What if your next big idea starts here?
This October, The University of Manchester will be hosting our Innovation Festival here on campus, where you can meet inspirational founders and academic experts, explore new possibilities and grow your network.
Our Innovation Festival is your chance to discover where ideas can take you – whether you’re curious about entrepreneurship, looking to build your skills, or ready to turn an idea into action.
Across the week, you’ll be able to hear from people who have built impactful companies, explore new and emerging technologies, spark new connections and unlock opportunities that could help shape your future.
Event highlights:
Launch event: Building impact through innovation, from Manchester for the world – Explore Manchester’s renewed role in UK innovation and politics – and the challenges and priorities in making the University the most innovative in Europe by 2035.
Manchester to market – Showcasing The University of Manchester Innovation Factory’s most exciting intellectual property commercialisation opportunities.
MEC Ideas Lab – Early-stage students can join the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC) Ideas Lab for an informal, open and collaborative fireside chat and ideas wall.
Powerhouse of innovation showcase – Drop-in for networking, discovery and collaboration, bringing together innovation-focused activities from across the University.
The Founders’ Playbook – A live interview series putting entrepreneurial students in the room with successful founders – exploring how they turned ideas, research and innovation into real, impactful companies.
Coller AI competition – In the final of the Coller AI competition – championing responsible AI solutions to real-world challenges – University of Manchester AI startups pitch live to secure a £100,000 equity investment from The Jeremy Coller Foundation.
Plus more core and fringe events – take a look at the full schedule