What distinguishes these University entrepreneurs? Each finalist has identified real-world challenges and developed innovative approaches that show great potential. From sustainable environmental solutions to ground-breaking healthcare technologies, these ideas showcase the incredible talent nurturing within our university walls.

In this milestone 25th Anniversary year of the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre, the competition holds special significance as we reflect on a quarter-century of fostering innovation and entrepreneurial excellence at The University of Manchester.

After an intense selection process, the finalists are competing for funding of up to £15,000 in one of the five categories: Environment, Healthcare, Services, Social & Technology. The winners will be announced at our awards ceremony on 11 June.

Environment Category

Josiah Edebiri - UrbanWatt 

School of Engineering, PhD EEE 

UrbanWatt is revolutionising sustainable urban logistics by simplifying the commercial adoption of Light-EVs through integrated wireless power technology, AI-driven optimisation, and smart charging systems.

Farah Frikha - Vesta Capsules 

School of Engineering, Mechatronic Engineering 

Inspired by Japanese capsule hotels, Vesta Capsules offers affordable, eco-friendly sleeping pods built with smart technology and sustainable materials, providing a modern alternative to traditional accommodations.

Mohammad Israil Hossain - Aqua Graph 

School of Natural Sciences, Nano and Functional Materials 

Aqua Graph has developed graphene-based filtration technology where micro-sponges can adsorb harmful chemicals from wastewater up to their own weight, with a reversible process allowing for material recovery and reuse.

Thando Mathe - Khuluma 

School of Environment, Education and Development, MSc Global Development Environment and Climate Change 

Khuluma uses AI-driven climate communication to break language barriers across Africa, making critical climate information accessible to diverse communities.

Healthcare Category

Adrian Perez Barreto - Revine 

CDT-Advanced Biomedical Materials 

Revine addresses diabetic limb ulcers with a graphene-based electrostimulation patch that enhances tissue regeneration while preventing infection, with integrated biosensors providing real-time wound data.

Indu Khemchandani - abetesCareAI 

Alliance Manchester Business School, MBA 

abetesCareAI is an AI-powered app helping users manage diabetes through real-time insights, personalised recommendations, and seamless device integration, with a freemium model and B2B partnerships.

Grigorii Rodionov - FlashAid AI 

School of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering BEng 

FlashAid AI tackles ambulance delays with an AI-powered platform for emergency response featuring instant triage, smart dispatch, real-time tracking, and dynamic routing optimised for traffic conditions.

Jasper Beaumont - Mend 

School of Medical Sciences, MBChB Medicine 

Mend is an AI-powered digital mental health platform helping patients build positive lifestyle habits through automated tracking, personalised care insights, and data-driven recommendations.

Services Category

Usman Aziz - JIFFL

Alliance Manchester Business School, PhD Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy 

JIFFL is a SaaS platform revolutionising part-time recruitment with an end-to-end solution enabling all recruitment stages on a mobile app and website, supported by machine learning and NLP for automated interviews.

Xiang Zheng - Purfetch 

Alliance Manchester Business School, MBA 

Purfetch combines an AI-powered app and pet robot to help owners better understand their pets' emotional changes, behaviours, and health needs through real-time analysis and personalised care advice.

Matilde Lerias - Syncit

Alliance Manchester Business School, MSc Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship

Syncit is a fitness app that considers the menstrual cycle, providing science-backed personalised fitness, nutrition, and wellbeing plans to help women maintain consistent routines.

Sebastian Contreras - Unisights

Alliance Manchester Business School, BSc Management (Innovation, Strategy & Entrepreneurship) with Placement

Unisights connects Latin American high school students with UK universities through insights from current students, direct access to university representatives, and AI-powered university matching.

Social Category

Alex Kapadia - Pomelo

School of Natural Sciences, Earth and Planetary Science 

Pomelo is an AI-powered platform making local shopping more affordable and convenient by connecting users with nearby food suppliers and chefs, with smart meal planning to reduce food waste.

Bohyuck Han - The Senior Vision Project

Alliance Manchester Business School, MSc Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship

The Senior Vision Project addresses elderly poverty by creating meaningful part-time employment and providing AI-powered dementia prevention training, with data sales reinvested into senior employment projects.

Derry Duffy - Cause

School of Social Sciences, BSocSc Politics and International Relations

Cause is the first online giving platform built specifically for small charities, removing fundraising barriers with no platform fees and enabling connections through data-driven recommendations.

Oboroghene Ogbevire - PalmPro

School of Biological Sciences, Biochemistry BSc (Hons)

PalmPro is pioneering sustainable palm oil extraction through extremophile-derived enzymes that enhance oil yield while reducing environmental impact, with profits reinvested in small-scale producers.

Technology Category

Patrick Johansen Sarsfield - Graphene Thermal

School of Natural Sciences, Graphene NOWNANO CDT

Graphene Thermal specialises in cutting-edge graphene heated floor panels that reach their target temperature in seconds while consuming over 50% less power than conventional underfloor heating.

Dr Sangeethsivan Sivakumar - Ardhann

School of Natural Sciences, PhD Materials

Ardhann develops advanced carbon fibre composites and graphene-based solutions for hydrogen and hydrocarbon storage systems, with integrated monitoring and a SAAS platform for predictive maintenance.

Leo Benjamin Feasby - PulsR

School of Natural Sciences, MPhys Physics with Astrophysics

PulsR offers a suite of AI-powered GPTs including Image Generator Pro and Excel AI, with over 10 million chats and top rankings on ChatGPT's store, enhancing productivity across various fields.

Eduardo Marques - Amplify

School of Engineering, BEng Mechatronic Engineering

Amplify is building a non-invasive Brain-Computer Interface wearable that reads brain signals and uses AI to decode them into commands, streamlining repetitive tasks for 10x productivity.

MEC would like to invite the community at The University of Manchester in congratulating these remarkable entrepreneurs on reaching the finals of the Venture Further Awards 2025. Their innovative ideas showcase the exceptional talent and entrepreneurial spirit within the University ecosystem.

Stay tuned for the announcement of winners on 11 June!

#VentureFurtherAwards2025 #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #StartupCompetition

Find out more about the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC) on our website .

Between 2011 and January of this year, 114 spinout companies were tracked for The University of Manchester in data produced by the Royal Academy of Engineering and Beauhurst.   

There has been a significant rise (32.6%) in the number of Manchester spinouts since the last report, jumping from 86 to 114. Eight additions were due to the revised HESA definition of what constitutes a spinout.  

The University’s Technology Transfer Office, The University of Manchester , has been at the forefront of spinout generation at the University, helping to bring ideas to life by licensing intellectual property (IP) and making an impact on industry.  

Catherine Headley, CEO of the Innovation Factory, said: “With many years of experience delivering commercialisation from The University of Manchester’s research and intellectual property, we are proud to play a key role in the University’s impressive ranking as a top-tier institution for spinout generation.  

“The Innovation Factory is excited to build on the success of the more than 100 existing spinout companies we have created from the University’s academic research, driving further innovation and impact for the region and beyond.”   

The report highlighted how the ‘Golden Triangle’ of Oxford, Cambridge and London, the UK’s research and development (R&D) cluster, accounts for 27.7% of the total spinout population.   

The University of Manchester fell just behind Imperial College London (132) for number of spinouts, with the University of Cambridge (175) and University of Oxford (225) taking the second and first spots respectively.  

The report also highlighted the top sectors by number of spinouts, with pharmaceuticals (399), data provision and analysis (282) and electronics hardware (269) making up the top three. The highest emerging sectors in this report include artificial intelligence (214), software-as-a-service (180) and CleanTech (169).  

In keeping with Manchester’s innovation drive, the University of Manchester recently established its new innovation capability, , to connect and catalyse the innovation ecosystem in Manchester and the wider region.  

By making the University’s world-class research, innovation assets and talent more accessible to all, Unit M is attracting and growing innovation-intensive businesses in the region. It is designed to address all aspects of the innovation challenge – from R&D and innovation adoption through to talent and skills – creating an economy that creates good jobs, higher pay, and improved productivity, alongside supporting and nurturing spinout talent.  

Professor Lou Cordwell OBE, CEO of Unit M, said: “The University of Manchester has long been the innovation engine of the city, making it no surprise that it has ranked so highly for spinout generation.  

“This stellar track record has paved the way for Unit M to drive a more inclusive model of innovation-led growth, bridging the gap with other participants in the innovation economy. This outward facing ethos will make the innovation assets and talents of the University more accessible to all - enabling Manchester to fulfil its economic potential and supercharge growth both regionally and nationally.” 

Catherine steps into the role full-time, having served as Interim CEO over the past year, while also fulfilling her responsibilities as Director of Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange at The University of Manchester. With a wealth of experience in working with businesses, technology transfer and innovation, she brings a deep commitment to advancing UoMIF’s mission of identifying and commercialising groundbreaking research to drive social, environmental and economic impact. 

Catherine will be succeeded in her previous role as Director of Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange by Dr Louise Bates, who joins from her position as Head of Strategic Partnerships at The University of Manchester.

“I am thrilled to take on this role at such an exciting time for the Innovation Factory,” said Catherine. “Manchester has a proud and established legacy of pioneering innovation that shapes the world and I am eager to build on that tradition. My goal is to strengthen our partnerships, empower our academics, inventors and researchers, and accelerate the journey from discovery to real-world solutions that benefit society and bolster the UK’s position as a global leader in innovation.”

The appointment comes at a time when technology transfer offices (TTOs) across the UK are increasingly recognised for their economic contributions. 

A 2023 report highlighted that university spinouts in the UK employ tens of thousands and generate billions in revenue annually, underscoring the critical role of organisations like UoMIF in fostering innovation ecosystems. UoMIF plays a critical role in supporting growth in the region through its spinouts and innovation, and is now perfectly placed to grow and increase the environmental, societal and economic impact that it contributes.

Over the past several years, UoMIF established itself as a vital bridge between academic research and commercial application, supporting the University’s ambition to create impact through translation of world-class research. Catherine aims to build on this foundation, driving UoMIF towards ambitious goals while reinforcing Manchester’s historic role as a hub of technological advancement.

Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, welcomed the appointment, saying: “I’m delighted Catherine is stepping into the role of CEO at the Innovation Factory. Her leadership, creativity, and commitment to bringing our research to life exemplify exactly what we're about as a University. 

"Her appointment will help us accelerate the journey from discovery to real-world impact, ensuring our ideas make a meaningful difference - not just here in Manchester, but nationally and globally. It's an exciting step forward as we continue to push boundaries in research and innovation, and I'm truly looking forward to seeing what she'll achieve.”

Professor Richard Jones, Vice-President, Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement at The University of Manchester, said: “Catherine’s leadership comes at a pivotal moment for the Innovation Factory as we seek to amplify Manchester’s position as an innovation powerhouse for the region and the nation. Her appointment signals our commitment to transforming bold ideas into tangible solutions, fostering a vibrant ecosystem where research fuels regional growth and global breakthroughs. 

"The Innovation Factory, under her guidance, will be a valuable asset to support the University’s world-class innovators and transformative technologies.”

For more information about the University of Manchester Innovation Factory and its work, please visit www.uominnovationfactory.com.

A highlight of the life sciences calendar, the awards dinner was held at the Concorde Conference Centre on 6 March, with over 340 attendees gathering for an evening of celebration and achievement.

The University and Saraco Industries received the Project of the Year Award in recognition of taking a major step forward in the area of research, by demonstrating an innovative and novel approach for a collaborative project - marking a breakthrough in sustainable healthcare products.

An interdisciplinary team from Manchester comprising of materials science, biological physics and microbiology experts collaborated with Saraco Industries, a UK-based SME wet wipe manufacturer, to achieve a breakthrough first – a plastic-free wet wipe meeting EN standards against bacteria, yeast, and viruses under dirty conditions with a 1-minute contact time. This innovative clinical disinfection wipe has now been commercialised and submitted against an NHS tender.

The collaborative partnership has continued to develop and grow, including securing a 3-year Centre for Doctoral Training PhD project in Advanced Biomedical Materials, a follow-on UKRI IAA Advance Fund project to further optimise the existing wipe formulation, and a recent second Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) submission to develop bacteriophage-infused wipes for healthcare applications.

Sarah Cartmell, Professor of Bioengineering, The University of Manchester said: “We are so proud to be recognised for our achievements in this important interdisciplinary project. Our progress is a result of the synergy of University and industry collaboration. We look forward to building on our success with our continuing teamwork.”

Andrew McBain, Professor of Microbiology at The University of Manchester said: “KTP has enabled The University of Manchester to make a tangible, positive contribution to a highly dynamic local business. It has been so rewarding to see the KTP Associate, Carolina Angulo Pineda, develop through considerable talent and tenacity, into a mature scientist who is now employed full-time as a Senior R&D Materials Scientist at Saraco.”

Dr Carolina Angulo Pineda, KTP Associate and now Senior R&D Materials Scientist, Saraco Industries, commented: “I will always be honoured and grateful to have been part of this fantastic KTP Team. This opportunity allowed me to grow both personally and professionally, and I look forward to continuing to work together on innovative solutions for real-life challenges.”

Idris M Bapu, Managing Director, Saraco Industries, added: “This is a wonderful honour and acknowledgment of all the hard work put in by the KTP team, the Academics at The University of Manchester and our Saraco team members. This award will be prominently displayed in our offices with great pride.”

The project was funded through an Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership; celebrating its 50th year in 2025 of bringing together forward-thinking businesses and organisations, academics, and graduates to solve complex innovation challenges which help our economy, society, and environment. Delivered through the Knowledge Exchange Partnerships team, part of Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange, The University of Manchester has collaborated on more than 300 KTPs and in the last five years alone, has supported 42 KTPs with a total research value of £11 million.

If you would like to discuss how KTP can help your business innovate for growth, please contact collaborate@manchester.ac.uk.

Throughout the two-day event held this month, spinout founders presented their innovative projects across Life Sciences, Science & Engineering and Next-Stage Investment categories. These sessions were followed by lively Q&A discussions, with investors and attendees posing insightful questions about the future potential of these groundbreaking technologies.

Professor Duncan Ivison, President & Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, delivered a keynote speech on the global impact of university spinouts and reinforced the role of research-led innovation in shaping industries worldwide.

He said at the event: “One of the things that distinguishes Manchester globally is the connectivity of the city and its institutions and the ecosystem between business, universities and government in a way that is unique in the world.

“It is the superpower of Manchester. I don’t know of any other city in the world in which the connectivity between the main institutions in the city are so deep, so dynamic, and so alive.”

Richard Jones, Vice President for Innovation at The University of Manchester, also commended how commercialisation of university research can benefit the wider innovation ecosystem.

Break-out partnering sessions allowed for in-depth discussion and provided invaluable opportunities for spinout teams to meet privately with investors to discuss their commercialisation journeys.

Catherine Headley, CEO at The University of Manchester Innovation Factory said: “The conference truly demonstrated the strength and diversity of spinout companies emerging from Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield. The level of investor engagement was remarkable, reflecting the exciting momentum behind innovation across the North of England.”

The 2025 Investor Conference reaffirmed the Northern Triangle of Universities’ role as a hub fostering cutting-edge innovation collaborations that shape the future of science, technology, and business. It is hoped that fresh partnerships and investments will emerge from the event and that steps will be taken towards real world impact.

Founded by University of Manchester graduates Prithveesh Reddy and Harvey Lowe, Arcube has already caught the attention of industry insiders by winning the Venture Further Awards in the Technology category. Their platform leverages artificial intelligence to boost loyalty and ancillary revenue for airlines.

Making loyalty pay

Arcube’s flagship product, the “Passenger Intelligence Platform” is the world’s first post-flight solution. It uses advanced data analytics to track passenger behaviour and suggest personalised upsells immediately after a flight. The technology was trialled by Etihad Airways, generating $1.6 million in extra revenue from just 1,300 passengers over the course of a year and achieving a notable 10.3% increase in average order value.

