More support, more transparency, and more community - that’s what Manchester’s tech scene needs to be successful, a new report says.
Manchester Digital’s latest Startup Review discusses the health of the city region’s startups and includes a list of recommendations to help firms grow further.
The review found Greater Manchester had secured £680m of tech investment in 2022. London secured £17.7bn, and the only regional centre to surpass Manchester was Cambridge with £910m.
READ MORE: {}
Other 海角视频 tech hubs included Edinburgh with £511m in 2022, Bristol with £496m, Leeds with £323m and Liverpool with £99.2m.
Manchester Digital has also launched the Startup Activator, a support programme for early-stage startups and founders. It will connect those entrepreneurs with experienced founders and with the support and incubator spaces available across the region.
The activator is sponsored by Kao Data, which is opening a £350m data centre in Stockport.
The Startup Review’s recommendations are that the city region's tech scene needs:
● A stronger sense of community is required - the number of meetups and events has fallen post-Covid
Most Read
● There is a need for a neutral place for founders to get advice
● A clearer oversight of current landscape is required - Manchester Digital says “It’s important for us to continue to monitor and assess what our region has to offer startups and what it is missing.”
● More transparency from university spinout set up. The report says: “we would like to see some more work around making deals transparent, as well as setting a flat equity fee”.
● More diversity and inclusion within startups. The report says: “More programmes and funding are required specifically to encourage and develop entrepreneurs and founders from diverse backgrounds across our region”.
● Better connections between startup up stages - such as start-up peer groups.
● Build on monthly successes to encourage more success - regular communications with investors and stakeholders
● Build better connections with European tech hubs - sharing knowledge between cities
Don’t miss
Katie Gallagher, managing director of Manchester Digital, said: “This is a pivotal time for startups and founders in this post-pandemic uncertain economy.
“During the Covid pandemic we saw the end of lots of networking and meetups for the startup and tech sector. Not all of these have come back so we could see a gap in the market to create a startup community, with a full programme of independent advice from experts in the field as well as networking events.
“Greater Manchester is a thriving region for the tech industry, but our report found that startups need more joined-up support from the sector, as well as a sense of community.”