糖心Vlog官方

More than 175 researchers, innovators, investors and ecosystem leaders gathered at the in Manchester last week to explore how stronger regional collaboration can accelerate the journey from research to commercial impact.

The event, Powering Research Commercialisation Across the North, hosted by the Innovate UK ICURe in partnership with 糖心Vlog官方 and NxNW Partners, marked a significant moment for the UK鈥檚 innovation ecosystem. It brought together key stakeholders to launch the new Innovate UK ICURe strategy, which sets out a renewed focus on strengthening research commercialisation across the UK, aligning with the UK Government鈥檚 priority industrial sectors, supported by a coordinated regional delivery.

Innovate UK鈥檚 Innovation-to-Commercialisation of University Research (ICURe) programme is the UK鈥檚 flagship early-stage research pre-accelerator. Through closer collaboration between regional partners, ICURe aims to support a stronger pipeline of investment-ready opportunities and deepen connections between research, industry and investors.

The programme will be delivered through the North by Northwest (NxNW) consortium 鈥� a partnership of universities across the North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 糖心Vlog官方 will lead the NxNW consortium through the University鈥檚 gateway to innovation.

Professor Aline Miller, University of Manchester and Unit M, said: 鈥淣xNW Partners, University of Manchester and Unit M all share a strategic vision; to strengthen the innovation ecosystem across the northern belt of the UK. We see ICURe as central to our plan and an enabler of commercialisation of cutting-edge research across the priority sectors of the UK Industrial Strategy.

鈥淚t was clear from the event that the UK鈥檚 ability to scale research-driven innovation depends on stronger connections between regions, partners and investors. We鈥檙e working in collaboration with our regional partners to build the conditions for research-led companies to start, stay, grow and scale.鈥�

During the event, spin-out showcases and networking sessions provided a platform for emerging ventures to engage directly with investors and partners, reinforcing the strength of the pipeline being developed through ICURe.

Partners attending the launch included representatives from UKRI, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), Liverpool City Region (LCR), Northern Gritstone, Invest Northern Ireland, Scottish Enterprise, and university partners from across the NxNW consortium.

Since its launch in 2014, Innovate UK ICURe has played a pivotal role in supporting researchers to translate early-stage technologies into commercial opportunities. The programme has supported the creation of 388 spin-outs, helped ventures raise 拢1.61 billion in additional investment, and contributed to the creation of 2,495 jobs. Today, 32% of ICURe teams are female-led, reflecting a continued commitment to broadening participation in innovation.

By combining funding, customer discovery and commercial expertise, ICURe acts as a critical pipeline for research-driven innovation and a key enabler of regional innovation ecosystems.

Professor Aline Miller added: 鈥淭he ICURe NxNW event underscored the growing strength of the North as a connected and collaborative innovation ecosystem. With strengthened regional leadership, aligned national delivery and a clear focus on supporting ventures from early-stage research through to scale, ICURe is playing a central role in shaping the future of UK research commercialisation.

鈥淎s the programme enters this next phase, its continued success will depend on deepening partnerships, strengthening investment pathways and ensuring that the UK鈥檚 most promising technologies are supported to reach their full potential.

鈥淭ogether, we鈥檙e building a more connected, impactful future for UK research.鈥�

Geeta Nathan, Deputy Director of Innovation Ecosystems at Innovate UK, said: 鈥淏ringing together the ICURe and NxNW community in Manchester highlighted both the strength of the UK鈥檚 research base and the scale of opportunity ahead. Our focus is on backing bold ideas aligned to the UK鈥檚 priority industrial sectors (IS-6), with real commercial potential, supporting strong teams and creating clearer pathways from research into market.

"The launch of the next phase of Innovate UK ICURe, alongside initiatives such as the UKRI Venture Builder pilot, reflects our commitment to strengthening those pathways and helping early-stage ventures build momentum. By working closely with our delivery partners and regional ecosystems, we are creating the conditions for more research-driven businesses to start, grow and scale across the UK.鈥