Greater Manchester is backing five innovative projects with £50 million to drive growth and create jobs in sectors ranging from AI to advanced materials and life sciences.
The funding is being allocated through the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF), a flagship Government programme being delivered through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which is investing up to £500 million across the country to strengthen regional innovation and boost economic growth. Manchester is the first UK city region to have full set of projects approved by UKRI, with every £1 of public funding is expected to deliver £4 of private investment, for a total package of a quarter of a billion pounds.
The projects build on Greater Manchester’s sector strengths and expertise in three areas to create new jobs, improve productivity, and attract further public and private investment.
They are:
- The Atom Valley Innovation District, which will pioneer new sustainable products, processes, and technologies in the advanced materials and manufacturing sector
- The Retrofit Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Innovation Centre, which will explore how these technologies can help cut carbon emissions and retrofit homes
- The GROW AI project will support SMEs in adopting AI and fast-track commercial applications of the technology
- The Greater Data Accelerator will use population-scale health data and analytics to accelerate the adoption of new medicines and diagnostics
- The Greater Manchester Wearables and Innovation Cluster will support innovation linking wearable tech and routinely collected health data
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Forming a central pillar of the Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy and Plan for Change, the LIPF brings together local leaders, businesses and research organisations to build on regional strengths.
Greater Manchester’s portfolio of projects has been selected by Innovation Greater Manchester (IGM), the city region’s partnership bringing together research-intensive universities, local government and a broad coalition of industry partners.
Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Portfolio Lead for Economy, Business and Inclusive Growth, said: “Through this significant investment in five pioneering projects we will translate world-class research and innovation into new jobs and opportunities that benefit Greater Manchester’s businesses and residents.
“By focusing on advanced materials and manufacturing, health innovation and AI, we are building on the strengths that already set our city region apart and creating the conditions for more businesses to innovate, scale and succeed here. This is the kind of investment and collaboration that helps us deliver long-term, inclusive growth, strengthening our economy and ensuring the benefits of innovation are felt right across Greater Manchester.”
Andrew Hodgson, chair of the Innovation Greater Manchester Board, said: “I am delighted that Greater Manchester has secured such a significant investment and is the first region to have all its projects approved.
“This is testament to the maturity in Greater Manchester and the strong partnership that exists across the region. I would like to thank the partners for their support in the process. At IGM we look forward to continuing to collaborate with UKRI, supporting deployment of world-class innovations that impact lives throughout the region and beyond.”
Professor Duncan Ivison, president and vice-chancellor of The University of Manchester and IGM Board Member, added: “This shows what Greater Manchester can achieve through collaboration between universities, industry and the public sector.
“We’re very proud to play a central role in this, working alongside our partners to turn research into innovation that supports business growth, builds new ventures and strengthens the economy. Our research, partnerships and innovation activity will increasingly create globally competitive clusters that attract investment, generate high-value jobs and position Greater Manchester as a leader in advanced materials, manufacturing, health innovation and AI. This is about connecting talent, ideas and industry – delivering long-term, inclusive growth across our communities.”
The portfolio of projects has been designed and selected to both deepen Greater Manchester’s strengths in clusters of genuine global opportunity and build on the city region’s collaborative, cross-sector approach to seizing opportunities for growth where industrial clusters and technologies overlap.