Airlines have long struggled to build loyalty among infrequent flyers. Many passengers hold dormant loyalty accounts with insufficient points to redeem meaningful rewards. Arcube’s solution enables passengers to convert their unused miles into ancillaries such as priority boarding, fast-track security and lounge access. These ancillaries are reserved for a future booking, to incentivise the passengers return to the same airline.

Reddy explained, “Airlines have vast amounts of passenger data—what people eat on board, how early they arrive at the airport, how long they spend in lounges—but much of it goes unused. Our platform bridges that gap by offering tailored, real-time options to passengers as soon as they get off the flight.”

 From student project to startup success

Arcube’s journey began at The University of Manchester’s Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC), which was established by Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) enterprise lecturers in 2000 and provides resources and support for budding entrepreneurs. The duo started by taking part in the Centre’s entrepreneurship courses and later secured early-stage funding through MEC’s Kickstarter scheme. Earlier this year, Arcube took first place in the prestigious Venture Further Awards, one of the UK’s leading university startup competitions. “The Masood Entrepreneurship Centre gave us a vital platform,” said Lowe. “Their mentorship and financial support have played a crucial role in our progress.”

The company has also recently secured the Turing Innovation Catalyst Manchester AI innovation grant.

Building trust with industry giants

Breaking into the airline industry is notoriously difficult for newcomers, but Arcube managed to convince Etihad Airways to pilot its technology. Lowe reflected on the challenge: “We didn’t have a track record, so we offered to build the software at our own risk, asking only for a share of the additional revenue we could generate. It was a bold approach, but after months of negotiations, Etihad agreed.” The pilot scheme’s results speak for themselves. With Etihad handling over 17 million passengers annually, the potential for rolling out the solution on a larger scale is substantial.

Looking ahead

Having recently graduated, Reddy and Lowe are now focusing on scaling their operation. They are in discussions with 14 airlines globally and aim to establish Arcube as a leader in the burgeoning travel ancillary data market. “Our ambition is to create the world’s largest data set for travel ancillaries,” Reddy said. “Ancillaries already account for up to 20% of revenue for traditional airlines, and for low-cost carriers, it’s often more than 50%. We’re starting with airlines, but our vision extends to the entire travel ecosystem—car rentals, cruise lines, hotels.” With a combination of technical expertise, entrepreneurial grit, and early success, Arcube looks set to become a major player in travel tech. As the startup scales its platform and expands its client base, it’s poised to offer a smarter, data-driven approach to airline loyalty and revenue generation.

Read more about Arcube's success .

Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC)

The Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC) is the focal point for enterprise and entrepreneurship teaching, learning and startup support at The University of Manchester. Find out more about our on- and co-curricular activities .

The University of Manchester’s total economic impact on the UK economy in the 2022-23 academic year stood at £7.3 billion. In fact, The University’s income alone stood at £1.3 billion in total, larger than that of Manchester United Football Club. 

The new analysis by London Economics shows the scale of the University’s positive effects as a major employer with one in every 25 jobs in Manchester being provided by the University. Indirectly, the institution also supports an additional 31,000 jobs outside of the University across the North West and the rest of the UK. 

Professor Richard Jones, Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement said: “The University’s ambition is to power a strong and inclusive economy, positioning Manchester as a central player on the global stage. The scale of what we have achieved currently is remarkable, but there is more to do. There is a huge opportunity now for the city-region of Greater Manchester and the University to work together, with other partners, to accelerate the kind of economic growth which benefits all in society.” 

Economic Contribution: In 2022-23, the University generated approximately £2.1 billion in economic impact within Greater Manchester, which is 56% of its total impact in the North West.  

Civic and Employment Impact: In 2022-23, the University's activities supported 19,050 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs in Greater Manchester, which is a significant portion of the total 31,310 FTE jobs supported across the UK.  

����Ӱ�� and Knowledge Exchange: The University's research and knowledge exchange activities have a profound impact on the region. In 2022-23, these activities supported approximately 6,040 FTE jobs in Greater Manchester and generated a total economic impact of £3.0 billion across the UK.  

Innovation and spin-out/start-up companies: The University has 343 spinout and start-up companies, with 175 headquartered in Greater Manchester. 

The Impact Report was revealed today during an economy and regeneration committee meeting at Manchester City Council. 

Professor John Holden, Associate Vice-President, Major Special Projects said: “The University of Manchester is one of the most significant innovation assets in the North of England, and a driver of growth and prosperity for our city-region and the UK, with global reach. This report highlights how investment in our research, teaching, cultural, and innovation activities – and the activities of our staff, students, alumni and partners – creates economic and societal wealth for communities across the UK.” 

The University is seeking to now supercharge its impact through innovation and commercialisation via the activities of , a new specialist function will transform how the University partners with start-ups, scale ups and industry to strengthen the region’s innovation ecosystem.  

The impact of students has also been highlighted, as the University seeks to develop its Manchester 2035 strategy to work with ambition and focus, to make Manchester an example of a civic-embedded and social responsibility-led institution. The University is currently ranked at 6 in the UK and 34 in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2025 and as the third largest higher education institution in the UK, teaching and learning activities provide substantial benefits to the UK economy.  

Today’s report reveals the impact of teaching and learning generated by the 2022-23 cohort of University of Manchester students stood at £1.6 billion, based on enhanced employment and earnings benefits to graduates and associated public income. 

The University of Manchester is home to a rapidly growing talent pool of entrepreneurs and start-up companies transforming ideas in to real-world impact thanks to the University’s innovation ecosystem on offer. Last week The University of Manchester’s Innovation Academy held its third Founders Network Dinner (Tuesday 28 Jan), in the Manchester Museum.

The academy is a pan University initiative and joint venture between the Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange team, The University of Manchester Innovation Factory and the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre. It brings together knowledge, expertise and routes to facilitate the commercialisation of your research.

Professor Aline Miller, Director of the Innovation Academy and Chief Scientific Officer at , said: “It’s incredible to see our Innovation Academy Founders Network flourishing. Each event has grown significantly, reinforcing how The University of Manchester’s innovator community is beginning to thrive. With initiatives like Unit M, we have the opportunity to extend our impact beyond the University, embedding ourselves within the wider regional ecosystem.”

The evening was opened by Vice-Chancellor for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement, Professor Richard Jones, who shared his thoughts about embedding innovation squarely within the University 2035 Strategy, and the importance of generating tangible impact from our research to solve global challenges and deliver an innovation driven economy.

A highlight of the night was a series of one-minute elevator pitches from nine inspiring entrepreneurs, each at different stages of their journey. These ranged from early-stage proof-of-concept ideas to businesses securing significant funding, such as those winning the Eli Harari Award and raising over £9 million in seed funding. The ventures spanned diverse industries, including healthcare, technology, and sustainability:

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;

In attendance was Professor Lou Cordwell, CEO of , who introduced this University of Manchester flagship initiative, highlighting its potential to revolutionise the regional innovation ecosystem. She described how Unit M will act as a bridge between university-born innovation and the wider economy, fostering inclusivity and long-term growth.

The Innovation Academy’s Founders Network is a growing community of technology, creative, and social start-up and spin-out founders, providing a supportive platform for sharing experiences and fostering peer-to-peer learning. Since its launch in June 2024, attendance at the dinners has grown from 40 to 110 - highlighting the growing momentum behind entrepreneurial activity.

The Innovation Academy, a collaboration between the Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange Team, the University of Manchester Innovation Factory, and the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre, aims to inspire and accelerate enterprise across campus.

Any student or staff member with an interest in entrepreneurship is encouraged to join this vibrant network. To get involved, contact Kelly Burnham at Innovation.Academy@manchester.ac.uk.

To find out more about Manchester’s pioneering spirit through the ages and current and future landscapes for innovation, the economy and commercialisation, listen to Aline and Professor of Materials Physics and Innovation Policy and Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement, Richard Jones on their Talk 200 podcast, Talking Innovation: It’s in Manchester’s DNA.

Photo credit - Enna Bartlett

Announced today, the research programme aims to address the challenges of plastic waste in healthcare settings by exploring the relationship between social practice, material selection, reuse, and recycling while maintaining high-quality clinical outcomes. In response to complex sustainability challenges in the sector, the work will explore circular pathways, identify barriers and unintended consequences, and unlock opportunities to minimise the environmental impacts of materials in healthcare settings.

The three-year partnership brings together two organisations striving for authentic environmental sustainability, backed by innovative research and real-world practice. The collaboration is co-funded by an EPSRC Prosperity Partnership award, UKRI’s flagship co-investing programme building business and academic research collaboration.

Professor Mike Shaver, Director of Sustainable Futures and academic lead for the new partnership said: “We are thrilled by the opportunity to work with Bupa on this ambitious new project, extending our systemic understanding of plastics, waste management, social practice and environmental impacts to reshape material provision in healthcare. These collaborations are essential to translating our research efforts into real world impact.”

A key challenge for a sustainable future is the way we use and dispose of materials. Over 60% of countries have implemented bans or taxes on household waste, particularly plastics, yet healthcare is much more complex. The sector’s reliance on single-use items (SUIs) for infection control, consistency, and cost efficiency has led to significant environmental and health challenges, with SUIs contributing to carbon emissions, waste, and plastic pollution.

The crucial new interdisciplinary collaboration will tackle four key urgent areas:

• Understanding social practice in medical practices - Understand the interconnectedness between social practice and material selection, use, segregation and disposal.
• Reuse and sterility - Understand the relationship between material selection, sterilisation and reuse to improve environmental sustainability
• Mechanical and chemical recycling - Establish high volume clinical waste streams to create value in mechanical recycling and chemical depolymerization.
• Environmental sustainability assessment - Quantify environmental impacts and develop materials hierarchies in the provision of healthcare.

Anna Russell, Director of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, Bupa, said: “This partnership with The University of Manchester is groundbreaking for our sector. Tackling healthcare’s environmental challenges requires bold thinking and collaboration, and this partnership is a fantastic opportunity to lead the way in creating sustainable, industry-wide solutions. By combining cutting-edge research with Bupa’s real-world expertise, we can drive meaningful change that reduces the healthcare sector’s impact on the planet while maintaining the highest clinical standards. This is a vital step forward in our journey to help create a greener, healthier future.”

This new partnership has been recognised by the Engineering & Physical Sciences ����Ӱ�� Council (EPSRC) for bringing together The University of Manchester’s interdisciplinary collaborative researchers and knowledge-base, with data from and access to more than 500 Bupa dental practices, clinics, care homes and The Cromwell Hospital. The necessity of tackling these challenges was highlighted by The University’s research platform and Bupa. These are challenges which can only be tackled by marrying academia and industry.

This new collaboration was kick-started by , The University of Manchester’s recently announced innovation capability tasked with supercharging the region’s innovation ecosystem. Unit M is now live and actively engaging with entrepreneurs, investors, and changemakers eager to shape the future of the region.

Professor Lou Cordwell, CEO of Unit M said: “Ahead of the formal launch of Unit M, the founding leadership team has been working to develop this partnership with Bupa to highlight the benefits of organisations engaging with Unit M to drive real-world impact and innovation. The collaboration has taken shape over the past two years to establish a long term, University wide innovation partnership.”

The new collaboration builds on the shared commitment of both the University and Bupa to the region. Last month, The University of Manchester reaffirmed its status as a global leader in sustainability by retaining its position in the top 10 worldwide in the . Meanwhile, Bupa was one of the first healthcare companies to set science-based CO2 reduction targets and an ambitious 2040 net zero pathway.

Find out more about Unit M:

 

Unit M is dedicated to tackling the full spectrum of innovation challenges – from research and development to innovation adoption, as well as talent and skills development. By enhancing access to the University’s world-class research, innovation resources, and expertise, it seeks to address critical regional and national issues, including productivity, innovation uptake, and economic inclusivity.

Professor Miller will take up her role as Chief Scientific Officer immediately within the newly formed leadership team. “I am thrilled to take on the role of Chief Scientific Officer for Unit M. I am passionate about generating tangible impact from our teaching, research and social responsibility activities.” Said Aline. “I look forward to working with our students, staff and external partners to unlock innovation growth opportunities to maximise the University’s impact on our region’s economy and society.”

Aline is Professor of Biomolecular Engineering and Associate Dean for Business Engagement and Innovation within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at The University of Manchester. She is Director of the NW Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Catalyst – a £5m flagship programme supercharging the growth of careers, business and the regional economy, while delivering sustainable products and processes.

Aline’s academic achievements to date have earned her several notable awards, including recognition from the Royal Academy of Engineering, Women in Engineering, The Leverhulme Trust, and the Great British Entrepreneur Awards. Aline has also developed an impressive track record of securing funding and translating academic research into commercial and clinical applications through collaborations with a range of industry partners, from SMEs to large corporations.

She also co-founded a spin-out company, Manchester BIOGEL, which, under her leadership as CEO, secured over £4M in investment from Innovate UK, venture capital, private investors, and Catapult Venture Funds. The company grew to a team of 10, became revenue-generating, and achieved significant recognition, being listed among the Top 10 Biotech Start-Ups in Europe by Start-Up City in 2021 and winning Best New Life Science Product 2021. In 2023, Manchester BIOGEL successfully navigated an exit, with its technology being acquired by Cell Guidance Systems Ltd.

The announcement follows the recent appointment of Professor Lou Cordwell as CEO of Unit M.

Lou said: “We're thrilled to welcome Aline into the founding Unit M team. Her leadership experience both in her field and as a founder will be invaluable, alongside her passion for growing the calibre and profile of the region's start-up ecosystem."

Unit M is now live and actively engaging with entrepreneurs, investors, and changemakers eager to shape the future of the region.

For more information about Unit M and partnership opportunities, visit 

Unit M is designed to address all aspects of the innovation challenge – from R&D through to innovation adoption through to talent and skills – by making the University’s world-class research, innovation assets and talent more accessible to all. It aims to address key regional and national challenges in productivity, innovation adoption, and economic inclusivity.

Earlier this year, Lou Cordwell OBE, was appointed Professor of Innovation at the ) at , and Special Advisor to the Office of the President and Vice-Chancellor. Lou brings a wealth of experience in fostering innovation, economic transformation, and cross-sector collaboration. As CEO, Lou will lead Unit M’s mission to maximise the University's impact for the benefit of the region’s economy and society.

Lou began her career working for WPP before founding the Manchester-based digital design studio magneticNorth (mN). In 2021, mN merged with Fluxx, creating the UK’s leading design and innovation consultancy, . She previously developed the strategic masterplan for Sister, one of Europe’s most ambitious innovation district projects. She has spent the past year jointly leading the University’s Regional Innovation Review, which provides an in-depth analysis and roadmap for how the University can create a world-class inclusive innovation ecosystem in the region. 

Lou is also Chair of and an angel investor, particularly focusing on female tech founders. Lou was awarded an OBE in the 2018 New Year’s Honours for services to the creative and digital economy.

“We are thrilled to welcome Lou to lead Unit M,” said Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester. “Her leadership and expertise will be instrumental in ensuring Unit M achieves its ambitious goals of driving inclusive growth and strengthening Manchester’s position on the global innovation stage.”

Unit M’s launch comes at a pivotal time as the UK grapples with pressing economic challenges. By helping to accelerate the University’s impact, and leveraging Manchester’s strengths as a leading city for innovation, the initiative will foster dynamic partnerships, create new jobs, and attract investment while addressing social and economic inequalities.

Speaking of her new role Lou said: "I’m absolutely delighted to be asked to lead the Unit M team and mission. The University is one of the region’s most important innovation assets and the Unit M ambition to help drive innovation-led growth will be a central theme of the University's future strategy. I'm looking forward to working with colleagues across the University as well as local and global partners to deliver exciting new opportunities for our region."

Unit M will align with and complement existing innovation capabilities across the University, including the Innovation Factory, the Pankhurst Institute for Health Technology and the Turing Innovation Catalyst, as well its sector leading business engagement, student entrepreneurship, and flexible learning teams. It will act as the University’s interface into the region’s investment zone and innovation districts, including the University’s recently launched joint venture, Sister and the Atom Valley Mayoral Development Zone, along with other place-based partnerships. It will also partner closely with external capabilities, including the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), local councils and other institutions. 

