Manchester and Salford to benefit from new fund boosting regional innovation
Cutting-edge research from institutions in Manchester and Salford will be turned into real-world products and services that will benefit society and regional economies through a new project.
The Connecting Capability Fund (CCF), from the Research England Development (RED) Fund, will see Manchester Metropolitan University working in partnership with the University of Manchester Innovation Factory (UoMIF), Royal Northern College of Music and the University of Salford to enhance collaboration between the organisations and strengthen the commercialisation of research.
The project brings together Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) from each institution to share best practices and bring research to life to support industry and encourage innovation.
By working together, the TTOs will contribute to the development of a stronger regional innovation ecosystem, driving economic growth and creating new opportunities for businesses.
TTOs play a crucial role within universities by identifying valuable intellectual property generated by academic research, protecting it through patents or other legal means, and connecting researchers with industry partners and investors.
The new project will build on an existing partnership between UoMIF and the University of Salford that has laid a strong foundation for collaboration and support to drive economic growth in Manchester and Salford.
Paula Dhoot, UoMIF Corporate Services Director, said: “This award from the Connecting Capability Fund is a tremendous opportunity for us to strengthen the commercialisation infrastructure across Manchester and Salford. By working closely with our partners, we aim to increase the number of innovations coming out of these institutions and establish a model of support that will have a lasting impact on the region’s economy.”
The project comes as new data shows how Manchester Met is at the forefront of supporting businesses, as well as the public and third sector to grow, innovate and create new jobs.
The latest Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) survey, which looks at the knowledge exchange activities of all universities over a three-year period from 2020 to 2023, has ranked Manchester Met in the top 20% of UK universities in two key areas of knowledge exchange.
Professor Nick Brook, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Research at Manchester Metropolitan University, said: “We’re proud to be part of this CCF RED project and look forward to strengthening our bonds with our colleagues in these organisations. This project offers a unique chance to leverage the collective strength of our universities and we’re confident that together, we can accelerate the pathway from research to market.”
