^nd April – applications open
• 22^nd May – applications close
• 2^nd July – final pitching competition and Ideas with Impact Awards event 

Philanthropic support  

Innovation is at the heart of the University’s Challenge Accepted campaign, fuelling our ambition to become Europe’s most inclusive and impactful innovation network, and helping deliver progress that changes lives.  

Are you interested in supporting brilliant future founders and ensuring entrepreneurship for all? We’d love to explore opportunities with you.  

Contact Olympia Kennard to begin a conversation: Olympia.Kennard@manchester.ac.uk.  

Our innovation ecosystem  

• Read more about Unit M here: The University of Manchester's Innovation Unit
• Read more about the Innovation Factory here: The University of Manchester Innovation Factory
• Read more about the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre here: Masood Entrepreneurship Centre | The University of Manchester  

Delivered by Unit M and enabled by GMCA Investment Zone funding, the accelerator will provide each venture with expert commercialisation support, access to mentors, investor readiness training, lab and workspace access, up to £25,000 in equity-free funding, and the opportunity to showcase to investors and strategic partners at a demo day.

The programme supports the University’s vision to become Europe’s most inclusive and impactful innovation ecosystem. The deep tech accelerator is designed to drive the journey from research to real-world impact, build a strong innovation network, and streamline collaboration, turning ideas into outcomes that benefit society. 

The companies span many different fields, including advanced materials, biotech, space, AI and climate innovation. They include:

• SporeSense – An early disease detection device enabling farmers to identify crop infections before visible symptoms emerge, enabling the reduction, and targeted use, of fungicides. This is being developed by a collaboration of companies and agri-tech specialists, spearheaded by University of Manchester researchers and with commercial development support from the University’s Innovation Factory.

• Imprinted Diagnostics – Imprinted Diagnostics uses a novel form of detection (molecularly imprinted polymers) and a patented detection platform. Commercialisation is being supported by The University of Manchester’s Innovation Factory and is expected to lead to the first product; a rapid, portable, blood test that can diagnose heart attacks on the spot.

• NX Health Limited – The world’s first non-invasive wireless neurostimulation device, a medical technology that delivers targeted, low-voltage electrical currents to nerves or specific brain areas, specifically designed to help individuals with autism spectrum disorder to manage daily challenges that impact their quality of life, such as sensory sensitivities, anxiety and sleep disturbances.

• WarmTronics Ltd – Energy-efficient heaters, manufactured in the UK, delivering more than 85% greater efficiency than electric alternatives. WarmTronics actively works in partnership with The University of Manchester.

• Graphene Thermal – Modular floor heating panels that reach operating temperature in under one minute. Using self-regulating graphene nano-composite heating elements, the system delivers instant, on-demand heating, cutting energy use and installation costs versus underfloor heating.

• CASA Space Technologies – This spinout from The University of Manchester Innovation Factory is using advanced materials engineering to increase the length of satellite operations in very low Earth orbit by mitigating atmospheric drag and atomic oxygen erosion. The technology unlocks longer satellite lifetimes, allows for lower orbits, higher-performance Earth observation and better in-orbit communications services.

   

• Fava Health – Digital solutions that translate complex genomic data into practical guidance for clinicians. The technology integrates these insights directly into clinical systems, supporting safer, more personalised treatment choices.

• O-Innovations – A 3D-omnidirectional wind turbine designed for clean, efficient energy generation in urban settings. This technology unlocks high‑energy wind zones created around buildings, which is up to 27 times stronger, offering major potential for decentralised, resilient urban power.

• Sineco – Real-time data aggregation technology that cleans and integrates biometric signals from wearable devices, transforming noisy, fragmented data into reliable physiological insights. This enables accurate, responsive AI applications that enhance performance, wellbeing, and engagement across fitness, healthcare, and digital environments.

• GA Innovations – A wireless wearable system featuring sensorised insoles and thigh bands that provide real-time feedback to lower-limb amputees. The device is non-invasive, compatible with all prostheses, and delivers multi-point sensory stimulation mapped to different areas of the foot, creating a more intuitive gait experience. Designed for independent use without clinical assistance, it adapts to each user’s needs to support personalised rehabilitation and improved mobility.