Unit M is now live and actively engaging with entrepreneurs, investors, and changemakers eager to shape the future of the region.

For more information about Unit M and partnership opportunities, visit

The two universities, which are both global leaders in a number of research disciplines, have revealed the new approach in support of efforts led by metro mayors Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram to unlock the full economic potential of Greater Manchester and the Liverpool city region.

It will see the universities work increasingly closely to create groundbreaking innovations and develop the future workforce in areas that align to the two city regions’ shared priorities for growth - drawing on academic expertise in areas as diverse as healthcare innovation, net zero and the creative industries.

Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor at the , said: “Liverpool and Manchester have an incredible history of shared innovation, from being linked by the world’s first inter-city railway nearly 200 years ago to having, today, some of the world’s best research and innovation capability in disciplines including health and chemistry.

“The metro mayors have highlighted the advantages of these two great city regions working closely together for the benefit of their communities and the wider North West, and the closer collaboration between the University of Liverpool and the University of Manchester will work in the same spirit.

“Both universities have outstanding strengths in research and teaching, and through this partnership we will redouble our efforts to direct those capabilities to supporting regional business, innovation and skills development.”

The plans were announced at an event hosted by the University of Liverpool’s Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place, held at the city’s St George’s Hall, where Mr Burnham and Mr Rotheram spoke about their plans to transform the North’s political and economic role in the UK.

It comes as both universities work alongside the metro mayors and other partners through the Liverpool-Manchester Railway Board to develop a brand new high speed rail link between the two cities.

Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “There is a tremendous synergy between our two universities – and our cities - where thousands of our staff and students are dedicated to developing the knowledge and innovation that holds the key to generating genuinely inclusive growth and culturally dynamic cities.

“Our commitment to greater collaboration announced today will start by focusing on the high-value industrial clusters that span both city regions, driving the innovation and providing the skills and workforce that those industries need to deliver economic growth.

“This builds on both universities’ world class research and teaching, including a number of existing areas of collaboration, to enhance the whole region’s appeal to potential employers and investors, and deliver tangible benefits to local communities.”

The collaboration will also see the two universities seek opportunities to jointly engage other universities and colleges across the North West where strengths in research and skills align to the city regions’ priorities for growth.

Plans will initially include strengthening joint work between the universities on:

• Speciality chemicals and biomanufacturing, helping to build more sustainable supply chains for consumer products, and providing new routes to make medicines and vaccines.  
• Training the next generation of scientists and engineers for the civil nuclear industry in support of the transition to net zero
• Supporting and developing industries of the future including quantum technology.  
• Supporting the two city regions’ renowned creative industries, including a focus on music and literature, emphasising the role of creativity in enriching lives

Formed to challenge and disrupt the global conveyor belt market, Ecobelt Ltd is an environmentally ambitious company that champions environmental sustainability and fosters a circular life-cycle approach for belting use.

In the UK alone, 4,000 tonnes of conveyor belts are incinerated or sent to landfill every week.

The ‘Sustainable Materials Innovation for Net-zero’ award recognises Ecobelt’s patented innovative belt splice technology to address the main cause of belt failure. The technology extends belt lifespan from months to years, therefore improving the upstream sustainability by reducing the demand for new belts.

Through partnership and collaboration with The University of Manchester—supported by its UKRI Impact Acceleration Account and the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub at the Henry Royce Institute—Ecobelt tested the performance of their technology to develop an approach to repair damaged conveyor belts, employing a whole life-cycle environmental impact approach.

The judges from the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining commended Ecobelt’s technology, citing the robust research base and collaboration with partners as key indicators to Ecobelt’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

Conveyor belts service virtually all consumer products, production and manufacturing facilities globally, driving a market valued at $6 billion (USD) annually, fuelled by e-commerce and industry 4.0.

Despite this, the industry has been remarkably stagnant in relation to innovation, sustainability and the manufacturing process of materials used in conveyor belts. As conveyor belts are fossil fuel based, manufacturing consumes huge natural resources whilst producing significant Greenhouse Gases – an issue that Ecobelt seeks to change.

Whilst Ecobelt’s next steps for commercial scale up are still unfolding, the technology’s potential for lasting impact in the industrial settings are clear.

Professor Michael Shaver, Director of the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub said: “Our world is driven – both literally and figuratively – by conveyor belts. Yet we don’t think of them as essential in championing Manchester as a sustainable city.

“Our eyes have been opened by this hidden gem of a local business: Ecobelt have tackled an invisible material flow that is essential to keeping our manufacturing and delivery systems moving by improving material repair, reuse and circularity. It has been a privilege to work on assessing the AnnStuMax technology and quantifying its impressive environmental credentials.”

Join inspiring speaker sessions and workshops, with highlights including AI marketing, personal branding, pitch competitions, and neurodivergence in entrepreneurship. Conclude the week with MEC’s first-ever Startup Weekend, where you'll pitch ideas, form teams, and gain hands-on startup experience in just over two days. Learn, network, and accelerate your entrepreneurial journey!

Discover MEC’s Global Entrepreneurship Week events:

Monday 18 November: Startup Spotlight with Dr Mehdi Boutagouga Boudjadja

17:00 - 18:30 | 2.008, AMBS |

Join MEC's Startup Spotlight with Dr. Mehdi Boutagouga Boudjadja, VFA23 Technology winner and Metofico Founder and CEO, in partnership with UoM Management Society.

Tuesday 19 November: AI as Your Marketing Partner: Driving Growth and Efficiency for Startups

11:00 - 13:30  |  3.013a/3.013b, AMBS |

Elevate your startup marketing in Peter Dickinson's AI workshop, blending 40+ years of expertise with cutting-edge tools for success.

Tuesday 19 November: Personal Branding 101

15:00 - 16:30 | 2A.012, Nancy Rothwell Building |

Boost your career with this workshop on crafting your personal brand, enhancing networking skills, and curating a strong digital presence.

Wednesday 20 November: Ready, Set, Pitch!

14:00 - 16:00 | 2.007, AMBS |

Join the audience for Ready, Set, Pitch! to watch early-stage student entrepreneurs pitch for prizes.

Thursday 21 November: Intro to Starting a Business - Steps to Starting

13:00 - 15:00 | Enterprise Zone (2.039), AMBS |

Gain the foundational knowledge to start your business or side hustle with this workshop on business models, customer focus, and defining your unique value.

Thursday 21 November: Neurodivergence & Entrepreneurship Workshop

14:00 - 15:30 | 3.2, Roscoe Building |

Hear from neurodiverse role models, gain insights for university success, and enhance your skills in this empowering workshop.

Friday 22 Nov, Saturday 23 Nov & Sunday 24 Nov: Startup Weekend

Starts 18:30 on Friday 22 Nov | The Hive Space, 3rd Floor, AMBS |  

Join Startup Weekend to network, collaborate and turn ideas into reality, fast-tracking your entrepreneurial journey!

Head to our to find out more!

The is the focal point for enterprise and entrepreneurship teaching, learning and startup support at The University of Manchester, supporting all University of Manchester students, staff and recent graduates, across all subject disciplines.

The collaboration between the two universities, which are both located in UK innovation hotspots, aims to boost growth and turbocharge a more inclusive economy, so everyone can benefit from the opportunities created by innovation.

Professor Ivison visited Cambridge as part of a delegation led by Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, which also included the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Dr Nik Johnson, and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, Professor Deborah Prentice.

Also representing The University of Manchester was Professor Richard Jones, Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement and Professor Lou Cordwell, OBE, Professor of Innovation.

During his visit, Professor Ivison toured the Cambridge West Innovation District and paid a visit to the Cambridge Graphene Centre.

Graphene was first isolated at The University of Manchester in 2004, earning Professor Sir Andre Geim and Professor Sir Kostya Novoselov the Nobel Prize in Physics. Two decades on, this wonder material has incredible potential to revolutionise how we live and it is being piloted for a breadth of medical and engineering purposes.

The visiting delegation also paid a visit to AstraZeneca’s Discovery Centre (DISC), a state-of-the-art research facility. The biopharmaceutical giant is set to extend its ‘AstraZeneca Exchange’ science and business mentoring programme to Manchester entrepreneurs, helping early-stage life sciences businesses to develop their ideas and connect with scientific and commercial experts within the company.

The Glasshouse, a new innovation hub for Innovate Cambridge, was also officially opened by the Mayors. Academics, business and civil leaders from Cambridge and Manchester also attended the event to celebrate the collaboration between the two universities and Innovate Cambridge.

Professor Ivison said: “To keep the UK at the forefront of a truly inclusive growth agenda, we need to supercharge innovation - linking capital, talent, and research in ways that drive new economic growth.

“Working collaboratively, the partnership will build on the strengths of both cities’ universities and innovation ecosystems to deliver real benefits for our regions and beyond. Our ambition is to power an inclusive economy, positioning Manchester and Cambridge as central players on the global stage to accelerate growth for all in society.” 

The partnership is the first of its kind, and it aims to build closer relations between universities and research institutions, attract more investment and speed up the growth of start and scale-ups.

Chair of Greater Manchester Business Board and Professor of Innovation at the University of Manchester, Lou Cordwell, said: “This partnership is a groundbreaking initiative – bringing together two of the UK’s leading innovation cities to help us achieve more. Whether it’s researchers, entrepreneurs, established businesses or investors, we want to support a flow of innovation between our two places.

“Hearing from the Mayors, local leaders, businesses and universities today, the scale of the opportunity and level of ambition was clear and we’re excited to take the partnership further.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “Greater Manchester and Cambridge are two world-renowned centres of innovation. This partnership is breaking new ground, creating strong new ties between the North of England and the Golden Triangle to drive regional and national economic growth.

“Our two places have distinct identities and unique strengths, but we also have a lot in common – world-leading universities and dynamic, fast-growing economies. We also share an ambition for growth that benefits everyone, with more people and businesses able to access the opportunities created by innovation. By working together, we can be greater than the sum of our parts.”

The Vice-Chancellor’s trip to Cambridge followed hot on the heels of the new government’s first Budget, in which research and development (R&D) is cited as one of the Chancellor’s key priorities. An increase in public R&D investment of £20.4billion in 2025/26 was announced in addition to a boosted budget of £13.9billion for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

The partnership between The University of Manchester and the University of Cambridge aims to plot a new way forward for R&D and innovation-led growth.

If you are interested in applying for the Eli & Britt Harari Award 2025, here are the details:

• Applications open: Monday 11th November 2024
• Applicant Support Session: Tuesday 28th January 2025
• Applications close: Monday 10th February 2025
• Find out more information, head to the Award's page on the MEC website .
• Any questions: Contact harari@manchester.ac.uk

While on campus, DPM Heng and his delegation explored opportunities for future collaboration, particularly in the space of R&D and innovation. The visit to Manchester was the only non-London element of the DPM’s UK visit, alongside Cambridge; they visited the city due to its effective innovation ecosystem evident in the relationship between the university, businesses and local government.

DPM Heng observed a briefing by the and the before having dinner with President and Vice-Chancellor, Duncan Ivison. He also visited the Manchester Fuel Cell Innovation Centre and met with the UK Biobank.

As part of his visit to the city, DPM Heng met with Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, to discuss views on how government, academia, finance, industry and talent can come together to grow vibrant and integrated innovation ecosystems.

The University of Manchester has a longstanding relationship with Singapore, welcoming many Singaporean students each year. Undergraduate exchange agreements are in place with the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University.

The International Development Division at The University of Manchester maintains good relationships with the various institutions across Singapore and arranges several visits to Singapore each year for colleagues from Faculties and Schools.

The International Development Division also has close links with the Singapore Students’ Society of Manchester who act as ambassadors at events, and there are also close ties with the active University of Manchester Alumni Group.

The Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) has had a presence in Singapore since 1992 and opened the , in Singapore, in 1999; with 400 active students and 1,500 alumni, the Centre offers MBA course and Masters Degrees.

The South East Asia Centre participated in the University’s bicentenary event, Light Up, in January 2024, by gathering current students and esteemed alumni for a jubilant reception.

The announcement has been made as part of a collaboration agreed between Lilly and UK Government today, unveiled at the Government’s International Investment Summit. 

The study will evaluate the real-world effectiveness of tirzepatide in weight loss, diabetes prevention, and prevention of obesity-related complications for adults with obesity. 

The evidence generated will seek to increase the global evidence base on the long-term impacts of weight loss medicines and potentially inform the UK's care pathway approach to the treatment of obesity. Significantly, the five-year study will also aim to collect data on healthcare resource utilisation, health-related quality of life and changes in participants’ employment status and sick days from work. 

Health Innovation Manchester has worked with the University of Manchester and local digital trials company NorthWest EHealth to develop the study approach.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “Greater Manchester is worldrenowned as a hub for innovation in health and life sciences. The results of the trial announced today could have a far-reaching impact on how we treat obesity globally, and our city-region is ready to make a significant contribution through our outstanding health data assets, R&D expertise, and the strong partnerships between industry, universities and public sector organisations.

“The International Investment Summit will provide an opportunity to showcase our local strengths in health innovation to an audience of global business leaders and investors. This partnership could be the first of many and give Greater Manchester residents access to other innovative treatments.”

Professor Rachel Batterham, Senior Vice President for International Medical Affairs at Lilly, said: “At Lilly, we are deeply committed to improving lives by partnering across the health system to address complex health challenges like obesity. We’re delighted to partner with Health Innovation Manchester on our plans for the SURMOUNT-REAL UK study. This collaboration will add to the evidence base on the real world impact of obesity treatments on the health of people with obesity, and will explore a broad range of outcomes including health-related quality of life and impact on individuals’ employment status.”

, Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine, University of Manchester, and principal investigator for the Greater Manchester study, said: “This five-year real-world study aims to demonstrate the long-term efficacy and safety profile of tirzepatide in a primary care setting compared to usual care. It will specifically quantify the medicine’s long-term effects on obesity, diabetes incidence, and obesity-related complications, as well as its impacts on employment and health economic outcomes.” 

Ben Bridgewater, CEO at Health Innovation Manchester, commented: “Greater Manchester (GM) is well placed to deliver novel trials and real-world evidence studies to develop a deeper understanding of the impact that industry-led innovation can have on population health. Through this landmark partnership with Lilly we will show how a medicine impacts people’s long-term health outcomes. This will help us understand its effects people with obesity in GM as well as inform national strategies and pave the way for further research and development in this critical area.”

Mark Britnell, Chair of Health Innovation Manchester, said: “Owing to our strengths in life sciences, academia and digital, Greater Manchester has all the ingredients to be truly world-leading in health innovation. This is demonstrated through our partnership with Lilly, which will help to propel our sector strengths even further forward for the benefit of local patients.”

Mark Fisher, CEO of the NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board, said: “Around 600,000 adults in Greater Manchester live with obesity, many of whom also suffer with other obesity-related illnesses which reduces their quality of life and puts additional pressure on the health and care system. Working collaboratively with industry to solve these problems is paramount, and I am delighted to support the study coming to the Greater Manchester integrated care system.” 

Jonathan Wogel, Chief Executive Officer, NorthWest EHealth, said: “We are excited to be partnering with our colleagues at Health Innovation Manchester to deliver this new study which is aimed at generating data to support patients with obesity. It is not only a milestone for NWEH and Greater Manchester (GM), but a significant moment for the UK clinical trials industry. By combining GM’s well established health system with our innovative technology, we are demonstrating the future of clinical trials, where technology and health data integrate to make research more efficient, helping develop and deliver better care for patients.”

The University of Manchester is today launching a new capability, , to rethink how it supports the region’s innovation economy. With a mandate to drive the University’s new approach to innovation, Unit M will connect and catalyse the innovation ecosystem in Manchester and the wider region to accelerate inclusive growth.

The UK faces a myriad of interlinked urgent economic and social challenges which require faster and more inclusive growth across all parts of the country. Cities like Manchester, as the UK’s second largest city, are critical to rebalancing growth - but lower productivity, R&D spend and startup activity currently hinder the region in achieving its full potential. 

