A new programme hopes to help accelerate projects towards successful market delivery and commercialisation for Greater Manchester’s high tech businesses.
From now until March 2025, Innovation Navigator will provide businesses working in AI, data and advanced computing; diagnostics and genomics; and sustainable advanced materials with bespoke support and funding.
Innovation Navigator will enhance Greater Manchester’s reputation as one of the best places in the UK to innovate and grow a business, unlocking and removing barriers to overcome challenges in the market, supporting businesses to scale and enable faster commercial returns and value.
Businesses will receive specialist advice to reduce time to launch and bring new innovations to market, while embedding skills for future growth and allowing for greater knowledge transfer opportunities.
In addition to specialised and tailored support, participants could benefit from £1.6m available in grant funding and access to the investment community.
Yvonne Grady, head of innovation at the GM Business Growth Hub, said: “There are more and more businesses in Greater Manchester that are future-focused and are expanding into emerging and innovative markets that present high growth opportunities. We’re having conversations every day with businesses that are embracing sustainability and the opportunity of AI and advanced computing.
“We are blessed in Greater Manchester with four universities, world-class facilities, and an amazing business innovation support landscape. Our role with Innovation Navigator is to be a guiding light and navigate relevant businesses through this ecosystem.”
The city region’s universities – Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Salford, the University of Manchester and the University of Bolton – are partnering with Innovation Navigator to open their doors to businesses to further encourage research and collaborations.
Industry associations, business support services, chambers of commerce, and local government and research technology organisations throughout Greater Manchester will also come together to work with businesses.
Each business joining Innovation Navigator will benefit from the support of experienced and highly skilled commercialisation specialists and local innovation connectors to guide them through their journey, all the way to commercialisation.
The team of ten local innovation connectors, each based within a Greater Manchester local authority and experienced in business, will be the first point of contact for businesses and will identify their immediate innovation needs.
Commercialisation specialists will then engage with businesses, using their expertise, experience, and success in accelerating innovations to market, help businesses to access funding and additional external support.
