Research and Innovation

Innovation has always been at the heart of Greater Manchester, with the city-region boasting an impressive history of “world firsts”.

Our Independent Prosperity Review identified the region’s strong, integrated innovation system with strengths in areas such as Health Innovation, Life Sciences, Digital, Cyber, CleanTech and Advanced Materials. Our universities also have globally significant strengths in areas such as Biotechnology, Cancer, Energy, and Global Inequalities, all playing their part in addressing some of the biggest challenges facing our planet.

Despite our strengths, strong track record and growing innovation ecosystems, we know there is a gap in our research and innovation productivity. We must better leverage our science and innovation assets to become more productive and globally competitive. Capitalising on this will improve our ability to commercialise innovative ideas, increase exports and drive the attraction of FDI and international talent to the city-region, supporting growth across our 10 districts.

Innovation Greater Manchester is part of our ambitious plan to help deliver this. A blueprint to create a new place-based partnership to build on our existing R&D assets and local delivery capacity to drive innovation led-growth across all the city-region’s diverse towns and cities.

Innovation Support for Businesses

If you are a business looking for opportunities to commercialise overseas, please get in touch with the Business Growth Hub.