Enterprise and entrepreneurship are essential to allow research to realise its potential impact. This can come in many forms ranging from commercial adoption, policy development for influencing regional and national government, to founding spin-outs or start-up companies.
To accelerate impact, we provide flexible, responsive, and coherent translational mechanisms that are specifically designed to support the progression of research outputs. These cover the early-stage exploration and development of ideas to progression through different stages of the innovation pipeline to help you make progress.
Support ambition through inspiring events and mentorship schemes
We are currently developing our support for IBIC partners. Check back soon for more information, or alternatively if you are from the University of Manchester, please check out our Innovation Academy for details of internal events and opportunities.
Build an entrepreneurial mindset via dedicated training opportunities
We offer bespoke training for researchers at all stages, but have a particular focus on early-stage career researchers (ECRs). The aim is to broaden the practice of generating impact and driving innovation through entrepreneurship and early- and late-stage commercialisation.
The training is open to all academic and industry partners within IBIC and will result in better skilled research staff that will be able to drive an entrepreneurial culture across the industrial biotechnology sector.
The first of these training opportunities will be run by Britest Ltd and consist of one day sessions run in both Manchester and Liverpool in September 2024.
Researcher to Innovator training (UoM only)
Those within The University of Manchester are eligible to apply to our Innovation Academy run Researcher to Innovator Programme. This is a dedicated entrepreneurship training programme for researchers with ambitions to develop commercial ventures or create impact from your academic studies. Participants in this exciting opportunity learn how to develop their innovative thinking and gain an understanding of how to create and develop impact. Further information is available here.
Incubation acceleration – dedicated UK ICURe Discovery programme
IBIC runs an annual, dedicated ICURe Discovery programme focussing on industrial biotechnology innovations and is open to researchers within the north-west.
Funded through IBIC and Innovate UK, our ICURe Discovery programme is a dynamic online programme for researchers to begin to explore the commercial options for their research.
It focusses on market discovery and supports researchers, academics, technicians discover more about their potential market, increase market awareness and gain deeper understanding of potential technology applications.
How does it work?
ICURe Discover enables the entrepreneurial lead to undertake eight weeks of part-time learning, made up of eight half-day briefings which are specifically created with the following aims in mind:
- understanding personal goals, purpose and aligning with your idea or innovation;
- building your value proposition and developing your idea towards commercialisation;
- mapping your eco-system and discovering real market opportunities through market testing;
- understanding customers v users and features v benefits;
- benefiting from peer learning and receiving expert feedback and guidance from the iCURE team;
- time to explore future funding and support.
The programme will culminate with a presentation where feedback will be offered from the ICURe and IBIC teams, guest mentors, potential investors and peers.
In addition to the time spent in the briefings, it is expected the researcher would spend the equivalent time working on their own validating their learnings and actions to evolve their understanding and gain market traction.
Provide access to commercialisation proof of principle funding
IBIC has funds available to support early-stage exploration of an opportunity for commercial impact within industrial biotechnology research through our Proof of Concept Scheme. Up to a maximum of £30k is available to demonstrate commercial potential of technology, building relationships with end users, market discovery, providing research evidence for strengthening patent applications. Successful applications will seek to take promising research ideas to the proof-of-concept stage, so that they may be ready for more substantial commercial investment. An outcome from a successful project will be for example new IP, licensing agreements, formation of a spin-out company, or follow-on translational funding.
Further details on the call and how to apply will be added soon.
Help you build partnerships within the innovation ecosystem
Networking is key to building new connections and opening up opportunities. IBIC runs a series of networking, workshops, conference events and pitching events. Details will soon be available on our events page.
If you are a business with a specific challenge or need, then get in touch and we can connect you with one of our academic team.
If you have suggestions of additional partnership building events or activities, please get in touch to discuss and explore.
Streamlined access to Innovation District Manchester Renold Incubation Hub
ID Manchester, a partnership between The University of Manchester and Bruntwood SciTech, is an ambitious innovation project with the vision to transform underdeveloped land on The University of Manchester’s former North Campus into a welcoming and accessible new £1.7bn innovation district. Located next to Manchester Piccadilly Station, it is Europe’s most ambitious, sustainable and inclusive innovation district developments.
ID Manchester is launching The Renold Incubation Hub in September 2024 as a home for forward-thinking entrepreneurs and SMEs to develop new ideas and solutions that help tackle some of the world's biggest challenges. Through IBIC, any budding entrepreneur has streamlined access to apply for membership of the hub which opens up access to range of coworking, office and meeting facilities to accommodate and support collaboration between researchers, entrepreneurs, businesses and partner organisations.
Further details and information on how to apply will be available summer 2024.
North-West Biotech Initiative for early career researchers, industry and innovation experts
The North-West Biotech Initiative (NWBI) provides a platform that encourages knowledge sharing and dialogue between students, local and international businesses, and industry experts. We promote the development of early stage researchers in the STEM fields by providing an inclusive space for fostering relationships between academia and the growing local biotech sector.
This provides students the power of choice; to choose a career path based on interest and passion and not due to a lack of skills or opportunities. Thus, students will be prepared to apply in-demand professional skills in any arena and sector they choose to pursue in life beyond their academic institutions.
NWBI runs various events throughout the year alongside three signature events, including:
- Build a Biotech Business Competition, kindly sponsored by IBIC –more info on our events webpage
- Medical writing Competition
- Consulting Case Competition