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Oxford Road Corridor partners selected for Innovation Accelerator programme
Ten Greater Manchester projects will receive funding and support after being selected to become part of the city-region’s Innovation Accelerator programme. Eight of these involve Oxford Road Corridor partners, or are based here in Manchester’s Knowledge Quarter.
Greater Manchester was asked by UK Government to pilot the Innovation Accelerator programme alongside Glasgow city-region and the West Midlands. The programme provides a total of £100m shared across the three regions, as well as support for developing each area’s innovation ecosystem.
The funding, awarded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), has been allocated to innovative projects in sectors where Greater Manchester has existing research strengths, including advanced materials, artificial intelligence (AI), diagnostics and health innovation, and net zero.
Projects will support businesses with adopting new technologies and people developing new skills, while attracting private R&D investment, creating jobs and stimulating economic growth.
“Rebalancing R&D spending is an important element of levelling up our national economy. Providing funding and support for regional innovation ecosystems will lead to higher levels of private sector investment, creating high-quality jobs and stimulating economic growth.”
Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council
As part of the programme, the Innovation Greater Manchester board, a business-led partnership that brings together the private sector, academia and local government, has worked with Innovate UK and DSIT to select projects and co-design an Innovation Plan. This approach has empowered local business, civic and academic leaders to effectively target R&D funding for the benefit of the local economy and communities.
The projects from Corridor-based that receiving funding are:
- Greater Manchester Electrochemical Hydrogen Cluster – Manchester Metropolitan University – building on the work of the Manchester Fuel Cell Innovation Centre to accelerate the development and adoption of clean and efficient electro-chemical hydrogen technologies.
- Manchester Turing Innovation Hub (MTIH) – The University of Manchester – linking businesses to cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) research and technologies to help enhance their productivity.
- DEVOTE Programme – The University of Manchester – a collaboration between industry, universities and healthcare professionals to support the development and implementation of time-critical genomic testing technologies.
- The Sustainable Materials Translational Research Centre is a partnership between the University of Manchester, including the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre and the Henry Royce Institute, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, and Rochdale Development Agency.
- Energy Accelerator for Non-Domestic Buildings – The Growth Company – developing, testing and deploying net zero innovations to help commercial and public sector buildings to decarbonise.
- Centre for Digital Innovation (CDI) – Manchester Metropolitan University – working across four technology strands – artificial intelligence (AI), cyber, industrial digitalisation (ID) and immersive technology (IT) – on R&D, skills development, business models for SMEs, and community outreach.
- AR EdTech For Hydrogen Skills – Blair Project – an education technology (edtech) platform providing hydrogen skills training content for the manufacturing, construction, transport and energy sectors.
- GM Advanced Diagnostics Accelerator – a partnership between Health Innovation Manchester, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, and the University of Manchester – a series of projects looking at Greater Manchester’s major morbidities (liver, heart and lung disease including lung cancer) in which academic and industry excellence from advanced diagnostics, digital and data will be brought together to improve health outcomes for residents.
“The breadth and quality of the ground-breaking innovation that goes on in Greater Manchester was clear to see in the bids we received for Innovation Accelerator funding. The projects selected will have a lasting impact, stimulating our innovation ecosystem so that the whole of the city-region benefits.”
Chris Oglesby, Chair of the Innovation Greater Manchester board
To see all the successful projects and read the full quotes, visit the original article from Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
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