TECH ZONE
INTERNATIONAL
Manchester Manchester, the city that drove the original Industrial Revolution in the mid-19th century, is powering innovation across global markets and our journey toward a Net Zero future. With a metropolitan economy worth £62.8 billion (GVA) ($85.6 billion USD), it’s one of the UK’s fastest growing cities and home to thriving business and tech communities — from life sciences to advanced manufacturing and low carbon. The goals: to increase global business opportunities, international R&D influence and local prosperity, while leading the way in more climate-friendly solutions. They’ve met all — yet in the most crucial way, the effort is just beginning. Drivers of Manchester’s stature as a leading international region for innovation must feel like they’ve run an ultramarathon on an obstacleriddled course — having continued to rapidly build upon their globally leading R&D and innovation capabilities despite the pandemic shutting down the UK for vast periods of time. Manchester, a city-region of 2.8 million in the north of England, has emerged with a sway of opportunity, investment and expertise from some of the world’s brightest minds. Here are some of the many big stories behind
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INNOVATION & TECH TODAY | FALL 2021
Powers Global Innovation — Making New Thinking A Reality
Manchester’s rise up the global manufacturing, R&D, and innovation ladder: Advanced Materials Of The Future As home to world-leading institutes, such as the Henry Royce Institute and the Advanced Machinery & Productivity Institute (AMPI), Manchester has grown a strong advanced manufacturing community. There is a significant focus on graphene-based innovation. The superstrong material is a truly Manchester story, with two Manchester scientists awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics for first isolating it in 2004. There has been huge investment since, with over £300 million ($410.1 billion USD) put into world class facilities like the National Graphene Institute (NGI) and the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), a commercialization and pilot production facility for companies to develop new products. These are led by James Baker, CEO, Graphene@Manchester — a world leader on the subject. From aerospace engineering to digital electronics and biomedicine, the lightweight material can be used in a wide range of applications. Manchester’s investments could transform cities and manufacturing worldwide. Recent breakthroughs include new sustainable construction materials, water filtration
technologies, and revolutionary farming systems. Manchester recently hosted the world’s first exterior pour of graphene-enhanced Concretene — using graphene to produce stronger concrete with reduced volumes of material required and potentially longer lifespan of infrastructure, dramatically reducing the carbon footprint of concrete. Thriving Life Science and Health Tech The city is a strong supporter of healthcare innovation with a history of firsts here, too — including introducing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment to the world and pioneering the first total hip replacement surgery and bionic eye implants. Today, the innovation continues, and the city is a center of world-leading research with the largest clinical academic campus in Europe. With a £6 billion ($8.2 billion USD) devolved health and social care budget, it is leading innovation for its own healthcare services as well as innovation across the healthcare sector. The
This activity is part-funded by European Regional Development Funds within the 2014-2020 England Operational Programme