Professor Aline Miller, Associate Vice-President for Enterprise and Chief Scientific Officer at Unit M said: “We’re delighted to announce the first cohort of the Unit M deep tech accelerator. This group reflects the incredible depth of innovation across The University of Manchester and the wider Greater Manchester ecosystem, bringing together ambitious technical founders with ideas that have the potential to deliver real-world impact. The team are excited to work with this cohort as they take their next steps on their commercialisation journey.”

The accelerator is open to technical founders and researchers who have moved past early research or initial concept development and already on a path toward turning their science and technology into investment-ready deep tech startups. The programme runs from April – June. This is a multi-year project funded by the GMCA and announcements on future cohorts will be made in the coming months.

Potential investors will have the chance to hear about each of the chosen ventures at a demo day in June and can register to become a mentor.

• Register as a mentor
• Register for our demo day on 24 June
• Sign up to Unit M mailing list

The event, Powering Research Commercialisation Across the North, hosted by the Innovate UK ICURe in partnership with The University of Manchester and NxNW Partners, marked a significant moment for the UK’s innovation ecosystem. It brought together key stakeholders to launch the new Innovate UK ICURe strategy, which sets out a renewed focus on strengthening research commercialisation across the UK, aligning with the UK Government’s priority industrial sectors, supported by a coordinated regional delivery.

Innovate UK’s Innovation-to-Commercialisation of University Research (ICURe) programme is the UK’s flagship early-stage research pre-accelerator. Through closer collaboration between regional partners, ICURe aims to support a stronger pipeline of investment-ready opportunities and deepen connections between research, industry and investors.

The programme will be delivered through the North by Northwest (NxNW) consortium – a partnership of universities across the North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The University of Manchester will lead the NxNW consortium through Unit M, the University’s gateway to innovation.

Professor Aline Miller, University of Manchester and Unit M, said: “NxNW Partners, University of Manchester and Unit M all share a strategic vision; to strengthen the innovation ecosystem across the northern belt of the UK. We see ICURe as central to our plan and an enabler of commercialisation of cutting-edge research across the priority sectors of the UK Industrial Strategy.

“It was clear from the event that the UK’s ability to scale research-driven innovation depends on stronger connections between regions, partners and investors. We’re working in collaboration with our regional partners to build the conditions for research-led companies to start, stay, grow and scale.”

During the event, spin-out showcases and networking sessions provided a platform for emerging ventures to engage directly with investors and partners, reinforcing the strength of the pipeline being developed through ICURe.

Partners attending the launch included representatives from UKRI, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), Liverpool City Region (LCR), Northern Gritstone, Invest Northern Ireland, Scottish Enterprise, and university partners from across the NxNW consortium.

Since its launch in 2014, Innovate UK ICURe has played a pivotal role in supporting researchers to translate early-stage technologies into commercial opportunities. The programme has supported the creation of 388 spin-outs, helped ventures raise £1.61 billion in additional investment, and contributed to the creation of 2,495 jobs. Today, 32% of ICURe teams are female-led, reflecting a continued commitment to broadening participation in innovation.

By combining funding, customer discovery and commercial expertise, ICURe acts as a critical pipeline for research-driven innovation and a key enabler of regional innovation ecosystems.

Professor Aline Miller added: “The ICURe NxNW event underscored the growing strength of the North as a connected and collaborative innovation ecosystem. With strengthened regional leadership, aligned national delivery and a clear focus on supporting ventures from early-stage research through to scale, ICURe is playing a central role in shaping the future of UK research commercialisation.

“As the programme enters this next phase, its continued success will depend on deepening partnerships, strengthening investment pathways and ensuring that the UK’s most promising technologies are supported to reach their full potential.

“Together, we’re building a more connected, impactful future for UK research.”

Geeta Nathan, Deputy Director of Innovation Ecosystems at Innovate UK, said: “Bringing together the ICURe and NxNW community in Manchester highlighted both the strength of the UK’s research base and the scale of opportunity ahead. Our focus is on backing bold ideas aligned to the UK’s priority industrial sectors (IS-6), with real commercial potential, supporting strong teams and creating clearer pathways from research into market.

