Welcome to our new series, The Circuit. Meet our interviewee:
Sister is Manchester’s new innovation district, a joint venture between Bruntwood SciTech and the University of Manchester. The four million square foot site is situated directly opposite Piccadilly train station on the site of the University’s former north campus.
In part one of a two-part series, Brad speaks to UKTN about the innovation hub’s main mission, what makes Manchester an attractive destination for start ups and the power of setting up regional knowledge corridors.
What is Sister’s main mission?
We want to create a world-leading innovation district; one that drives forward sustainable social and economic impact.
What support does Sister currently, and strive to, provide to help UK startups scale and compete on a global stage?
When you look at best-in-class innovation districts, such as Kendall Square, within one square mile there is a lot of innovation happening. In Manchester, the scale, proximity and density of assets mean we have the same innovation potential. We are on a 15- to 20-year journey to achieve the societal impact that we want to have, so the early focus is to create a suitable space for early-stage businesses.
We provided a free, supported space to early-stage businesses that enables access to finance, talent, expertise and skills – following our thesis of building an environment from the ecosystem up and creating a ‘wraparound’ network for those businesses.
At our Renold building, early stage companies can speak to like-minded organisations on a similar journey in an organic way.
What makes Manchester an attractive destination for startups, and how can its strengths be better promoted on a national and global stage?
The city has experienced growth over the last 10 years that has been driven by the connection between the public and private sector. There is a collaborative culture, where businesses genuinely want to work alongside each other in a supportive way.
The role universities play in driving the innovation economy is widely recognised, and the University of Manchester has been very engaged with early-stage businesses. This accessibility for young entrepreneurs has been a game changer and allows innovation hubs such as ours to not only support the spinouts coming out of the university but also act as innovation catalysts for early-stage businesses.
I also think Manchester is now in a place where we have several key success stories, with homegrown businesses being acquired by international organisations. That type of M&A activity really puts Manchester on the map. The more we can put the spotlight on those success stories, the greater the appetite and confidence it gives other organisations to try and grow a presence here and realise what a fantastic place it is to call home.
At Sister, we are looking to drive inclusive innovation
What more can be done to keep high-potential startups in the UK and prevent talent – and innovation – from venturing abroad to scale?
The availability of funding needs to be reviewed to allow early-stage companies to scale. Currently, 80% of VC investment goes into the Golden Triangle. The conversation needs to shift as to why VCs are not investing in UK regional businesses and our hope is that innovation hubs such as ours allow front door access. We have an important role here at Sister and we are constantly looking at how we drive forward regional economies.
One key example is that The University of Manchester recently announced an academic partnership with Cambridge University. If you look at those two ecosystems, Cambridge has a developed VC network but a lack of space, while Manchester has space to develop but less of a VC network. It is about setting up these knowledge corridors and creating connections all over the country. By leaning into the strengths of different regional specialisms and creating partnerships, we are reducing the barriers to entry. Let’s stop thinking about regional districts in isolation and start building connections.
Where did the name ‘Sister’ come from?
When we were looking at a name for the site, we wanted something that was physically connected to the site but that represented our values.
We deep dived into the university archives and it’s there we found the name. In the early 1960s, the higher education system in the UK was in the process of being reformed, and the government created recommendations for the connection of three institutions that focused on science, technological education and research – known as the ‘three sisters’.
These were Imperial College London, The University of Glasgow and the University of Manchester’s Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST).
The government saw the potential that comes from academic collaboration which was very forward-thinking at the time, and replicates what we are doing at Sister today.
As part of our Circuit interview series, we speak to execs from some of the most exciting companies on the UK tech scene. These interviews offer insight about a company’s journey, the sector in which it operates and the people behind the job titles.
Visit The Circuit page to read all interviews in the series and stay tuned for future conversations.
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