“The transformative potential of fully embracing innovation cannot be understated, both for the region and for the UK more widely” says Duncan Ivison, President and Vice Chancellor of The University of Manchester.  “Unit M lies at the heart of the University’s ambition to power an inclusive economy, positioning Manchester as a central player on the global stage to accelerate growth for all in society.”

Unit M is designed to address all aspects of the innovation challenge - from R&D through to innovation adoption through to talent and skills - by making the world leading  innovation assets and talents of the University more accessible to all. Unit M will drive a new strategy for the University to create a globally leading innovation ecosystem in the region. This will encompass powering the start up and scale up community, catalysing industry clusters, leading future skills provision, strengthening the University’s partnerships within the region, and telling Manchester’s innovation story.  
 

Examples of some of the activities that Unit M will undertake include:

• Creating accelerator and incubator programmes and building investor networks for the startup and scale up community;
• Developing regional innovation clusters and innovation partnerships to attract new innovation-intensive businesses to the region; 
• A new lifelong approach to skills - from expanding scientific/technological skills provision for students, to training executive leaders on innovation adoption; 
• Rethinking the University’s approach to R&D to be more flexible and responsive to industry demand

Unit M will have the agility to operate dynamically in response to the most impactful opportunities as they emerge - whether that’s connecting students into the ecosystem or drawing on expertise from across the whole University to help solve real world challenges from industry. 

“Manchester has experienced major change over the past 30 years, but not everyone has benefited from rising prosperity”, said Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham. “Now, more than ever, we need to pioneer a new model of regional collaboration that harnesses our industrial strengths and innovation capabilities. Unit M will not only foster inclusive growth throughout Greater Manchester, but contribute to the broader prosperity of the UK.”

Unit M is live from today, and will be rapidly scaling over the coming months. The team is seeking to connect with entrepreneurs, investors, changemakers and business leaders who are interested in partnering with the University.

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Manchester has always been a hotbed of innovation. Building on our existing strengths is vital to Manchester, and Greater Manchester, accelerating our growth at scale to generate more jobs and investment. With Unit M, The University of Manchester is doing exactly that - doubling down on innovation while encouraging even more collaboration with our business community. Further strengthening the city's innovation ecosystem will help create jobs, investment and growth that works for everyone.”

Unit M will align with and complement existing capabilities across the University, including the University’s tech transfer office, The Innovation Factory,  The Pankhurst Institute for Health Technology and the Turing Innovation Catalyst and its sector leading business engagement, student entrepreneurship, and flexible learning teams. It will also partner closely with external capabilities, including the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), local councils and other institutions.  

By convening these existing innovation services across the University and its key strategic partners, Unit M will accelerate and drive the development of new opportunities to build a strong innovation economy throughout the region.  

UoMIF has met or exceeded several key performance targets, reinforcing its commitment to fostering innovation in Manchester and supporting the commercialisation of cutting-edge research to benefit society.

Innovation Factory is The University of Manchester’s commercialisation arm, dedicated to translating research into commercial opportunities while working closely with academics, industry partners and investors to create and support spinout companies and license cutting-edge technologies.

Over the past year, UoMIF successfully launched seven new spinout companies which span a diverse range of sectors, showcasing the breadth of innovative research emerging from The University of Manchester. These include: Haliogen Power Limited, Plant Organelle Technologies Limited, Oncodrug Limited, VariantValidator Limited, CASA Space Technologies Limited, Kavarney Limited – with CGSkin recently acquired by Skin Diary Limited as well.

In addition to success in setting up spinouts, UoMIF secured £2.3million in licensing income. Future growth in this space looks positive too, with ongoing negotiations and potential deals progressing.

UoMIF has also secured £9.2million in first investments for new University spinouts, significantly exceeding its target of £5million. This success reflects the growth of investor confidence in high-potential technologies developed within the University.

Commenting on the year-end results, Catherine Headley, CEO of the University of Manchester Innovation Factory, said: "This year’s performance is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team and the remarkable talent within The University of Manchester.

“The successful launch of seven new spinouts and the exceptional level of investment secured are clear indicators that our innovation ecosystem is thriving. While there is room for growth in our licensing income, we are confident that the foundations laid this year will lead to significant future opportunities. We remain committed to supporting our researchers in transforming their groundbreaking ideas into impactful, real-world solutions."

Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “The Innovation Factory plays a crucial role in transforming our academic breakthroughs into tangible societal benefits. The success of this year’s spinouts and the remarkable level of investment secured are clear evidence of the impact the Innovation Factory is having.

“These results demonstrate the University’s continued commitment to driving technology and entrepreneurship and it highlights the vital place that Manchester has in leading the world’s innovations. I commend the entire team at UoMIF for their outstanding achievements this year ensuring that The University of Manchester remains at the forefront of research commercialisation.”

R2I is a bespoke entrepreneurship training programme for final-year PhD students, PDRAs and early-career researchers from across all faculties with ambitions to develop commercial ventures or to create impact from their academic studies.

The programme includes a series of interactive personal and professional development sessions, which introduce the concept of commercialisation, equipping researchers with strategies to take ideas forward and discover new pathways to funding.

Read more about the researchers recently supported to further their ideas.

and register now to attend one of our short  to hear more about the programme and how to apply.

Key Dates

Cohort 1:

• Introductory Sessions: In person and online across 16^th and 17^th October 
• Applications Open: 17th October
• Application Deadline: 28th October
• Programme: 14^th November - 19^th February 2025

Cohort 2:

• Information Sessions: March 2025
• Programme: April – June 2025

The MEC ����Ӱ��er to Innovator (R2I) programme is supported by the University’s Innovation Academy. The Innovation Academy is a pan University initiative and joint venture between the , the  and the Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange team, bringing together knowledge, expertise and routes to facilitate the commercialisation of research.

Manchester’s new £1.7bn innovation district and neighbourhood opens the doors to its first building, while unveiling its new name as . The district has also announced its first customer, Sustainable Ventures, Europe's leading climate tech hub, which will officially move into the Renold Building in November. 

Previously known as ID Manchester, Sister is a joint venture between The University of Manchester and . The project will see the transformation of the University’s former North campus into a 4 million sq ft globally competitive innovation district and will help elevate Manchester’s position as a national centre for science and technology.

Sister will specialise in advancing innovation across sectors including digital tech, health innovation, biotechnology, advanced materials and manufacturing. It will provide access to state of the art facilities, connecting early-stage high growth potential businesses with investors, while creating a collaborative ecosystem that enables UK and global businesses to benefit from cutting edge innovation. 

Driving economic growth and creating opportunities for local communities

Sister is primed to be a catalyst for economic growth and prosperity across the North of England, and is projected to contribute around £1.5bn GVA per annum to Manchester. More than just a development project, the district aims to create a positive social impact through the generation of a large portion of high-quality employment opportunities, including over 10,000 on-site full-time equivalent jobs and accessible routes to education, training and apprenticeships for local people. 

Over 1,500 new homes will be delivered, alongside over 2 million sq ft of commercial, innovation, retail and leisure space. Within 9 acres of public realm space, Sister will also create a new civic square for Manchester and feature a variety of new and enhanced green spaces for local communities to access and enjoy.  

Reinventing a historic educational building for tomorrow's leading businesses

The opening  of the Renold Building marks the first phase of the ambitious 15 year project and is supported by funding through the Greater Manchester Investment Zone, of which the district is a key initiative supporting the growth of the advanced materials and manufacturing sector.

The 110,000 sq ft newly renovated building has been transformed into an innovation hub, celebrating its history as a purpose-built teaching facility and centre for science and technology excellence. To support the growth and scale-up of early-stage start-ups and spin-outs, the Renold Building will provide a range of low and no-cost coworking facilities, private office suites, as well as a community cafe and flexible event spaces accessible to local businesses and community groups. 

The first customer to move on site this November is Sustainable Ventures, which helps climate start-ups and entrepreneurs scale through investment, workspaces and venture support. Sustainable Ventures will expand its presence outside of its London headquarters, currently Europe’s largest climate tech hub, by occupying three floors of the Renold Building. 

It will be joined by a number of University innovation initiatives at the Renold Building, including the Turing Innovation Catalyst Manchester, accelerating the growth of AI-start-ups;  the Christabel Pankhurst Institute for health technology research and innovation; and the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Catalyst, a cross-sector collaboration to empower the growth of biotechnology businesses.

Following the opening of the Renold Building, Sister will soon announce plans for the district’s first major development zone, set to include new commercial workspace, a mix of retail and leisure facilities and new public realm spaces.  

A model for successful public-private collaboration

Sister is leveraging successful cross-industry partnerships to become a major economic enabler for the future of the city. The district is one of the key strengths in the GM Investment Zone, which will invest £160 million in projects that increase growth and innovation in the region over the next 10 years and sees central and local government work closely with businesses, higher education institutions and other local partners. Key to delivering Sister’s long-term economic impact is the city region’s strong local leadership and support from industry investment, including through the Bruntwood SciTech joint venture between Bruntwood, Legal & General and Greater Manchester Pension Fund, now the UK’s largest dedicated property platform dedicated to the growth of the knowledge economy.

Why Sister?

The name, Sister, represents the close bond between industry and academia and expresses an ethos of collaboration, openness and the use of knowledge to solve problems. It builds on the heritage of the former academic campus, once home to the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), and represents a vision to create an ecosystem of like-minded companies, institutions, districts and cities to drive innovation forward and help tackle some of the world’s greatest challenges.

Bradley Topps, Project Director, Sister and Chief Commercial Officer, Bruntwood SciTech, said: “Sister is founded on the belief that it takes a community to raise an idea and that although ideas may appear in a single mind, they flourish when people come together. This new district marks a new chapter in Manchester’s history of science and innovation. Over the next 15 years, we’re dedicated to developing an inclusive space that connects talent, investment, education and enterprise, providing the perfect conditions for ideas to spark, collaboration to flourish, and world-changing innovations to scale.”

John Holden, Associate Vice-President, The University of Manchester and Executive Committee Member, Sister said: “The opening of the Renold Building is a major milestone in the development of Sister, capitalising on The University of Manchester’s research, innovation and education capabilities to catalyse the growth of successful science and technology start-ups. Sister will be home to some of the most exciting businesses in the UK developing solutions to help tackle society's biggest challenges. We're excited to open the doors to a vibrant new innovation district that will drive growth for ambitious start-ups and scale-ups, attract new science and technology companies to Manchester, and create new opportunities for our staff, students and local communities.” 

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “This is a significant moment for Manchester. The fact that Sister will ultimately create 10,000 jobs and add £1.5 billion a year to the city’s economy underlines its scale and the sheer ambition behind this major new district. This development will add to Manchester’s thriving innovation ecosystem and, true to the heritage of a site from which great ideas and innovations have previously sprung, will help keep the city in the forefront of future innovation.” 

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Sister will be a thriving innovation district at the heart of Greater Manchester. With the Renold Building opening and welcoming its first occupier, we’re seeing the first signs of what this area will become – a home for start-ups, innovation-led businesses, universities, researchers and investors, where the clustering effect helps create jobs and opportunities. Sister is also a key site for our Investment Zone, which is supporting the growth of the advanced materials and manufacturing sector. Our city-region has been a centre of scientific and technological innovation for two centuries and places like Sister are where the next chapter of that story is written.”

CEO of Sustainable Ventures, Andrew Wordsworth, said: “We're thrilled to grow Sustainable Ventures' footprint in the UK by establishing a presence in Sister, at the heart of the UK’s second-largest tech ecosystem. This partnership empowers us to supercharge climate tech innovation across The North, bringing workspace, investment and a wealth of expertise to the region’s pioneering startups and entrepreneurs. The climate tech companies we’ve supported to date have already created over 6,000 jobs and we hope to replicate that economic growth within the region over the next few years.”

This strategic partnership marks a significant milestone for the brands in their pursuit of dermatological research advancement and skincare innovation.  will be launching the first of the CGSkin products, Night Repair Therapy on 25 October 2024. Night Repair Therapy is a true innovation designed to regenerate and rebuild collagen and elastin in prematurely aged skin without irritation.

Founded in 2023 by leading researchers in skin ageing, The Skin Diary is modernising skincare through its innovative product Chapters. The Skin Diary offers prescription-grade skincare routines that leverage skin cycling to deliver optimal outcomes to patients while minimising irritation. 

CGSkin, a University of Manchester spinout, is built on a decade of rigorous research and collaboration between the University and eminent dermatologists Dr Tamara Griffiths and Professor Chris Griffiths. Their suite of anti-ageing products has undergone exhaustive testing to the highest standards, including unprecedented human skin biopsy studies. 

With the acquisition of CGSkin, The Skin Diary is set apart from other skincare brands due to its academic lineage and the expertise of its founders. Professor Chris Griffiths is a distinguished figure in skin research; his seminal research on topical retinoids has made a huge impact on the field of skin ageing. Dr Tamara Griffiths brings invaluable aesthetic science expertise to the partnership.

Only 8.6% of the skincare market is dispensed by physicians, and Chapters provides patients with a fully personalised profile with continuous access to dermatologists through their Skin Diary portal.

Catherine Headley, CEO of the said: “This acquisition exemplifies the spirit of innovation, something that is part of the foundation of The University of Manchester.  Impact like this doesn’t happen overnight; it can be many years in the making. Everyone at the Innovation Factory is proud to see Professor and Dr Griffiths and their research welcomed into The Skin Diary family and we are honoured to have been able to support them on their journey.”

“The acquisition of CGSkin by The Skin Diary is a testament to our dedication to providing patients with the most effective and innovative skincare solutions,” said Dr Clare Kiely, Chief Medical Officer of the Skin Diary.  “We are excited to integrate CGSkin’s ground-breaking products into our portfolio, furthering our mission to empower individuals with access to advanced anti-ageing treatments.”

Skincare is the leading sector in a thriving beauty market, accounting for 40% in .  Growing awareness of physician-dispensed cosmeceuticals means there is increasing demand for prescription-grade skincare options too.

To find out more about The Skin Diary, visit .

The recognition follows on from the publication of the in November 2023, which highlighted the pivotal role UK universities play in driving economic growth and societal impact through the commercialisation of intellectual property developed from university-based research.

The 2023 review outlined recommendations for building a world-leading innovation ecosystem in the UK. In response, The University of Manchester has committed to aligning its spinout practices with these recommendations, reinforcing its dedication to supporting innovation.

Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at The University of Manchester, and the institution’s lead for innovation, said: "The University of Manchester has been and remains committed to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within our faculties and among our students. By adopting the recommendations from the Independent Review, we are aligning our practices with national goals to create a world-class innovation ecosystem.”

The is the commercialisation arm of The University of Manchester, dedicated to transforming world-class research into commercial ventures that have a positive impact on society.

The Innovation Factory collaborates with academics, industry partners, and investors to develop and support spinout companies, license cutting-edge technologies and drive innovation across various sectors.

The UKRI announcement is available .

The KEF provides information about the broad ranging knowledge exchange activities of English HE Providers, such as the way universities work with external partners, from businesses to community groups, for the benefit of the economy and society. 

The University of Manchester supports the full range of knowledge exchange activities through public engagement, supporting businesses and commercialising research towards next generation technologies. Students, staff, partners and local communities all play a key role in ensuring that the University makes a positive societal and economic impact. 

The KEF allows universities to better understand their own performance and fosters a culture of continuous improvement. HE Providers are placed into a cluster of peers, grouping together universities of similar types, with The University of Manchester placed in a group of 18 large, research-intensive universities including Oxford and Imperial. 

Manchester’s performance in continuous professional development and Graduate Startups, which is supported by the work of the and , received an enhanced rating of high engagement in KEF4, and Manchester now sits above the cluster group average.  

Manchester also continues to receive the highest rating for ����Ӱ�� Partnerships, where the University is placed above the cluster group average. This recognises the work of the University’s Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange team.  

The excellent performance of the in licensing, IP income, investment and turnover of spinouts continues to be recognised with the highest rating in IP and Commercialisation. 