"The launch of the next phase of Innovate UK ICURe, alongside initiatives such as the UKRI Venture Builder pilot, reflects our commitment to strengthening those pathways and helping early-stage ventures build momentum. By working closely with our delivery partners and regional ecosystems, we are creating the conditions for more research-driven businesses to start, grow and scale across the UK.”

Building on existing collaboration, the partnership aims to address both immediate and longer-term challenges across the water industry, including climate resilience, water quality, wastewater management and resource optimisation.  

The partnership comes at an important time for the sector, as it undergoes rapid transformation in response to climate change, population growth, and an evolving policy and regulatory environment. The University will support this challenge by providing research-driven solutions that support water quantity and quality for communities and the environment.

Under the MoU, the University and United Utilities will expand engagement across strategic innovation priorities, aligning academic expertise with company needs and opportunities, to deliver tangible, real-world impact.

On a visit to the University, the group toured the robotics lab based in the University’s flagship engineering building, observing some of the cutting-edge robotics equipment that is being developed for real-world applications.

Recent collaborative projects between the two organisations include the use of robotics for water network inspection, and a digital twin for the GMCA Integrated Water Management Plan.

Sarah Sharples, Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, said: "This partnership marks an important step in uniting academic excellence with industry expertise to address the evolving challenges of the water sector. Together, we aim to drive innovation opportunities that benefit students, research, and society."

Dr Louise Bates, Director of Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange at The University of Manchester, said: “Collaboration between The University of Manchester and United Utilities dates back to 2006, and in recent years it has really grown through joint research and student-focused activities. This has created a strong foundation for us to build on through this new Memorandum of Understanding.” 

Jo Harrison, Director of Asset Management at United Utilities, said: “We are passionate about securing resilient services for the North West, both now and for the future.

"This partnership builds on a strong foundation of collaboration and gives us an exciting opportunity to bring together world-class academic insight with practical, real-world experience. By combining our strengths, we can make a meaningful and lasting difference on the ground, helping to deliver a stronger, greener and healthier North West for generations to come.”

Faye brings extensive experience in the Cambridge innovation cluster to the role, having worked across communications consultancy, innovation and economic development over the course of her career.

She founded and directed cofinitive – a communication consultancy at the forefront of innovation – for a decade before selling and exiting the business at the end of 2025.

Faye is currently Chair of the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce and has previously served as Business Board Member for the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority and as a Board Member and key contributor in other organisations involved in technology innovation and good growth.

Faye said of her appointment: “I’m thrilled to be leading this partnership at a time when collaboration across the UK’s innovation ecosystems has never been more important.

“Cambridge and Greater Manchester are two of the UK’s most dynamic innovation ecosystems and by working together we can deliver far greater impact than either could alone. I’m excited to work with partners across both cities to move quickly and define a model for collaboration that could be replicated across the UK.”

Faye’s appointment follows on from the launch of the partnership last year and the inaugural board meetings held in Manchester in February 2026.

Driven by the cities’ respective universities and their innovation ecosystem organisations Unit M and Innovate Cambridge, the partnership aims to boost UK economic growth and advance inclusive innovation, while supporting the delivery of industrial strategy and local growth plans. 

Professor Duncan Ivison, President & Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “Innovation is at the heart of our Manchester 2035 strategy and our sector-first collaboration with Cambridge plays a key role in this. We are working together and using our respective strengths to create a thriving cross-city innovation network, helping to grow investment and deliver inclusive growth. 

“I am so pleased to welcome Faye at such an exciting time for the partnership, and she joins us following an extensive career within the Cambridge innovation cluster. The partnership is a fantastic example of how universities can use their resources to contribute significantly to the economy, and we are all ready to work with Faye to drive it forward.” 

Professor Deborah Prentice, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge commented: “I am delighted to welcome Faye Holland as the new Director of the Cambridge x Manchester Partnership. Faye brings an exceptional understanding of the Cambridge innovation ecosystem, alongside a proven experience of convening organisations, championing talent, and strengthening regional collaboration. Her appointment marks an exciting next chapter for this strategic partnership between two great cities and universities.”

As Director, Faye will spend time in Cambridge and Manchester and will be integral to both the Unit M and Innovate Cambridge leadership teams, and she will drive the partnership forward as it strives to pioneer a new model of place-to-place collaboration.

