£50 million innovation funding awarded to five growth-driving projects in Greater Manchester

Five major projects aimed at supporting regional growth in Greater Manchester are being awarded £50 million funding through the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF).

The £500 million LIPF is a Government programme being delivered through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) aimed at strengthening regional innovation and boosting economic growth.

The projects securing funding in Greater Manchester build on the city-region’s existing strengths across advanced manufacturing, AI and digital, and life sciences, and look to create new jobs, improve productivity and attract further investment into these areas from both public and private sector funding. Supported projects are:

The Atom Valley Innovation District

Led by Rochdale Development Agency and the University of Manchester, the project will support businesses from across Greater Manchester and beyond to adopt advanced materials and cutting-edge and sustainable manufacturing processes at scale.

The project will receive £16.4 million to establish a nationally connected advanced materials and manufacturing cluster, including the Centre of Expertise in Advanced Materials and Sustainability (CEAMS) within the new Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre (SMMC), which is already under construction and is due to be completed later this year.

The Retrofit Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Innovation Centre (RAMMIC)

RAMMIC will receive £8.56 million to explore how we can use advanced materials and manufacturing processes to support the decarbonisation of the estimated 27 million homes and 1.8 million non-domestic buildings that require energy efficiency retrofit.

Using the University of Salford’s unique Energy House 1 and Energy House 2.0 facilities (pictured), and in partnership with The University of Manchester, Sustainable Ventures and the Energy Innovation Agency, the project aims to unlock new market opportunities for businesses while driving progress toward net zero and wider societal benefits, such as improved housing quality, reducing emissions, and better health outcomes for residents.

GROW AI

Delivered by a partnership between Manchester Metropolitan University’s Centre for Digital Innovation and The University of Manchester’s Turing Innovation Catalyst, the GROW AI project will receive £12.8 million to fast-track AI commercialisation, support SMEs in adopting AI, and create a pipeline of high-growth AI ventures.

The Greater Data Accelerator

The Greater Data Accelerator, led by Health Innovation Manchester, will receive £6.7 million to harness the city region’s population-scale health data and analytics capabilities to accelerate the development and adoption of new medicines and diagnostics technologies. 

The programme aims to attract further inward investment, support faster research, and bring innovations to patients more quickly.

Greater Manchester Wearables and Innovation Cluster (GM-WIC)

Led by the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and The University of Manchester, the Cluster will drive a step change in wearable and remote monitoring technologies used in healthcare. Supported by £5.5 million of LIPF funding, GM-WIC will create a unique data infrastructure linking wearables and routinely collected health data.

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, said:

“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.”