The University also received the highest rating for Public Engagement, and includes our achievements in volunteering, festivals, citizen science, and engagement with communities through our cultural institutions, , , , and the . 

Professor Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, said: “Knowledge exchange is a core priority for The University of Manchester. We shall continue to ensure that our research, teaching and social responsibility activities benefit the economy and society at local, national and global levels.”  

• You can view each university’s performances on the . 

This prestigious award is designed to support students, postdoctoral researchers, recent graduates, and encourage new student cohorts to engage with MEC, in launching new businesses that involve graphene or other 2D materials. It’s all about sparking innovation and making a real impact in the commercial world, turning groundbreaking research into real, game-changing solutions for the future.

With awards of £50,000 and £20,000, we’re excited to celebrate the individuals or teams who showed how their graphene-related technology can be turned into a business. The applications were judged based on how solid their plans were for creating a new business related to graphene or 2D materials.

This award gives winners the perfect launchpad they need to kickstart their business. The University of Manchester understands how crucial flexible early-stage financial support is for these kinds of ventures, to help make these dreams a reality and bring a product or technology to the market.

This year, the top prize of £50,000 went to Kun Huang of Solar Ethos. Kun has a Master’s degree in Corrosion Control Engineering and a PhD in Material Physics. The second prize of £20,000 was awarded to Hafiza Hifza Nawaz of Fabstics, who has a PhD in Materials. We also congratulate the other finalists - Mohammadhossein Saberian of EcoTarTech and Ozan Zehni of Dorlion SHM.

The winners, pictured above with Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Deputy President Luke Georghiou:

• Left: First place - Solar Ethos
• Right: Second place - Fabstics

All finalists received support throughout the competition, which included: pitching workshops, help with applications by Scott Dean (CEO of Graphene Trace), and IP advice from Innovation Factory. These resources were key in helping them navigate the challenges of starting a business and turning their groundbreaking ideas into real-world solutions.

Our top-tier judges included Professor Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Manchester; Lynn Sheppard, Masood Entrepreneurship Centre Director; Jessica McCreadie, Investment Director at Northern Gritstone; James Baker, CEO Graphene @Manchester at The University of Manchester; and Gareth Jones, Project Manager - Electronics at the University of Manchester Innovation Factory. Their expertise and dedication to encouraging innovation played a key role in choosing projects that could make a big difference.

We offer a huge congratulations to all the participants! We can’t wait to see the fantastic impact of their innovative work in the commercial world. By supporting these entrepreneurs, we're not only helping them achieve their dreams but also paving the way for future advancements that can tackle some of the world's most pressing challenges.

Along with the awards, we heard inspiring speeches from high-profile individuals such as Lynn Sheppard, Professor James Baker, Dr. Vivek Koncherry, Liam Johnson, and Professor Luke Georghiou. They shared amazing insights about graphene and other 2D materials, emphasising the transformative potential of these technologies and the importance of ongoing innovation. We were also joined via Zoom from California by Dr. Eli Harari, founder of SanDisk, the memory storage technology company. He encouraged attendees to "Think Big!".

Eli & Britt Harari Award 2021 winner Dr. Vivek Koncherry, the CEO of Graphene Innovations Manchester, is making significant strides in connecting graphene technology with global business opportunities. Last year, he signed a $1 billion partnership with Quazar Investment Company to create a new company in the UAE aimed at tackling global sustainability challenges. Recognised as Manchester's answer to Elon Musk, Vivek recently impressed judges to win the North West heat of KPMG’s Tech Innovator in the UK 2024. With a strong background as an alumnus and researcher from The University of Manchester, Vivek exemplifies the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation.

Some notable quotes about the competition include Lynn Sheppard's encouragement, "For all the winners and nominees, your journey does not stop here, it goes on," and Prof. James Baker's insight, "Graphene can make a big difference in addressing the climate change challenges." Dr. Vivek Koncherry highlighted Manchester's entrepreneurial spirit by stating, "Manchester is very good for entrepreneurship," while Dr. Eli Harari inspired with, "We need people like you to aspire in making the world better." Liam Johnson appreciated the award's impact, saying, "The award allowed me to turn this idea to something tangible," and Prof. Luke Georghiou emphasised the importance of support with, "It's our duty to build an ecosystem to support the development of graphene."

Their words emphasised the event's theme of driving change and shaping a brighter future through cutting-edge research and entrepreneurship, wrapping up the event on an exhilarating high.

As an active member of the  group of international leaders in university research commercialisation,  and co-author of the and , launched on 20^th May, we recognise the distinction between intellectual property intensive areas such as the life sciences and the simpler pathway for some software commercialisation and sets out practical ways to improve the speed and efficiency of spin out formation. We have therefore initiated a review of intellectual property policies and practice, in collaboration with our partners in the Northern Gritstone investment company, which was established as a positive response to the high concentration of VC funding in London to provide VC funding in the North.

Innovation is a core theme for the University and our ambition is to create a thriving innovation ecosystem, which supports our entrepreneurs, spin outs and partners to start up, secure investment and scale, contributing positively to the prosperity of our region. Working through our technology transfer subsidiary, the , we have produced 29 spinouts in the past three years and remain committed to providing the optimal environment for entrepreneurs to develop their ideas. Our policy review and founder friendly approach and commitment to supporting spin outs, will catalyse growth of a vibrant regional ecosystem which supports companies to grow and scale.

Our joint venture partnership with Bruntwood Scitech to develop our North Campus into an Innovation District, will additionally provide an anchor location for our spin outs to establish and succeed within our own community, with an opportunity to access space, investors, facilities, partners, business support and networks within one location.

Professor Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Vice-Chancellor and lead for Innovation said: “The Spin-out Review showed the vital role of universities in generating IP-Rich companies in the advanced areas most likely to revitalise our economy. We will use its recommendations as a platform to double down on bringing leading edge discoveries to the market.”

While existing TEMs can image atomic scale structure and chemistry, the time-consuming nature of the technique means the typical regions of interest (ROI) - areas of the sample selected for further analysis - are very limited. The AutomaTEM will resolve this, improving the ability to find and analyse, reducing time incurred while increasing the ROI. As a result, it will accelerate innovation in materials applications for quantum computing, low power electronics, and new catalysts to support the energy transition, all which are currently held back by the limitations of current technology.

The AutomaTEM development is funded through a £9.5 million project supported by The University of Manchester, The Henry Royce Institute, bp and EPSRC, in collaboration with manufacturer Thermo Fisher Scientific. The Manchester team, led by Professor Sarah Haigh, will merge TEM’s existing atomic scale elemental and chemical mapping capabilities together with emerging developments in automation and data analysis to create the AutomaTEM; an instrument that can acquire huge data sets of local chemical information in days rather than years.

Prof , Professor of Materials Characterisation at The University of Manchester and Director of the Electron Microscopy Centre (EMC), said: "Understanding atomic detail at the micrometer or millimeter scale is crucial for developing materials for various applications, from catalysis and quantum technologies to nuclear energy and pharmaceuticals.

"This system is not simply another TEM instrument. It will provide new opportunities for atomic scale investigation of materials with less human intervention. For the first time we will be able to enable atomic resolution analysis of hundreds of regions of interest in a matter of hours, providing unprecedented insights into sparse defects and heterogeneous materials." 

Designed with artificial intelligence and automated workflows at its core, the AutomaTEM boasts several cutting-edge features, including:

• Computer control to automatically adjust the sample stage and beam to address specific regions of interest, enabling detailed high-resolution imaging and diffraction-based analysis without continuous operator interaction.
• Machine learning integration to segment lower resolution data and build functional relationships between experimental results, enhancing the identification of novel features. 
• A world-leading Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) system with exceptional collection efficiency, providing precise compositional analysis.
• A new high-performance electron energy loss spectrometer (EELS) design for chemical analysis of diverse species in complex systems.

Custom built, it is being developed in collaboration with Thermo Fisher Scientific and will arrive in summer 2025. The global laboratory equipment manufacturer has provided Professor Haigh’s team access to the necessary API control, and will supply an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) system with a world-leading collection efficiency of 4.5 srad.

The AutomaTEM will be housed in The University of Manchester's state-of-the-art (EMC), one of the largest in the UK. The EMC already has 6 transmission electron microscopes (TEMs), 13 scanning electron microscopes (SEMs), and 6 focussed ion beam (FIB) instruments. It supports more than 500 internal users, from 12 different University of Manchester Departments, and welcomes users from institutes across the world, including Cardiff, Durham, Queen Mary and Manchester Metropolitan universities, University of Cape Town (SA), Ceres Power, Nexperia, Nanoco, bp, Johnson Matthey, Oxford Instruments, and UKAEA.

AutomaTEM will be available to external users for free proof of principle academic projects for up to 30 per cent of its total use during the first three years to help foster collaboration and advance research capabilities.

, Royal Society University ����Ӱ�� Fellow at The University of Manchester, who is leading co-investigator on the project, said: "The faster, more accurate analysis capabilities of AutomaTEM represent a significant leap forward in materials science research.

“With the potential to impact various industries, including aerospace, automotive, and semiconductor, the AutomaTEM aims to support the UK’s position at the forefront of materials science innovation.”

Today’s announcement consolidates The University of Manchester’s reputation at the forefront of advanced materials research. Home to highest concentration of materials scientists in UK academia, it hosts several national centres for Advanced Materials research including the Henry Royce Institute - the UK national institute for Advanced Materials ����Ӱ��; the bp-ICAM, a global partnership to enable the effective application of advanced materials for the transition to net zero; the National Centre for X-ray Computational Tomography; and the National Graphene Institute, the world-leading interdisciplinary centre for graphene and 2D materials research.

The renewed commitment will help Boots and No7 Beauty Company continue to break new ground in helping people care for their skin throughout their life, whether it is maintaining skin health, helping to combat skin ageing or supporting people through significant skin changes such as those resulting from the menopause. It will also further strengthen their market leading cosmetic science innovation pipeline, which has delivered product innovations generating waiting lists of up to 100,000 people, physical queues outside Boots stores and surges in visits to boots.com. 

The announcement was made at a special event held at the University, which celebrated some of the partnership’s most significant scientific milestones, including the launch of its biggest scientific breakthrough to date; the ground-breaking No7 Future Renew skincare range. The range was launched exactly one year ago this week and was developed following 15 years of research and development between scientists at both organisations, resulting in the discovery of a world-first super peptide blend formulated into a best-selling range and serum that is clinically proven to reverse visible signs of skin damage.  This innovation has taken the beauty industry by storm, with the Future Renew serum becoming a global bestseller and the biggest ever beauty launch in the UK.  In the UK, there were more than 500,000 transactions in the first four weeks, and a year later, one product is still sold every seven seconds.

The collaboration renewal also coincides with both institutions celebrating landmark anniversaries; with Boots marking its 175th anniversary and The University of Manchester reaching its 200 year milestone in 2024.

Mark Winter, Managing Director, No7 Beauty Company, said: “We are incredibly proud of our longstanding partnership with the UoM’s Centre for Dermatology ����Ӱ�� and excited for the next phase of our collaboration.  Scientific innovation is part of our DNA and by working with world-leading partners like the University of Manchester we are committed to using our unrivalled research expertise to be at the forefront of skincare and cosmetic innovation, developing ground-breaking, clinically proven, affordable products that work for everyone.”

The event was attended by representatives from both institutions, including Ornella Barra, Chief Operating Officer, International, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc and Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor, The University of Manchester.  

from The University of Manchester said: “We are delighted to be able to continue our partnership with Boots and to pursue our shared aims of uncovering new insights into skin biology and applying this knowledge to repairing accumulated damage.” 

, also from The University of Manchester  said: "Our longstanding partnership with Boots has enabled us to explore the depths of skin science while delivering real-world benefits to consumers through clinical translational research. We are thrilled to continue this collaboration, advancing innovation and enhancing skin health for all individuals."

Where it all began
The partnership was established twenty years ago by a small team of No7 and University of Manchester scientists. The ambition was to come together to create cutting-edge skincare solutions that could be taken from the laboratory straight to the high street.  One of the first innovations was the renowned No7 Protect & Perfect serum. The serum famously featured in a BBC Horizon programme in 2007, where the efficacy of the serum was verified by independent dermatologists, leading to the product selling out in Boots stores throughout the UK.

Fast forward to 2024 and today, the collaboration has caught the eyes of the scientific community and the Government.  It has also:  

• Led to 10 patents being filed, with more in the pipeline
• Resulted in over 100 academic publications including 60 peer reviewed papers published in scientific journals
• Helped to upskill thousands of beauty advisors and pharmacists within Boots stores
• Supported a UK talent pipeline of brilliant entrepreneurial scientists – many of whom are female
• Significantly raised the reputation of bioscience research in the UK and in particular in the North West
• Helped put No7 on the global map with distribution now extending to over a dozen countries including Australia, the Nordics and the US
• Created effective collaborations both in the UK and internationally with the likes of Imperial College London, Kings College, Newcastle, York and Liverpool universities, as well as internationally with Johns Hopkins.

Millie Kendall OBE, CEO, British Beauty Council, comments: “The launch of No7 Future Renew was somewhat revolutionary.  The teams took a ground-breaking scientific discovery straight into an affordable, accessible skincare range available to all on the British high street, whereas traditionally you would see cutting-edge scientific innovations trickle down to high street products several years after launching in premium products or clinics. It is testament to the rigour and strength of the partnership between The University of Manchester, Boots and No7 Beauty Company that they have created truly world-leading skincare innovation together.”

New era of discovery beckons
The renewal of the partnership establishes a ground-breaking five-year research programme that will explore peptides, clinical testing, skin immunology, and the skin microbiome. It includes a pioneering project to investigate skin across the pigmentary spectrum, aiming to develop more inclusive and effective technologies suitable for all skin tones. The project has already secured multi-million-pound funding from The BBSRC’s Prosperity Award, marking a significant investment in advancing skin science.

Samantha Dover, Mintel Category Director of Beauty and Personal Care research, said: “Beauty consumers are increasingly discerning and want to know more about the products they buy. This is exemplified by the 71% of UK adults who believe beauty brands should provide more scientific evidence to validate their claims. Showcasing the research and development behind a product can provide brands with a powerful point of difference in a crowded market. Moreover, partnerships that elevate and spotlight the R&D process will undoubtedly appeal to consumers who want brands to validate their claims, and therefore can build brand trust and loyalty.” 

Investing in the next generation of British scientists
Throughout the partnership, The University of Manchester, Boots and No7 Beauty Company will support the next generation of scientists through the following initiatives:

• Funding from BBSRC Collaborative Training Partnership in 2021 to train 15 PhD students, addressing skills gaps in the UK bioscience industry.
• Co-investing with UKRI since 2019, with UKRI recognising the No7 Future Renew story as an exemplar of business and university collaboration.

An event is being held at The University of Manchester on April 11^th (the one year anniversary of the No7 Future Renew launch) to celebrate the impact and success of the partnership and look ahead at the next phase. 

The evolution of solutions is creating new opportunities to transform patient care and personal health outcomes. From remote monitoring and wearables, to artificial intelligence and machine learning, digital technologies are enabling health data collection and analysis and offering new insights, diagnosis and therapies.

Here is an overview of the Citation Impact on Digital Health Top 25 Rankings. The complete list can be accessed in ’s article.

����Ӱ�� into digital health has grown massively nowadays, whereas the scale of growth in digital health research is remarkable. Based on Clarivate data, publications on digital health topics – which include everything from wearable devices and mobile apps to AI analytics, telemedicine and 3D printing of drugs – have risen nearly 70-fold between 2013 and 2022, from a mere 39 Web of Science-indexed papers to 2,641 – while UK researchers were involved in 20 per cent of all papers.

The statistics demonstrate that the University currently has 75 digital health papers in the Web of Science, 1582 citations, 32 per cent of papers in the top 10 per cent by citation, scoring 2.50 category normalised citation impact (CNCI). It showcases Manchester’s consistent efforts to advance digital health research that benefits the public.