Professor John Holden, Vice-President for Civic Engagement and Innovation at The University of Manchester, said: “The Cambridge x Manchester Partnership shows how universities can exchange knowledge, talent and assets and bring together their wider ecosystems to supercharge innovation and growth. Under Faye’s expert direction, this partnership will produce real-world impact and provide an example for other cities to follow.”

Dr Kathryn Chapman, Executive Director, Innovate Cambridge commented: “Faye has an outstanding track record of working with innovators and turning ambition into impact. As we move into the next phase of delivery, with strong backing from government, academia and business, her leadership will play a key role in strengthening research networks, supporting the growth of scale-ups and attracting further private investment.”

The partnership is a major focus for both cities, backed by each’s respective combined authorities, and has secured £4.8 million from UKRI Research England over the next three years and is bolstered by further investment from both universities.

Dr Simon Hepworth, Director of Knowledge Exchange at Research England, said: “Universities are driving the evolution of innovation ecosystems through bold new models of collaboration. The appointment of Faye Holland will help drive the Cambridge x Manchester innovation partnership forward and deliver successful outcomes for the country – to maximise opportunities for place-based innovation, economic growth, and as an exemplar for the wider HE system."

The partnership is connected at every level: University to University, innovation ecosystem to ecosystem, council to council, Combined Authority to Combined Authority and business to business. This multi-layered connectivity allows ideas, talent, investment and opportunity to flow between places and organisations.   

To find out more about the partnership, visit: https://www.cambridge-manchester.com/  

Professors Grieve and Yin were honoured for their research in developing a new device to detect crop viruses, alongside peers from Rothamsted Research in the UK, and Rutgers and North Carolina State University in the US.

The new tool can detect early-stage viral infections in crops more rapidly and in a less expensive way than traditional methods of genetic testing, with the project addressing Cassava Mosaic and Brown Streak diseases in particular, which threaten a key carbohydrate crop found in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America: Cassava.

As Cassava is increasingly used as a replacement for wheat flour in the US and Europe, the new technology can increase our ability to safeguard our food security, by identifying and containing diseases before they spread and devastate crops.

Vice-President for Research, Colette Fagan, commented, “I was delighted to attend this UKRI award event at the British Embassy, Washington, as part of a Russell Group delegation visit to meet with USA universities and research funders. Professors Grieve and Yin's team was one of the small number of teams to be awarded this new prize, and I was proud to see their work at our University recognised and celebrated by the Washington audience.”

The PUB awards are centred around research collaboration between the UK and US, and celebrate the impact of bringing together researchers and scientists on both sides of the Atlantic to address global challenges through innovation partnerships.

In the case of this revolutionary new tool, it was The University of Manchester and the Rothamsted Research facility’s sensor engineering and machine learning expertise who provided the UK’s share of research impact, which combined with the US institutions’ crop virology capabilities, to bring about this step towards a more secure global food supply.

Prof Grieve commented, “Receiving the US-UK reward brought home to me the impact that working with complimentary teams across the globe, and across engineering and the life-sciences, can have – with the crop viruses that we are working on threatening the main carbohydrate source for 800 million people in Africa and Latin-America.”

Not only have our researchers contributed to creating a more resilient future for worldwide food system - but their device will also be supporting local livelihoods and strengthening rural economies, where the effects of crop loss are felt most keenly in developing areas of the world.

Dr Grieve and Prof Yin were handed their awards by HM Ambassador to the US, Sir Christian Turner, and UKRI’s International Director, Frances Wood, and were one of seven collaborations recognised, from cancer research to particle physics.

Prof Yin, said of the occasion, “It was a great honour and encouragement for our work, and shows the importance of transatlantic collaborations, as well as the positive impact that AI and advanced sensing can make in tackling the challenges facing the world in terms of food, energy and sustainability. While in this project we target cassava brown steak virus, the device, once verified in field tests in Tanzania over next few months, could be extended to other produces.”

This work was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and US National Science Foundation through the Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Disease Programme.

