- The University of Manchester has helped secure £50m to drive innovation-led growth across Greater Manchester.
- The University is leading two major projects and supporting across the whole programme.
- Funding will back growth in advanced materials, manufacturing, AI, health innovation and low carbon technologies.
- The investment will help attract financial backing, create skilled jobs and boost regional growth.
The University of Manchester, working with partners across the Greater Manchester region and beyond, has played a leading role in securing £50m investment from UK Research and Innovation's Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF) that drives innovation-led growth across Greater Manchester.
The University is lead delivery partner on two projects and will be a delivery partner on the remaining three across the wider funding programme, announced today (17 June 2026) by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
Together the whole portfolio is worth £50m and covers nationally significant sectors including advanced materials & manufacturing, digital, cyber & AI, health innovation & life sciences, and low carbon technologies. These projects will attract private investment, create skilled jobs, support business growth and strengthen Greater Manchester's position as a globally competitive innovation region.
The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF) is a flagship UK government programme - delivered through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) - investing up to £500 million to strengthen regional innovation economies across the country.
Forming a central pillar of the government's modern Industrial Strategy and Plan for Change, the Fund brings together local leaders, businesses and research organisations to build on regional strengths to create new jobs, drive innovation-led productivity and attract further public and private investment into communities across the UK.
Atom Valley Innovation District
The University is lead delivery partner in the £16.4m invested in the Atom Valley Innovation District, (AVID) a nationally significant advanced materials and manufacturing cluster.
The investment will help to activate the innovation ecosystem needed to support the growth of materials-focused companies at Kingsway Business Park in Rochdale.
Through the Centre of Expertise in Advanced Materials and Sustainability (CEAMS) within the new Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre (SMMC), the programme will provide technical support, business services and access to specialist expertise to help companies scale up and adopt sustainable materials and advanced manufacturing technologies.
By connecting businesses with national research centres, universities and industry, the programme will accelerate collaboration, unlock new supply chain opportunities and strengthen the region's ability to attract and grow innovative businesses.
The project is delivered in partnership with the Rochdale Development Agency, and the delivery consortium provides comprehensive access to the national advanced materials innovation ecosystem through the Henry Royce Institute, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), and High Value Manufacturing Catapult centres: NCC and CPI. The University of Greater Manchester will support the delivery of industry-ready skills packages.
Together, these activities will drive private sector investment in the Atom Valley Innovation District, generating skilled jobs, and build long-term economic resilience for the region.
GROW AI
The University will also play a key role in GROW AI (£12.8m). The project will be jointly led by the Centre for Enterprise at Manchester Metropolitan University and the Turing Innovation Catalyst at the University of Manchester.
GROW AI will rapidly scale the responsible and secure adoption of AI across Greater Manchester, unlocking faster commercialisation of research and delivering inclusive, high-value economic growth. Involving collaboration with the University of Salford, Lancaster University and numerous private sector partners, the initiative will fuse startup and research commercialisation with AI adoption by SMEs across priority sectors, bringing together the public, private and academic sectors to focus on key challenges at pace.
Utilising the networks, delivery expertise and academic excellence of the partner organisations, it builds on the region's existing assets and is designed for rapid deployment. GROW AI develops the regional cluster at scale, supporting both new AI firms and existing businesses, so the wider economy can benefit from the AI opportunity. The project will also support the continued growth of the tech community at Sister, a new innovation district which is a joint venture between The University of Manchester and Bruntwood SciTech.
The University's innovation arm, Unit M - a function designed to unleash the institution's full innovation potential - has supported the development of these two projects.
Delivery partner on three projects
The University of Manchester is also the delivery partner for indoor air quality and sustainability assessments in the Retrofit Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Innovation Centre (£8.56m) led by the University of Salford, the GM Wearables and Remote Monitoring Innovation Cluster (£5.5m) led by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, and the Greater Data Accelerator (£6.7m) led by Health Innovation Manchester.
Professor Duncan Ivison, President & Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester 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 - which ultimately means long-term, inclusive growth is felt across our communities."
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."