Previously, the immense volumes of medical data from numerous wearable devices or mobile phones might have overwhelmed even the most data-savvy researcher. However, artificial intelligence now enables researchers to effectively navigate such vast amounts of information without requiring advanced coding skills. Likewise, hospitals and health centres worldwide are sharing patient records in a manner that allows algorithms to detect trends, including identifying emerging pandemics at their onset.

Recent University of Manchester research, alongside Oxford University and Cancer ����Ӱ�� UK used Artificial Intelligence to reveal a new form of aggressive prostate cancer which could revolutionise how the disease is diagnosed and treated in the future.

For more information:

This marks the initial phase of ID Manchester’s ambitious plan to transform the University’s former North Campus into a welcoming and accessible new £1.7bn innovation district.  

The new vision for the Renold Building will celebrate its history as an educational hub by hosting the next wave of science and technology innovators and building an inclusive, purpose-driven community. The building will provide a range of coworking, office and meeting facilities to accommodate and support collaboration between researchers, entrepreneurs, businesses and partner organisations.  

New events and exhibition spaces, including lecture theatres and a community café, will be accessible to local businesses, community groups and arts and culture organisations to host and participate in events and activities. 

An application to convert the building from educational to commercial use has been submitted to Manchester City Council by joint venture partners The University of Manchester and Bruntwood SciTech. Pending application approval, the building is set to open in late 2024.  

Built in 1962, the Renold Building was the first of its kind in the UK to be entirely comprised of lecture theatres and seminar rooms. It is a building of note for many due to its striking features, including the faceted facade and stair tower, and the impressive internal mural on the lower ground floor. The redevelopment will retain and protect these elements as part of the application, as well as being sympathetic to the building’s exterior facades. Design interventions in the building’s interior will also be light touch, preserving the current condition as far as practically possible. This will allow for further conservation and restoration to be undertaken at a later date, ensuring the building will remain viable for future generations. 

Bradley Topps, Chief Commercial Officer for Bruntwood SciTech and Project Director for ID Manchester, said: “The transformation of the Renold Building into an innovation hub marks an important first step in the development of the trailblazing science and technology ecosystem we’re building at ID Manchester. We recognise the importance of the Renold Building to many in the local community and beyond, and we are committed to reactivating the building in a way that celebrates the rich heritage and architecture of the building. We’revery excited to be creating a new home for the next generation of Manchester innovators.” 

John Holden, Associate Vice-President, The University of Manchester and Executive Committee Member for ID Manchester, said: ”The Renold Building will be an invaluable place to bring together like-minded organisations and partners to collaborate, develop and test new ideas. We’re building our innovation ecosystem from the ground up and the Renold Building will be a place that not only accelerates the growth of our city’s most promising entrepreneurs, SMEs and university spin-outs, but also provides the spaces and opportunities to allow our local communities to participate, experience and benefit from innovation too.”  

The expertise and experience of ID Manchester’s respective partners will be instrumental to the creation of its innovation ecosystem. Bruntwood SciTech, a joint venture between Bruntwood, Legal & General and Greater Manchester Pension Fund, is the largest dedicated property platform serving the UK’s innovation economy and brings its expertise in developing partnerships across academia, local authorities, cities and the NHS. This year marks The University of Manchester’s bicentenary, celebrating 200 years of key discoveries, world firsts and incredible people, and ID Manchester will build on this storied history of learning, innovation and research.

He also toured the site of , a joint venture between the University and Bruntwood SciTech, which will transform the North campus into an innovative £1.7 billion tech and science location.

Mr Kane, the Member of Parliament for Wythenshawe and Sale East, was briefed by Professor Alice Larkin and Dr Simon Bullock whose research sets out immediate actions required to cut shipping emissions by 34% to stay on course to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global heating to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels.

The discussions took place following Mr Kane’s comments in the House of Commons last month in which he expressed concerns that the Government is yet to publish a refreshed Clean Maritime Plan to drive down UK shipping emissions.

Following a meeting with , the University’s Vice President for Civic Engagement, the Shadow Minister was shown around the nine-acre ID Manchester site and updated on the latest project plans by Tanya Graham, Head of Policy@Manchester, alongside Brad Topps, Chief Commercial Officer, and Sam Darby, Development Director, of Bruntwood SciTech.

The initiative is set to create over 10,000 new jobs and bring significant economic, social and environmental benefits to the city including more than 2 million square feet of commercial and retail space, and over 1,500 homes.

Professor Richard Jones said: “It was a pleasure to brief Mike on the numerous exciting initiatives The University of Manchester is currently involved in, and to hear his perspectives on the direction of public policy across a broad range of topics.

“Our ongoing research on shipping emissions is directly relevant to his brief as Shadow Minister for Aviation and Maritime and will inform debates nationally and internationally as policymakers strive to meet the 1.5°C Paris Agreement limit.

“We are also proud and excited to be working in partnership with Bruntwood SciTech to deliver ID Manchester, a place where offices, laboratories and creative studios will stand shoulder to shoulder with a world-class university to drive positive economic, social and environmental change.”

Mike Kane MP said: “I am grateful to Policy@Manchester for arranging such a fascinating visit.

“As a Manchester MP, I take great pride in the quality of research and teaching happening here. The work on shipping emissions, led by Professor Larkin and Dr Bullock, is of especially high quality and it was useful for me to drill down into their findings in my meeting with them.

“ID Manchester will have a transformative impact across the city region and far beyond, making a positive difference to the lives of entrepreneurs, students, professionals and families.

“Life continues to tough for many as the cost of living crisis endures, but better times for the people of Manchester lie ahead.”  

Their Wellcome Trust funded study, published in Nature Microbiology could spell disaster for patients with aspergillosis - a dangerous fungal disease responsible for the deaths of millions of people worldwide.

With few treatment options for patients, aspergillus has developed widespread drug resistance to one class of drugs, known as the azoles.

The resistance is caused by the use of fungicides in agriculture, known as DMIs, increasing the risk of mortality from aspergillosis from 40% to up to 80%.

However, F2G Ltd – a spin out company from The University of Manchester – invested more than £250 million over 20 years on a new antifungal drug called olorofim, which is in late-stage clinical trials and aims to be clinically deployed within the next few years.

The scientists argue that because olorofim works against azole resistant infections it could save many lives of affected patients.

However, a newly developed fungicide crop spray called ipflufenoquin has been approved for use in the USA, under the trade name Kinoprol, and could severely impact on the new drug because it has the same biological target and kills the fungi the same way as olorofim.

Exposure of Aspergillus in the environment to Kinoprol could make it resistant to olorofim, rendering the treatment ineffective before it can even be deployed in the clinic, say the scientists.

The research team exposed Aspergillus to ipflufenoquin in the lab and then assessed resistance to olorofim. Genetic mutations that cause changes in the antifungals target gene provide resistance to ipflufenoquin but also provide resistance to olorofim.

Scientists have long known that environmental use of fungicides – which farmers need to keep their crops free of fungal infection – has the potential to drive resistance to other clinical antifungals.

����Ӱ��ers also believe that composting of waste from farms is causing accumulation of fungicides in environments where Aspergillus likes to grow.

Wind currents, intensive farming, and transport of commercial composts can disperse the drug-resistant fungal spores further into the environment and end up in our gardens, bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms.

Most healthy people are unaffected by Aspergillus, but population groups including the elderly, cancer patients, and the immunosuppressed of all ages are at greater risk of serious illness which destroys the lungs.

Lead author , a Wellcome Trust research fellow at The University of Manchester said: “We are all very excited about olorofim but when we found out that regulatory approval was sought for ipflufenoquin and its mode of action was same as olorofim, we immediately felt alarmed.

“Making a novel fungicide for humans is very difficult and costs millions of pounds.

“But it is desperately needed, as the few classes of drugs for Aspergillus infection available at present don’t give all of the seriously ill patients a viable treatment option.

“That is why olorofim is such an exciting prospect for patients and why we must lobby the regulatory authorities to implement a risk assessment strategy for the dual use of antifungals in agriculture and clinic.”

But indirect implications to human health are not taken into account during the approval process, which is why researchers, collaborators, and clinical teams are lobbying hard for the authorities to risk assess any new fungicide.

Corresponding author Prof Mike Bromley, who is a former employee of F2G Limited and co-lead of the Fungal AMR and One Health Network, said: “It is devastating that the efforts that so many have made in development of olorofim are being put at risk by the lack of appropriate legislation that would prevent the release of fungicides without consideration of the risks to driving drug resistance in human pathogens.

“We have made our views clear to the Environmental Protection Agency in the USA and hope they will re-evaluate their approach to environmental release of fungicides.

Politicians in the House of Lords recently a question by Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle, which asked the Government what assessment they made of how the UK’s current agricultural fungicide use will affect long-term food and biological security.

Baroness Bennett, a former leader of the Green Party, told the chamber: “Managing fungal crop disease has always been essential to our ability to feed the population, but we cannot afford a haphazard, piecemeal approach that will hurt our public health and our NHS.

“We need integrated, “one health” considerations of the impact of the climate emergency and responsible fungicide legislation.”

Baroness Hayman of Ullock and Baroness Walmsley also spoke in the debate, and highlighted the specific case of olorofim and ipflufenoquin as they called for more robust risk assessments in the licensing of new agricultural antifungals.

• F2G carried out a single assay in the study that the researchers would otherwise have not been able to facilitate. However, the vast majority of the study was carried out independently.
• The paper Aspergillus fumigatus strains that evolve resistance to the agrochemical fungicide ipflufenoquin in vitro are also resistant to olorofim is available

The Chancellor visited the High Voltage Lab – the largest university high voltage laboratory in the UK - where he was given a guided tour by Ian Cotton, Professor of High Voltage Technology, to showcase the University’s work in the areas of operation, planning and analysis of energy networks.

The tour started with a demonstration of the Lab’s 2MV impulse generator, which allows researchers to stress test equipment used on the grid by creating real-life lightning voltages. He then moved on to discuss the work of the lab, addressing three critical issues:

• Fast-tracking network upgrades by developing and testing new, innovative technologies ready for deployment onto the live electricity networks.
• Ensuring the power system is ready to transfer increased amounts of generation from new, renewable sources like wave power.
• Making the grid secure and ensuring the UK has access to reliable, affordable, and environmentally sustainable energy.

The Chancellor also had the chance to chat to a number of PhD students, whose work is also actively contributing to the reform of the system and find out how the University is contributing to the skills pipeline integral for the future of the power network.

In a closed-door meeting, energy experts at the University got the chance to ask the Chancellor questions and share their feedback about the government’s plans for the power network, including putting forward their own ideas for the future.

, Professor of High Voltage Technology at The University of Manchester, said: “It was a pleasure to host the Chancellor at the High Voltage Lab to showcase the work we are doing to solve the real-world challenges associated with ensuring the grid is ready to transfer the increased amounts of electrical energy we need to deliver net-zero.

“We really enjoyed sharing our unique skills, knowledge and equipment that we use to solve these problems and show how we are training a new generation of engineers to transform our energy system.

“The visit provided an invaluable opportunity to engage in insightful discussions regarding the Government's latest initiatives aimed at reforming the UK’s power network.”

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, added: “We are committed to transforming the Great British electricity network. The changes announced at Autumn Statement make it quicker and easier to build new infrastructure and could bring in upwards of £90 billion of global investment.

“Cutting edge facilities at our world-beating universities, such as the fantastic High Voltage Lab, will be at the forefront of this effort, leading the charge on the UK’s transition to Net Zero.”

The High Voltage Lab at The University of Manchester is the largest electrical infrastructure test and research facility in UK academia. From the £9m lab, researchers collaborate with small businesses, large industry organisations and governments worldwide, sharing skills, knowledge and equipment to solve critical, real-world problems.

The lab uses the very latest equipment, capable of testing components that will be used on 400 kV power systems, enabling researchers to find new ways to innovate at pace.

The University is home to the largest power and energy system group in the UK, training 300 electrical engineers a year and supporting 150 PhD researchers in electrical power ensuring a new generation of engineers skilled to transform our energy system.

,  Senior Lecturer in Electric and Electronic Engineering, said: “The High Voltage Lab and our expertise plays a major part in the technology, innovation and skills supply chain needed for our net zero future.  From finding innovative ways to maintain the thousands of pylons across the grid, to de-risking superconductors for future power transmission, we work on a range of projects at all technology readiness levels to make sure we maximise the potential of both the equipment and our research expertise, to accelerate the development of our future electrical network.”

Find out more about the and .

●      £160 million of public funding to boost growth of city-region’s advanced manufacturing and materials sector.

●      Investments worth over £10m from manufacturers Kadant, Werit, First Graphene and Hydrograph unveiled as part of Investment Zone.

A new Investment Zone for Greater Manchester, announced by the Chancellor in today’s Autumn Statement, is expected to create 32,000 jobs and leverage £1.1 billion of private sector investment.

The Investment Zone will provide £160 million in public funding over 10 years to support initiatives and interventions agreed between Greater Manchester and Government, which will include new research and innovation, sector-focussed skills programmes, local infrastructure enhancements, and targeted business support.

Greater Manchester’s Investment Zone will focus on the advanced materials and manufacturing sector. The package will support established strengths, including, a joint venture between The University of Manchester and and other assets in the city-region core, and build on longer-term ambitions to be able to scale up and deploy innovations in our growth businesses, for example through Atom Valley.

ID Manchester will become a world-class innovation platform that drives inclusive and sustainable economic growth for the city by leveraging the unique experience and expertise of its joint venture partners, combining The University of Manchester's long history of industry collaboration and world-class research strengths with Bruntwood SciTech's experience of working in strategic partnership with city councils, universities and NHS Trusts to deliver connected science and technology infrastructure.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “The Investment Zone will help us attract investment and create jobs and opportunities that will benefit people across Greater Manchester. Our city-region has been a centre for manufacturing and materials innovation for centuries, from leading the Industrial Revolution right through to the development of graphene, and the Investment Zone will ensure that continues.

“It’s also a vote of confidence in devolution and its ability to deliver levelling up. Providing more flexibility and local control over spending can help unlock Greater Manchester’s potential.”

, Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement at The University of Manchester, said: “The University of Manchester has been at the forefront of research in advanced materials and manufacturing, from the industrial revolution to the discovery of graphene, and we have a strong culture of innovation which builds on that research to create economic benefit. This announcement gives further impetus to the work we do with our partners in business and the city-region, to improve people’s lives through economic growth and improved productivity throughout Greater Manchester.” 

Greater Manchester’s advanced manufacturing and materials sector comprises hundreds of innovative companies and the city-region’s universities host world-leading research and development. Advanced manufacturing alone employs approximately 110,000 people and generates around £8bn of economic output each year.

Government has also confirmed plans to extend the Made Smarter Adoption programme following its successful pilot in Greater Manchester and the North West, with a view to expanding the programme across the UK by 2027. The programme helps SME manufacturers adopt digital technologies to help improve productivity and reduce carbon emissions.

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Lead for Economy, Business, and Inclusive Growth, said: “Greater Manchester has an attractive proposition, with world-leading advanced manufacturing and materials research at our universities, a strong skills base, and an existing ecosystem of innovative companies.

“The Investment Zone will build on that cluster, linking and investing in different sites across the city-region, and helping us translate research and development and new discoveries into business growth.”

Speaking on behalf of ID Manchester, John Holden, Associate Vice-President at The University of Manchester, said: "We’re delighted that ID Manchester will be part of the Greater Manchester Investment Zone plans to put the region at the forefront of advanced materials and manufacturing innovation in the UK and globally. The ecosystem we’re building at ID Manchester will leverage The University of Manchester’s world-class R&D strengths to help scale and commercialise new ideas, driving new jobs across the city region in future-facing industries. We look forward to working closely with our neighbouring centres of innovation in Greater Manchester to create valuable new opportunities for local residents and businesses across the North.”

They have recognised the multiple set of actors and processes that need to combine in a successful innovation ecosystem to support founders in the journey from invention to forming a spin-out and then successfully scaling up the company. The Review’s recommendations provide important guidance on the pathway to building a world-leading innovation ecosystem that takes full advantage of national strengths across all of our areas of research excellence and of our regions.