The investment was led by Northern Gritstone, with contributions from the UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund (UKI2S, managed by Future Planet Capital), and Northern Universities Ventures Fund, managed by Parkwalk in collaboration with Northern Gritstone. Cytotrait’s seed funding will enable the Company to build on strong early data from its proprietary Mutant Organelle Selection System (MOSS) technology, initiating new development programmes to explore enhanced traits in major crop species.

Cytotrait’s MOSS technology is uniquely designed to tackle longstanding hurdles in crop engineering and address the growing challenge of global food security and sustainable agricultural practices. In contrast to other methods, MOSS rapidly achieves homoplasmy, delivering genes and gene edits into chloroplasts and mitochondria to ensure the desired genetic changes are engineered across every organelle in a cell or plant. 

This approach enables crop characteristics to be engineered with both localised and high-level expression, reduced transgene phytotoxicity, easier backcrossing and trait stacking, efficient containment and an easier regulatory route.

Building on foundational data for developing novel crop traits, Cytotrait will use its seed funding for new research targeting wheat, maize, potato and canola in European and North American markets. 

The programmes will utilise MOSS to explore potential applications in these crops, including enhancements in yield and resilience, the potential to introduce valuable new food traits, and the ability to drive more sustainable practices through improved carbon sequestration.

Since its formation, Cytotrait has worked closely with the the University’s technology transfer office, the University of Manchester Innovation Factory. Innovation Factory has guided the founders on intellectual property strategy, company formation, on business planning, and investor readiness. 

Innovation Factory also previously supported Cytotrait to access pre-seed investment from the University, hired a key commercial lead with grant funding from the Northern Triangle Talent Initiative, and assisted during their recent fundraising process.

Cytotrait was previously awarded £498k funding from the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) to develop MOSS for reliable hybrid seed production in wheat, one of the world’s largest food crops¹. 

The company was spun out with support from the University of Manchester Innovation Factory, the University’s technology transfer office, which works to commercialise University research through spinouts, licensing and investments. Cytotrait is also a recent graduate of NG Studios, Northern Gritstone’s venture building program for deeptech spinouts.

Dr Elliott Jennings, Head of Investment & Licensing (Life Sciences) of the University of Manchester Innovation Factory, said: “It has been a privilege to support the Cytotrait team on their commercialisation journey, from early-stage research through to this successful seed funding round. This milestone reflects the strength of the science, the ambition of the founders and the collaborative efforts of colleagues, the investors and partners who have helped bring the company to this point. We are proud to have worked alongside the team and look forward to continuing to support Cytotrait as they pursue their commercial ambitions.”

Duncan Johnson, CEO, Northern Gritstone, said: "Cytotrait is a prime example of the world-class innovation from the North of England’s universities and the ambitious founders and teams we see on our venture building program, NG Studios. Northern Gritstone is very pleased to be working with Dr Ji and the team and look forward to positive results from this first tranche of new development programmes.”

“MOSS is truly a breakthrough in the field of crop technology, allowing us to precisely engineer characteristics that can not only enhance yield and resilience, but also help to drive a more sustainable future for modern agriculture,” said Dr Tim Brears, Executive Chair. He continued: “We’re extremely proud of everything our team has already accomplished, and thankful to our investors, whose support will enable us to expand our pipeline and explore the applications of MOSS in some of the world’s major crop types.”

Hassan Mahmudul, Investment Manager, UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund, remarked: “UKI2S invests in companies developing novel engineering biology solutions to tackle large, global challenges. We are delighted to welcome Cytotrait to our growing agritech portfolio, recognising the strength of its platform technology, which has the potential to unlock high-value trait expression at levels significantly beyond what is achievable through conventional nuclear genome engineering.”

1.     Press Release (1^st September, 2025): Cytotrait receives ARIA funding for crop research

“Faster access to emergency funding, more resilient supply chains and better disaster planning could help prevent payment delays from turning into job losses and business failures.” 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2026.102964

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-04-2025-0182

The agenda included a stakeholder meeting at Christie’s Bistro on The University of Manchester’s campus on Wednesday 4 February, and a creative roundtable in MediaCity on Thursday 5 February, hosted by Professor of Poetry, John McAuliffe, on the role of the creative economy in innovation. 

