The innovation ecosystem across Greater Manchester and the wider North West is set for a powerful boost, as Venture Café Manchester holds its official launch event on Thursday 23 October at Sister, the city’s new £1.3bn tech district.
The launch is a key part of a partnership between Venture Café Global Institute, the world’s leading innovation ecosystem activator, and the UK’s Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA), aimed at strengthening regional innovation ecosystems and driving British tech breakthroughs.
The Manchester opening follows the successful launch of Venture Café London in May, and a third location will open in Edinburgh in November. They form part of an international network of Venture Cafes that includes Boston, Tokyo and Berlin and convenes around 100,000 participants annually.
Manchester has a rich history of world-changing breakthroughs, including the first modern computer, the world’s first IVF baby and the isolation of graphene. Venture Café will offer a dedicated space for innovators across the region, bringing together startups, investors, policymakers, academics, and creatives to connect, collaborate, and turn bold ideas into real-world impact.
At the heart of the activation model for all Venture Cafes are its signature Thursday Gatherings – free, inclusive, regular events that function as a ‘weekly heartbeat’ for each local innovation community.
Highlights of the Venture Cafe Manchester launch event, also its inaugural Thursday Gathering, include:
- Powerhouse Fireside Chat: ‘Manufacturing Abundance’
A keynote conversation with ARIA Program Director Ivan Jayapurna, chaired by James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Manchester, the University of Manchester’s world-leading centre for advanced materials. They will tackle how pioneering science can help the UK build a more resilient and prosperous manufacturing future. - First Look at the Future: Innovator Showcase
An interactive exhibition offering a first-hand look at the region’s next wave of disruptors, in partnership with the Turing Innovation Catalyst. Attendees can get hands-on with cutting-edge technology from some of the North West’s most exciting early-stage companies and meet the founders behind them.
Mike Jackson, Head of Venture Café UK: “The North West, with Manchester at its heart, has an incredible ground-up energy that perfectly aligns with the Venture Café philosophy of building innovation communities with local roots and global impact. By connecting this community with our hubs in London and soon Edinburgh, we’re helping to build a powerful innovation corridor that spans the length of the UK, ensuring great ideas can find the support they need, no matter where they start.”
Pippy James, Chief Product Officer at ARIA: “Manchester has a remarkable legacy of world-changing breakthroughs, and an equally bold vision for the future. As the city doubles down on innovation with the launch of Venture Café Manchester, ARIA is proud to help create a space where bold ideas can spark, collide and grow. We want to see more of the UK’s brightest minds coming together here to push boundaries, challenge conventions and turn ambitious ideas into real-world impact.”
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