The University will review its intellectual property policies and practice, in collaboration with our partners in the Northern Gritstone investment company, which was established as a positive response to the high concentration of VC funding in London to provide VC funding in the North. We recognise the distinction the report makes between intellectual property intensive areas such as the life sciences and the simpler pathway for some software commercialisation. We welcome the recommendation that the starting point in negotiations should be terms set out in the produced by the group of national and international leaders in university research commercialisation (of which Manchester is a member).

Innovation is a core theme for the University. Working through our technology transfer subsidiary, the , we have produced 16 spinouts in the past two years and were in equal first place for this number in 2021/22.

Examples of successes include:

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����; founded in 2021 to develop the treatment of a leading cause of blindness and other complement-related diseases. The company has been through two funding rounds raising €77m to work on clinical proof-of-concept. This recently won the

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����; , founded in 2018 which develops processes to manufacture sustainable biosurfactant products for use at commercial scale and has recently opened a commercial plant on a 90,000 sq ft site in Wallasey.

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����; currently in its second investment round which produces advanced membranes and innovative filtration systems for the production of valuable minerals (including Lithium) and clean water.

The University also supports student start-ups (typically 35 a year with 280 in operation, an 80% long-term survival rate) through our e. Students own their IP so concerns about equity stakes are irrelevant for this important part of the landscape.

A recent example of success is:

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����; , this month awarded The Spectator’s Innovator of the Year Award for Excellence in Sustainability recognising its groundbreaking developments in the use of graphene to produce a form of polymer-based concrete which reduces carbon emissions by 88%. The company has secured a $1 billion plus joint venture with the Qazar Investment Company to build a factory in the United Arab Emirates.

Our spin-outs benefit from the innovation ecosystem the University is working with partners to build including:

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����; which has raised £312m to invest in IP-rich start-ups (principally from the three founding universities: Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds) in the North of England;

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����; , a £1.7 billion innovation district which will provide an ideal base for spin-outs and scale-ups to interact with large corporates; and

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����; Our extensive range of business-friendly facilities which give start-ups access to equipment and expertise normally only available to multinationals. These include the , , the , the and the .

The Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) is an annual assessment by ����Ӱ�� England of the ways English universities engage with society and the economy, locally, nationally, and internationally. This is the third iteration, known as KEF3. 

Intellectual property and commercialisation 

This year, the University achieved the maximum possible rating of very high engagement for intellectual property and commercialisation . 

The achievements of the University’s in licensing, intellectual property income, investment and turnover of spinouts, maintains Manchester’s performance as a leading university for creating new businesses from research and other activity. 

����Ӱ�� partnerships and public and community engagement 

In both research partnerships and public and community engagement, Manchester was highly rated..  

Manchester’s performance in research partnerships, working with business, and working with the public and third sector recognises the work of its Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange team through collaborative research with partners, contract research and consultancy. 

The University’s leading position in is demonstrated through our sustained commitment to , our Greater Manchester Civic University Agreement, innovative GM Citizens’ Panel, achievements in volunteering, festivals, mutual partnerships, citizen science, policy engagement, patient involvement in research, and engagement with communities through its cultural institutions – Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, John Rylands Library, Manchester Museum, and the Whitworth Art Gallery.

The results in continuous professional development and graduate start-ups are underpinned by the work within the and . 

Professor Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, said: “Knowledge exchange is a core priority for The University of Manchester. We are delighted to see our achievements continue to be recognised in the KEF3 profile. We shall continue to ensure that our research, teaching and social responsibility activities benefit the economy and society at local, national and global level.” 

����Ӱ�� England has published each university’s performance on on its website. 

Local residents, businesses and stakeholders are being invited to review the plans online from today, Friday 14 July. Throughout the summer, the public will have the opportunity to ask questions and share feedback through online channels and in-person community consultation events run by the ID Manchester partnership, a joint venture between The University of Manchester and Bruntwood SciTech.

The ID Manchester partnership will be popping up in the city centre over the summer and holding a community event at Brunswick Parish Church on Wednesday 6 September. More information on the project and consultation activities can be found on the , along with an online questionnaire to submit feedback.

The newly published draft SRF sets out the scale, ambition and opportunities that ID Manchester brings to the city and includes a series of place-based principles that will guide detailed plans for development and future planning applications, and ensure the vision for ID Manchester to be recognised as one of the world’s leading applied innovation districts is realised.

Illustrative images of what the district could look like are shared in the SRF, including a new civic square, a revitalised Vimto Park and the repurposing of key heritage assets such as the Sackville Street and Renold buildings.

The SRF also details ID Manchester’s aim to build a diverse and inclusive community of innovators, and transform what was a purpose-built academic campus into a welcoming and accessible new area of the city. Through creative repurposing of existing buildings and spaces, such as the Pariser and Renold buildings, a “meanwhile” use strategy has been implemented to bring early activation to the site ahead of redevelopment, with a mix of commercial office, lab and makerspace premises, pop-up retail and leisure spaces, events and programmed activities focused on science, technology, arts, culture and innovation.

Once completed, ID Manchester will create over 10,000 new jobs and bring significant economic, social and environmental benefits to the city. Totaling over 4 million sq ft, the illustrative masterplan has the potential to accommodate over 2 million sq ft of commercial and retail space, and over 1,500 homes.

The draft SRF for ID Manchester was approved for public consultation by Manchester City Council’s Executive Committee on 28 June 2023. The public consultation will run from 14 July 2023 until 8 September 2023. Feedback and responses gathered through the ID Manchester and events will be reported to Manchester City Council as part of the consultation process. Responses to the consultation can also be made directly to Manchester City Council via its .

Project partners The University of Manchester and Bruntwood SciTech, a 50:50 joint venture between Bruntwood and Legal & General, have produced the SRF in collaboration with a world-class design team and specialist consultants, including: Allies and Morrison, SLA, Stanhope, Deloitte, ARUP, Stephen Levrant Heritage Architecture, Useful Projects, Ekosgen and Arcadis.

Speaking on behalf of Bruntwood SciTech, Lou Cordwell OBE, ID Manchester Director said: “We’re very excited to share our proposed plans for ID Manchester and hear from the public on their ideas for this new district, particularly on how we can start to build a community through ID Manchester and bring early life to the site through our ‘meanwhile’ activity. As well as becoming a world leading tech and science location that helps to put Manchester on the global innovation map, we want to create an exemplar for inclusive innovation. Close collaboration with local residents and businesses will be integral to ensuring communities across Greater Manchester benefit from the future success of ID Manchester.”

John Holden, Associate Vice-President for Major Special Projects, The University of Manchester said: “This is a key milestone in delivering our vision for ID Manchester and we’re excited to share our plans with the public. ID Manchester will see the transformation of the University's North campus, breathing new life into the site with a renewed purpose to drive positive economic, social and environmental change through innovation. For over a century, the site has been a centre for science, teaching and innovation, and ID Manchester will build on that history. We look forward to engaging with the public and the University’s stakeholders to hear their views on how ID Manchester can benefit residents and businesses across Greater Manchester.”

Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council said: “Manchester remains a fast growing and constantly changing city that puts people at its heart. ID Manchester will add to the collective strength, innovation and learning that has ensured the wider Oxford Road Corridor is a place of global renown. This is an opportunity for our residents to input and help guide this development through the pre-planning stages and influence the birth of a new neighbourhood in our city centre. I would urge our residents and businesses to make their voices heard.”

Leading investors and universities have come together to launch the USIT Guide which aims to put rocket boosters under the way that the Higher Education sector spins out new companies that take advantage of research breakthroughs.

Many of this country’s most successful technology firms – Solexa, Oxford Nanopore, ARM – started off life as spin-outs from a university, and the publication’s authors believe many more will now be forthcoming.

This is an area that the UK already excels in. London’s universities, for example, are more efficient in turning research and development expenditure into spinout companies than many others. They produce a spinout for every £35.35 million invested in research and development compared with £60.42 million, £42.6 million and £54.5 million for Boston, Los Angeles and New York, respectively.

Between them the group behind the new guidance – which includes venture capitalist firms Abingworth, Sofinnova and Cambridge Investment Capital, and universities Oxford, Imperial and UCL – has helped set up 376 new companies in the last five years, raising over £8.6 billion in investment.

But the USIT Guide’s backers believe it can build on this success and allow both universities and venture capitalists to ramp up the whole process of setting up spin-outs by providing direction and advice in such areas as equity share and IP. As it stands, many of these deals are created from scratch, which is both inefficient and sometimes fails to learn the lessons from previous success stories.

The publication, which is supported by TenU, a group of university technology transfer offices in the UK and US, including MIT, Stanford and Columbia, reflects successful practice around the world.

Diarmuid O’Brien, Chief Executive of Cambridge Enterprise and chair of the USIT Guide working group, said: “The USIT Guide can unlock the full potential from UK universities research, helping to create more spin-outs faster and attracting increased venture investment. USIT can support our universities create the companies that can contribute to solving the great challenges of our time, from climate to health and the digital revolution.”

Jessica Corner, the Executive Chair of ����Ӱ�� England, which funded the initiative, said: “The USIT Guide has come out of the deep professionalism and commitment of UK tech transfer offices to collaboration: sharing approaches internationally, and working with others – particularly investors – to make our ecosystem more effective.”

Andrew Wilkinson, CEO of the University of Manchester Innovation Factory said: “TenU provides an invaluable informal platform to understand how national governments, investors and the Universities can collaborate together more effectively to ensure that the fantastic research from our world-leading institutions can create positive social, economic, and environmental impact.  Having members from the UK, the USA and mainland Europe enables us to identify the differences and similarities between the approaches we all take to IP commercialisation and dispel some of the misunderstandings about the way things are done and challenges in different geographies.”

In the past three years, the University of Manchester Innovation Factory has helped UoM academics create 32 IP-rich spinouts (9 in 2019-20, 13 in 20-21, 10 in 21-22) and has generated licensing income of £13.85M from third party non-spinout licensees.  In addition, £9.8M in first-time investment into UoM spinouts has been secured, helping to grow these Manchester-born spinouts.

����Ӱ�� from Manchester and other UK universities promises to be the engine room of the new economy. If universities partner effectively with business and government, these spinouts will generate significant wealth throughout the north of England, creating companies, employing people and raising productivity.

With a team of 44 and drawing on the research and expertise of the University’s academics and students, the Innovation Factory assesses and scopes research with IP potential and advises startups on critical legal, investment and asset management issues as they scale up.

A copy of The USIT Guide is .

UK-based Graphene Innovations Manchester Ltd (GIM), founded by University graduate Dr Vivek Koncherry, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with to create a new company in the UAE.

This exciting UK-UAE partnership - which highlights potential opportunity for UK innovators to access global investment and international markets and supply chains - will be one of the most ambitious projects to date to commercialise graphene as it fast-tracks cutting-edge R&D into large-scale manufacture – an investment vision worth a total of $1billion.

This new venture will develop and produce premium, environmentally-friendly products using advanced 2D materials, including breakthrough graphene-enhanced concrete that does not need cement or water and can be made using recycled materials.

Dr Vivek Koncherry, CEO of Graphene Innovations Manchester, based in Manchester’s (GEIC), said: "We are proud to be associated with Quazar so that we can assemble a powerful world-class team to provide us the opportunity to massively deploy our graphene-based technologies.”

Waleed Al Ali, CEO of Quazar, who will be active in helping bring the new company to successful, large-scale commercialisation, said: "The new graphene company will take a global lead in making environmentally friendly concrete and other products. We are glad that Quazar can play an active role in helping fulfil the UAE's His Highness Sheikh Saeed Bin Hamdan Bin Mohamed Al Nahyan's support for the UAE Vision 2030”.

James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Manchester, added: “This agreement with our GEIC partner Graphene Innovations Manchester and Quazar is a seminal moment for the commercialisation of graphene as it demonstrates huge confidence in the potential for this advanced material to help lead our transition into a net zero world.

“It is also a very proud moment for the Graphene@Manchester community as it confirms that our innovation ecosystem is providing exactly the right platform to nurture pioneering R&D into graphene and other 2D materials that is world-class.

“Manchester is known as the ‘home of graphene’ – but increasingly, it’s also being recognised as the home to its commercialisation potential. We are therefore able to form international partnerships, such as those in the UAE, based on this reputation; and from this position of strength we can place our city-region and the UK more generally into graphene’s global economy.

“As Greater Manchester further develops its innovation and manufacturing potential – all underpinned with the University’s leadership in advanced materials - this city-regional will have great opportunities with access to international supply chains, foreign investment and global markets.”       

As part of this ambition a new ‘Sustainable Materials Translational ����Ӱ�� Centre’ is set to be created by the multi-million pound Greater Manchester Innovation Accelerator programme. The new centre is a partnership with the University’s, the, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, and Rochdale Development Agency, and aims to connect local businesses to national opportunities, all underpinned with outstanding materials research.

The scheme is linked  to the zone and a said “… The University of Manchester's expertise in material science” could potentially support a northern economic powerhouse.

Furthermore, the graphene innovation ecosystem at The University of Manchester has recently been cited as an exemplar in attracting inward investment into the local regional economy – and therefore helping to boost the UK’s ‘levelling up’ agenda. The spotlight comes in a report entitled,   published by universities think-tank the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI).

A strategic partnerships that is highlighted is the ambitious agreement between the University and Abu Dhabi-based Khalifa University of Science and Technology which aims to deliver a funding boost for graphene innovation to develop new sustainable technologies. Attracting international funding to the North-West is also helping the UK government level-up R&D spending across the nation.

The discovery follows 15 years of research and innovation using scientific methods and approaches that are more akin to medical research and rarely seen in cosmetic product development. The new peptide blend was developed using cutting edge British R&D across several fields of science and technology including advanced robotics, mathematical modelling, bioinformatics, machine learning, cell biology and cosmetic science.

“With 87 years of innovation and scientific firsts, No7 prides itself on ensuring its products provide customers with exceptional results,” said No7’s Head of Science ����Ӱ�� Dr Mike Bell.  The new peptide blend effectively tricks the skin into thinking that it has been damaged to signal renewal of key proteins such as collagen and fibrillin to boost skin’s natural self-repair mechanisms, targeting signs of cumulative damage both on and under the surface. The result is a brand-new peptide blend which we believe will be a game changer for our consumers.

“Underpinning this discovery is No7’s long-standing research partnership with brilliant scientists at The University of Manchester. Together we utilised new state-of-the-art methodologies and techniques such as machine learning and bioinformatics to identify and screen naturally-occurring skin efficacious peptides – a first for the cosmetics industry.”

Mike Sherratt, Professor of Biochemistry at The University of Manchester, comments: “Today the field of peptide technology research is booming, with exciting new discoveries and applications being used in therapeutic medical settings as well as in cosmetic science. This novel and revolutionary peptide innovation could only have been developed from having a deep understanding of skin damage.”

Five peer reviewed papers form the science backdrop to this latest innovation from No7 and The University of Manchester, with a further manuscript recently submitted to high impact science journal. ����Ӱ�� presented at the American Academy of Dermatology’s annual conference in Louisiana revealed the new peptide blend is proven to enhance the expression of over 50 key skin proteins, including collagen and fibrillin, which support skin function and natural self-repair.  

No7’s new super peptide is set to be one of the most effective and tolerated skincare ingredients on the cosmetic market. Unlike retinoic acid, which is known by dermatologists to cause tolerance challenges such as skin sensitivity and redness, No7's new super peptide is both highly potent and also highly tolerated, being suitable even for those with sensitive skin. This paves the way to making gold standard skin repair available to even more people.

Cutting-edge Technology

Machine learning was utilised to identify naturally-occurring peptide sequences released from key skin molecules including collagens and elastic-fibre proteins, which were then tested using state-of-the-art omics techniques to characterise their skin remodelling activity and find the most powerful for deep down skin repair. 