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) also hosted a meeting to showcase Manchester’s transport network, providing the chance to share learnings between the two cities, before the first partnership advisory board meeting was held at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC). 

The events were attended by both the mayors of Greater Manchester and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough respectively, Andy Burnham and Paul Bristow, and the Vice-Chancellors of the Universities of Manchester and Cambridge, Professor Duncan Ivison and Professor Deborah Prentice. Attendees also included the leaders of both city councils, Shaun Grady, UK Chair of AstraZeneca, and industry leaders from both regions.  

The visit to Manchester follows on from the launch of the partnership and the initial stakeholder visit to Cambridge last year, after £4.8 million in funding was awarded by Research England for the pioneering city-to-city collaboration.  

In October, the partnership announced its advisory board during the 2025 Innovate Cambridge Summit which brings together leaders from academia, industry and policy to guide the collaboration between the two cities. 

The partnership is led by the universities of Cambridge and Manchester and their innovation ecosystem organisations Unit M and Innovate Cambridge. The ambitious collaboration was launched to boost UK economic growth and advance inclusive innovation, while supporting the delivery of industrial strategy and local growth plans. 

The partnership is connected at every level: University to University, innovation ecosystem to ecosystem, council to council, Combined Authority to Combined Authority and business to business. This multi-layered connectivity allows ideas, talent, investment and opportunity to flow between places and organisations.   

Find out more about the partnership and get involved – https://www.cambridge-manchester.com/  

The Research England funding has been allocated for use in three key areas: ecosystem activation and integration; growing investment; and testing and learning. 

● Ecosystem activation and integration: It will strengthen relations within and between the innovation ecosystems of the two cities, to create a vibrant and ambitious cross-city innovation network. This aims to create progressive new approach inclusive growth. 

● Growing investment: It will harness the combined strengths of both universities and partner cities to support start-ups and scale-ups to secure funding and grow, attract innovation-intensive FDI to the UK, and stimulate investment into R&D. 

● Testing and learning: It will pilot new approaches and share best practice for delivering ecosystem collaboration and inclusive growth. This will allow other cities, the wider higher education sector community, and local and national governments in the UK and internationally to learn from the partnership. 

Building on the success of the 2024 CBI Mayoral Roundtable, the summit focused on a singular mission: turning regional potential into tangible economic results. During a roundtable attendees agreed on a framework to unlock long-term private investment and enhance the UK’s regional competitiveness.

Duncan Ivison, President & Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “We are delighted to host this summit on our campus, bringing together leaders from business, government and civil society in Manchester. Delivering an effective industrial strategy must be underpinned by robust academic evidence, and The University of Manchester has an important role to play in that work.

“Here in Greater Manchester, we are part of a close partnership between business, policymakers and communities, and are pleased to be a helpful convenor, and contributor, to discussions and collaborations that support the UK’s future."

The summit identified three critical pillars for accelerated implementation of the Industrial Strategy with the potential to deliver transformative gains to regional growth that boost jobs, opportunities and living standards across England:

·       Investable Pipelines: Creating clear, ready-to-fund projects that attract global capital.

·       Deepened Partnerships: Strengthening the "front door" for businesses through closer Mayoral collaboration.

·       Innovation Engines: Leveraging the power of higher education to fuel local talent and R&D.

The afternoon concluded with reflections from Rain Newton-Smith (CBI), Charlie Nunn (Lloyds Banking Group), and Andy Burnham (Mayor of Greater Manchester), highlighting the essential role of regional leadership in the UK’s economic future.

Rain Newton-Smith, CBI CEO, said: “The government has set out bold ambitions for the UK to lead the G7 in driving business investment into the UK. PWC’s recent survey of global CEOs places the UK as the second most attractive location alongside Germany and India so there is no doubt the appetite is there. Building on and championing the unique capabilities of all of our regions is essential if we’re to secure that investment and turn those bold ambitions into tangible economic growth that benefits the whole country.

“Metro mayors are our regional ambassadors in chief, and provide a single, locally-responsive, front door for that investment – helping to remove potential barriers and expedite decision-making. With the power to boost local skills delivery, accelerate critical planning and infrastructure decisions, and smooth access to market opportunities, mayors play a vital role in ensuring investment comes to the UK and is not lost to our global competitors.”

