Greater Manchester’s burgeoning innovation ecosystem has taken another major step forward with the signing of an agreement with the UK’s national innovation agency, Innovate UK.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), Innovation Greater Manchester and Innovate UK commits the parties to closer collaboration to support business innovation.
The agreement seeks to strengthen research and innovation clusters across Greater Manchester and to accelerate investments around long-term innovation developments.
The parties have also agreed to work on a shared plan for the period to 2030, which will set out how the development of innovation assets in Greater Manchester will inform Innovate UK activities.
The agreement was signed by Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, Innovate UK CEO, Indro Mukerjee, and Chair of Greater Manchester Business Board (GM LEP), Lou Cordwell, at a special event held today (Friday 2 December) at the Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre (GEIC) in Manchester. The GEIC is a facility which helps companies develop new technologies, products and processes that exploit the properties of graphene and other 2D materials.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “This agreement will strengthen collaboration between Greater Manchester and Innovate UK, and in doing so help deliver a high-growth, high-wage economy powered by innovation.
“Going back to the first Industrial Revolution, Greater Manchester has a proud history of industry and innovation. More recently we pioneered the development of graphene, and have emerging strengths in areas like advanced manufacturing, health innovation and the digital and creative industries.
“Levelling up the country means rebalancing R&D spending so that regions can realise their potential. Innovation stimulates sustainable growth, which leads to better quality jobs and increased wages, raising the living standards of people across Greater Manchester.”
Indro Mukerjee, CEO of Innovate UK, said: “Innovate UK is building strong regional partnerships across the UK to support local innovation and commercialisation. The agreement with Greater Manchester is a good example of that and our commitment to levelling up the UK.
“I am pleased to be working closely with Mayor Andy Burnham, Cllr Bev Craig and Lou Cordwell to help deliver growth and productivity through innovation across Greater Manchester.”
Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council and GMCA Portfolio Lead for Economy and Business, said: “Our agreement with Innovate UK will help businesses and residents in Greater Manchester benefit from the opportunities presented by innovation.
“Business innovation creates good jobs in more places. It drives economic growth, accelerates our transition to net zero, and helps reduce health inequalities. We look forward to working with Innovate UK to strengthen Greater Manchester’s innovation ecosystem.”