Scientists evaluated thousands of possible peptide combinations to identify this new super peptide, a blend of two novel synthetic tetra-peptides, pal-GPKG and pal-LSVD, which mimic naturally occurring peptides in the skin to boost the skin’s natural self-repair function.

Robotic technology at the University of Liverpool’s Materials Innovation Factory and mathematical modelling techniques were used to optimise the formulation textures and delivery system for penetration of the peptides to where they are needed and work the best. As a result, penetration is predicted to be 50% better than existing formulations. 

The new super peptide technology has been met with excitement from the global scientific community with the technology due to be presented at three world leading scientific conferences this Spring including the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Conference in Louisiana, the British Society for Investigative Dermatology (BSID) Annual Meeting in Glasgow and the International Societies for Investigative Dermatology (ISID) meeting in Tokyo. 

Dr Matiss Ozols, formerly of The University of Manchester and now based at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, comments: “Application of this peptide discovery pipeline to other tissues could profoundly advance the treatment of age-related diseases, providing novel treatments inspired by the body’s natural self-repair mechanisms. I’m excited by the possibilities!”

This discovery builds on a long history of scientific innovation for No7; the brand was the first to prove that non-medical cosmetic products worked when the scientific efficacy of the No7 Protect and Perfect Serum was verified on BBC Horizon in 2007. In 2009 No7 was the first to publish a 12-month study on an anti-ageing cosmetic product showing clinical wrinkle improvements in a paper published in the British Journal of Dermatology.

Patent applications have been submitted and are pending for both the new peptides and the delivery system.

The ambitious innovation projects will provide critical insight and research to help inform the future development of a net zero energy system at the same time as delivering significant benefits to consumers. 

National Grid Electricity Transmission has been awarded £396,000 to fund the following projects, in which Manchester will be playing a vital role: 

• Superconductor OHLs: This project will investigate technology to increase power flow capability on existing overhead lines. Novel high temperature superconductor (HTS) technology could be implemented on existing lines, increasing power flow capability up to ten-fold at the same voltage level.  
• SF6 replacement strategy: Development of a long-term strategy to expedite the efficient rollout of SF6 replacements and remove the gas from the network at minimum cost to the consumer, with new builds and retro filling options considered across different asset profiles.  
• WELLNESS: A project to assess whole energy system resilience and develop a framework suited to the energy transition whilst protecting consumers – ensuring the network is reliable to known and credible threats, but also resilient to less frequent but more extreme disasters.  

Dr Vidyadhar Peesapati at The University of Manchester said: “The SIF programme provides a unique opportunity for us to continue our engagement with National Grid, in evaluating and de-risking a range innovations and solutions that will expedite the transition to net zero.” 

Nicola Todd, Head of Strategy and Innovation at National Grid Electricity Transmission, added: “It’s great to see National Grid leading the way with the sort of ambitious thinking needed to tackle some of the biggest challenges in energy. This funding will help drive progress on a raft of innovative projects, from new technologies to boost network capacity, to how we reduce our dependency on the greenhouse gas SF₆. 

“Work on these initiatives is helping to shape the future of Britain’s energy networks and accelerating the transition to net zero, at lowest cost to consumers.” 

At Manchester, our energy experts are committed to delivering an equitable and prosperous net zero energy future. By matching science and engineering, with social science, economics, politics and arts, the University’s community of 600+ experts address the entire lifecycle of each energy challenge, creating innovative and enduring solutions to make a difference to the lives of people around the globe. This enables the university’s research community to develop pathways to ensure a low carbon energy transition that will also drive jobs, prosperity, resilience and equality. 

Full details of the funding for Ofgem’s SIF scheme, which is managed in partnership with Innovate UK, can be found on its website at:  

The list is in , Europe’s influential media monitor of European tech start-ups.  Backed by the Financial Times, Sifted is the leading media brand for the European start-up community.

Two of the top ten highlighted start-ups – and – have been created and nurtured within the University of Manchester Innovation Factory (UoMIF).

Sifted says: “There’s a new generation of entrepreneurs taking the European tech scene by storm.  From Madrid to Milan, Bucharest to Berlin, startup innovators are rewriting the economy’s rules and making waves across the continent. With some 98 cities producing at least one tech unicorn (so far) — Europe has created a decentralised Silicon Valley.”

Under UoMIF’s CEO Andrew Wilkinson, the technology transfer organisation has created 32 IP-rich spinout companies in the three years.

Sifted’s ‘top ten university spinouts to watch out for’ says: “Watercycle Technologies is a University of Manchester (UoM) climate tech spinout. The company has patented a filtration process that can extract lithium from sub-surface waters — which could be huge for the EV space, which needs lithium in huge quantities for making batteries. It’s also working with Cornish Lithium, which focuses on environmentally responsible lithium extraction.”

 “FOTENIX is another UoM spinout, which uses its IP-protected machine learning and 3D imaging tech to detect diseases and pests and improve harvest quality. Brexit, climate change and the Ukraine war are putting unprecedented pressure on crop yield, and we’re seeing a growing demand for tech in this space.”

Andrew Wilkinson, CEO of The University of Manchester Innovation Factory said: “It’s great that these two innovative University of Manchester spinout companies have been recognised as being among the very best European tech startups. Both these businesses are led by brilliant young entrepreneurs and have the potential to make an enormous environmental, social and economic impact in their target markets, as well as fantastic returns for their investors.”

As part of the government’s Innovation Accelerator Fund, the four projects focus on the very latest technology around genomics, medical diagnostics, advanced materials and artificial intelligence. The bids were coordinated by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and funding is for two years.

The funding, awarded by the (DSIT), has been allocated to innovative projects in sectors where Greater Manchester has existing research strengths,

The projects are:

The Manchester Turing Innovation Hub, is led by the University of Manchester, working with a consortium of business, academic and public sector organisations. The project aims to accelerate Greater Manchester’s £5bn digital economy by supporting existing start-ups and creating new ones – especially in the field of artificial intelligence. It will also help to develop skills in the region with a particular focus on women, and under-represented groups in the industry. The Hub will bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and business, and will have centres across the region from which to coordinate activity. With no city having a global lead in AI commercialisation, the project aims to position Greater Manchester at the forefront, which would have a transformative effect on the regional economy and jobs.

Residents in eight out of the ten local authorities in GM spend more of their life in poor health, and instances of smoking and obesity and associated health issues are more prevalent than the national average. The Greater Manchester Advanced Diagnostics Accelerator aims to address this. It is led by Health Innovation Manchester, hosted by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and partnered with the University. Focussing on liver, heart and lung disease, programme outputs are designed to open market opportunities for local businesses and support NHS cultural change from reactive acute care to proactive community prevention, resulting in better health outcomes and reduced demand for hospital services.

The Development and Validation of Technology for Time Critical Genomic Testing (DEVOTE) programme will be led by The University of Manchester. It focuses on biomarkers, which are chemicals or signals in the body which can be used to diagnose disease or predict future health. At the moment there is a bottleneck between the discovery of new biomarkers, and their use as a tool to help patients. DEVOTE aims to change all that by developing raid tests which can be used at the bedside by clinicians. This will be done through a partnership between the University, Health Innovation Manchester and local businesses. Greater Manchester is already a leader in this field and the new funding will create a legacy not only in people’s health but in a culture which makes new advances in future years.

The Sustainable Materials Translational ����Ӱ�� Centre is a partnership between the University of Manchester, including the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre and the Henry Royce Institute, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, and Rochdale Development Agency. Sustainable materials are urgently needed to help reach global climate goals but there is a lack of capacity to produce these, and to scale up production of new products which use them. Greater Manchester is well positioned to solve this problem, with a rich history of developing materials (notably at The University of Manchester). The project will help connect local businesses to the national supply chain, and to the outstanding materials research in the city, it will support the creation of new businesses, and attract inward investment, with a particular focus on the Atom Valley Mayoral Development zone, bringing new jobs and opportunities to Rochdale, Bury, Oldham and beyond.

Professor Richard Jones, Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement at The University of Manchester said:  “The Innovation Accelerator is about taking the great research in GM’s universities, and translating that into good jobs, inclusive economic growth, and better health outcomes for citizens across the whole of Greater Manchester. 

“These four projects highlight the University of Manchester’s research strengths in advanced materials, in digital technologies, and in health sciences, and demonstrate our commitment to working together with business, the NHS, the other GM universities and FE colleges, and local government in the city region for the benefit of the people who live here.

“We are very much looking forward to working with our partners on these projects, and we welcome the funding to all of the other projects in Greater Manchester that has been announced.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “Greater Manchester’s selection as one of three Innovation Accelerator regions demonstrates the Government’s confidence in our innovation ecosystem. The projects being backed are undertaking world-leading research to address some of the biggest challenges we face.

“They also align with the sectors where Greater Manchester has emerging or established strengths, like advanced materials, artificial intelligence (AI) and diagnostics. We look forward to working with partners to ensure this funding supports the growth of our future industries and delivers greater prosperity for our people.”

Minister of State for Science ����Ӱ�� & Innovation at DSIT George Freeman said:

“Through Record investment in our UK science, technology & innovation sectors, the Innovation Economy is creating new career opportunities in the campuses, clusters & companies of tomorrow.

“That’s why UKRI is putting clusters at the heart of its of its £25bn budget up to 2025, and why our £100m Innovation Accelerator Program provides £33m each to 3 emerging clusters to attract industrial co-investment and become major, globally competitive centres for research and innovation.

“The Greater Manchester Cluster is becoming a world class hub of R+D in AI and advanced computing, advanced manufacturing and Net Zero Cleantech and associated technologies.

“I’m delighted that local leaders have come together to use our £33m to launch such exciting programs with industry and Universities in this exciting area.” 

The spotlight comes in a report entitled, which has been authored by Dr Alexis Brown for the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI). Dr Brown is Head of Global Education Insights at the British Council and is calling for UK universities to leverage global connections to help drive local growth.

The report highlights where this collaboration is already being achieved. For example, the strategic, long-term relationship-building between The University of Manchester and regional civic stakeholders plus international partners, such as those based in Abu Dhabi.

This type of relationship has, for example, led to an ambitious agreement between the University and Abu Dhabi-based Khalifa University of Science and Technology which aims to deliver a funding boost to graphene innovation that will help tackle the planet’s big challenges. This project has also won praise from senior figures in the UK government.

Much of the focus of this international collaboration on advanced materials has been around the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) which is a unique innovation accelerator based at The University of Manchester.

And, as well as supporting collaboration in the Middle East, the HEPI report also points out that the “… GEIC’s development has in turn generated further funding from a range of international and domestic partners, including the Australian-based supplier of graphene products First Graphene, the Brazilian graphene startup Gerdau Graphene, surface-functionalised graphene specialists Haydale and advanced engineering materials group Versarien.

“GEIC will also form a cornerstone element of the new £1.5 billion , alongside the University’s , which focuses on industrial biotechnology and industry-facing biomanufacturing…”

James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Manchester, said: “It’s fantastic to see that Manchester’s graphene innovation ecosystem has been highlighted in a national policy report that outlines how universities can bring inward investment into the regional economies they serve.

“It has been five years since the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre opened its doors and our success in taking 2D materials from lab-to-market is clearly demonstrated by the many international partnerships we have formed - and the significant investment that these partners are making to drive graphene-inspired R&D in our region.

“These international research and innovation collaborations are creating new products, new businesses and new jobs. This all adds new value to our regional economy - so boosting the UK’s ‘levelling up’ ambitions.”

Advanced materials is one of The University of Manchester’s research beacons - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships tackling some of the planet's biggest questions. #����Ӱ��Beacons

Haydale were early adopters and among the very first partners to sign up and join the GEIC when it opened its doors and embarked on its journey of commercialisation in 2018. At the time interest in graphene was growing in the commercial world; but it remained to be seen just how ready industry was in adopting graphene into existing products – or go one step further and use it to develop new and disruptive technologies.

Now, as the partnership enters a sixth year both organisations are delighted to see the progress working in collaboration has brought to the industry, particularly through the adoption of plasma functionalisation technology and commercialisation of graphene and other 2D materials, as James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Manchester explains:

“Too often graphene has been seen as a magic dust that can be sprinkled into a product to transform its performance. Even if you’re lucky and achieve positive results, this ad hoc approach is usually non-replicable or able to be developed with a reliable quality control to earn market confidence.

“Haydale’s pioneering work to functionalise graphene has created a supply of material that is industry-ready and is tuned to optimise performance in the specific application requested by the end-user and we are delighted that the partnership has been part of this journey.”

Alongside their industry leading test facilities, as part of the partnership agreement, the GEIC will continue to use one of Haydale’s HT60 plasma reactors, which has been fundamental in growing the knowledge of functionalisation and its importance in unlocking the potential of graphene and other 2D materials. The clean chemistry process offers a way of activating inert materials, so they perform in application but in an environmentally-friendly way.

Access to unique engineering knowhow, world-class science and specialist R&D capability has seen the maturity of joint developments between Haydale and the GEIC most notably the graphene-enhanced carbon composite body panels for the BAC Mono R road-legal sports car, technology that Haydale has now seen application in composite tooling with Prodrive and resin infusion for sports and leisure. More recently, the teams have developed novel coating processes combining Haydale’s prepreg and ink products and helped to optimise Haydale’s 3D printing product range for volume application.

Commenting on the continued partnership, Keith Broadbent CEO of Haydale said: “We have been working with the GEIC from the very beginning to enhance graphene and nanomaterials and bring them into a commercial space. I am excited to see what the next stage of the partnership will bring. We have seen a seismic shift from graphene push to market pull as more customers know what they want. Customers are driving momentum and together we can continue the commercialisation journey.”

This is a sentiment shared by James, who added: “Five years on from the opening of the GEIC the market landscape for nanomaterials has matured quickly, and advanced materials are recognised as being critical in providing solutions to the big global challenges.

“Haydale’s vision has always been to provide the graphene supply chain with a premium product that can add real value – and they know exactly how to do this.”

The ongoing partnership will continue to build trust with wider industry and provide a solid foundation for the adoption of graphene and other 2D materials as advanced materials become increasingly critical in providing solutions to some of the biggest global challenges.

Grant Shapps, The Secretary of State for the UK’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), has recently been on a visit to the Middle East, which included the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he met representatives from a partnership between The University of Manchester and UAE’s Khalifa University.

The ambitious Manchester-Khalifa partnership is part of the ����Ӱ�� & Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC-2D) which is looking at ways to apply graphene and related advanced materials to technologies that will help make our world more sustainable, including water desalination, emission-busting construction materials, energy storage and lightweighting applications.

Grant Shapps visited the state-of-the-art research facilities and on his , the Secretary of State said: “Graphene can be used in everything from touchscreens to reinforcing steel. Made first in Manchester, its importance is now being realised around the world. I enjoyed seeing how Khalifa University is further developing graphene uses for the future, in partnership with The University of Manchester.”

James Baker, CEO at Graphene@Manchester, said: “It was great to co-host the Secretary of State and the UK delegation on their visit to meet our partners at Khalifa University.

“It was a very positive meeting that focused on graphene products and applications. Our conversation covered the heritage of the right through to the creation of the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre, a Manchester facility set up in partnership with UAE-based Masdar to accelerate the commercialisation of graphene and related 2D materials.

“We also discussed our joint work with the RIC-2D programme and the ambitious commercial opportunities that are supporting the drive towards a sustainable future, including our latest project around creating membrane technology in support of clean water.”

The Kahlifa delegation meeting the Secretary of State also included Professor Sir John O’Reilly, President of Khalifa University; Dr Arif Al Hammadi, Executive Vice President; Dr Steve Griffiths, Senior Vice President for ����Ӱ�� and Development and Professor of Practice; Fahad Almaskari, Engagement Director; Fahad Alabsi, Associate Director, Commercialization, RIC-2D ����Ӱ�� Center.

During Grant Shapps’ visit to the region the . The Clean Energy Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has now been signed by the two nations and will support the .

Advanced materials is one of The University of Manchester’s research beacons - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships tackling some of the planet's biggest questions. #����Ӱ��Beacons