Charlie Nunn, Chief Executive, Lloyds Banking Group said: “Businesses are the engines of regional growth, innovation and job creation, and we want to help them succeed.  This year, we’re making available £35 billion in new finance for businesses across the regions, with one third targeted to SMEs.  We’re proud to be working in partnership across regional leaders, higher education and major infrastructure, in order to attract investment and catalyse growth.”

This event is a cornerstone of the CBI-Lloyds Industrial Strategy Roadshow, a 12-month delivery programme in partnership with DBT and HMT to help government and industry work together to deliver a successful industrial strategy.

The visit formed a key component of the WRC 2026 programme, an initiative established by SWA to strengthen partnerships with leading international universities and to accelerate innovation in water technologies. During the visit, His Excellency and the SWA delegation toured the NGI and GEIC facilities, engaging directly with researchers, engineers, and University of Manchester (UoM) spinouts and startups including Watercycle Technologies, Molymem, and Hollowgraf, all of which are developing advanced materials and water-related technologies.

His Excellency was formally welcomed to the University by Professor Stephen Flint, Associate Vice-President, who hosted a formal meeting to discuss strategic collaboration priorities and opportunities for deeper engagement between SWA and The University of Manchester.

In his opening address at WRC 2026, His Excellency Eng. Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al-Abdulkarim stated: “We rely on science, innovation and technology as the catalyst for our future. Science alone will not be enough to serve the globe. We share a responsibility to connect scientific progress with applied knowledge, applied technology and strong systems that improve lives. Water is life, and water is economy.”

At NGI, discussions focused on fundamental and translational research in advanced materials for water applications. The SWA delegation expressed strong interest in developing structured training and capacity-building programmes, particularly joint PhD training and researcher development initiatives, to help nurture the next generation of scientists and engineers working at the intersection of advanced materials and water technologies.

At GEIC, discussions focused on applied research and the translation of validated ideas towards scalable solutions addressing real-world water and water-infrastructure challenges. The SWA team highlighted opportunities to collaborate on near-to-market technologies, pilot-scale demonstrations, and industry-facing innovation programmes capable of delivering tangible impact.

Prof Rahul R. Nair, Chair of WRC 2026 and Professor of Materials Physics at The University of Manchester, said:

“We were pleased to welcome His Excellency and the Saudi Water Authority delegation to Manchester. The visit reflects a strong alignment between our research capabilities and SWA’s strategic priorities, and we look forward to establishing impactful collaborations in advanced materials and water technologies.”

The delegation also expressed interest in partnering with the Rabigh Water Oasis facilities as a platform for testing, validation, and demonstration of innovative technologies emerging from NGI, GEIC, and UoM spinouts. Such a partnership would support the translation of UK-developed innovations into operational environments and help accelerate pathways to deployment at scale.

The visit further enabled SWA leadership to engage with Watercycle Technologies, Molymem, and Hollowgraf, showcasing innovation across membranes, sensing, advanced materials, and circular water technologies. This interaction reinforced a shared ambition to translate research excellence into deployable solutions for global water challenges. As part of the visit, SWA also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hollowgraf to advance future collaboration in water technologies.

The Water Research Community Meeting 2026 brought together over 200 participants, including senior leaders, policymakers, researchers, and innovators from Saudi Arabia, the UK, and other countries, to align strategic priorities and explore new partnership pathways across sustainability, the circular economy, clean and renewable energy, and process innovation.

This high-level visit marks an important step towards strengthening long-term collaboration between SWA and The University of Manchester, combining the UK’s leadership in advanced materials and innovation infrastructure with Saudi Arabia’s capabilities, investment, and testbed facilities in water technologies.

Over the past two years, HydroGraph and the GEIC have worked side by side to translate cutting-edge research into real-world impact. Together, they have built an extensive library of case studies showing how HydroGraph’s pristine graphene improves performance in diverse applications. Their joint efforts have also generated a commercial pipeline of more than 75 projects commercialising graphene enhanced solutions across sectors such as medical devices, composites and coatings. These successes have been matched by advances in manufacturing: HydroGraph has scaled production from pilot quantities to about one ton per month and plans to scale output to full commercial scale as additional reactors and a new Texas facility come on stream.

The move to Tier 1 status opens a new chapter for the partnership. HydroGraph will establish a dedicated laboratory within the GEIC and gain broader access to the centre’s world-class facilities and technical expertise. This will allow more joint projects to move swiftly from laboratory validation to industrial trials, shorten time to market, and integrate Manchester’s capabilities with HydroGraph’s expanding production footprint. It will also support deeper collaboration with strategic partners such as the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL), building on initial engagements in Manchester to explore new opportunities in North America.

James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Manchester, welcomed the development. “We are thrilled that through our partnership with HydroGraph we are growing our activities in the United States alongside the ARL. From an initial engagement here in Manchester we are now seeing real opportunities and traction in the U.S. market. This demonstrates the power of the GEIC to leverage collaboration across our Tier 1 and Tier 2 partners. With this Tier 1 extension HydroGraph will be able to tap into our full range of capabilities – from composites and energy storage to printing and coatings – while enjoying a dedicated laboratory in the GEIC and access to the broader resources of the University of Manchester.”

Kjirstin Breure, Chief Executive Officer of HydroGraph, added: “Over the past two years as a Tier 2 member, our collaboration with the GEIC has turned promising ideas into real world applications and industrial trials. Elevating to Tier 1 is the natural next step. It provides deeper access to facilities and expertise, speeds up our innovation cycles, and supports closer collaboration with partners such as ARL. We are excited about what this upgrade will enable for HydroGraph, for Manchester and for our customers.”

By strengthening their partnership, HydroGraph and the GEIC are reaffirming Manchester’s position at the forefront of graphene innovation. Together they will continue to pioneer sustainable, high-performance graphene applications that deliver benefits across industry and society.

The GEIC operates a partnership model, offering a variety of engagement options tailored to the scope, scale, duration and complexity of development projects. Visit here for more information and to get in touch.

The findings come at a time when UK manufacturers are still recovering from the pandemic, coping with Brexit-related pressures and dealing with rising geopolitical uncertainty. For many firms, especially those serving large, strategically important customers, a single delay or supply failure can put long-standing relationships at risk. 

The study offers reassurance that even smaller manufacturers can build resilience - not just industry giants.

Driven by the University’s Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange (BEKE) team, The University of Manchester Innovation Factory, the Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) and the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre, the partnership will focus on creating opportunities for collaboration that drive innovation.

The partnership aims to create tangible outcomes to benefit students, staff, businesses and the wider community, across the North West region and beyond.

Students will benefit from real-world learning experiences embedded within their academic programmes, supported by opportunities for internships, placements, and professional mentoring. The partnership also creates scope for a wide range of innovative activities, including enterprise competitions, advanced skills development, and initiatives to nurture entrepreneurial ventures and start-ups.

For staff and researchers, the partnership provides a platform for meaningful engagement with industry, enabling knowledge exchange and joint projects that address emerging challenges and drive innovation.

Dr Cat Headley, CEO of The University of Manchester Innovation Factory, commented: “The signing of this MoU with NatWest is a really positive step in building a partnership that has the potential to span across many areas of innovation in the University, in a way that will benefit researchers, students and entrepreneurs across our community.”

The signing event for the MoU was held at The University of Manchester and it was signed by Professor Kenneth McPhail, Head of School at AMBS and Stephen Sankson, Regional Director at NatWest, on NatWest’s behalf.

Mr Sankson said of the partnership: “We are delighted to sign this agreement with The University of Manchester. Whether focussing on entrepreneurship with students, supporting spin outs, or helping early-stage ventures to flourish, this partnership will not only provide opportunities to work on our shared goal of supporting growth, but will also be a catalyst for even greater collaboration and innovation across the City Region and beyond.”

The MoU establishes a three-year framework for collaboration, with regular reviews to ensure continued progress and impact. A dedicated Steering Committee will guide the partnership, focusing on broad strategic priorities that strengthen innovation, enhance the student experience, and create opportunities for knowledge exchange and enterprise across the University and beyond.

The MoU will merge the University’s world-class academic expertise and NatWest’s leadership in the financial sector, with the aim of shaping a future of inclusive, sustainable growth.