Moving the world towards a greener future
Innovation Navigator connects businesses in Greater Manchester to the people, resources and expertise needed to accelerate your innovations within sustainable advanced materials and manufacturing.
Whether you need assistance with new technologies, access to research facilities, or launch planning guidance, our fully-funded support can fast-track you to commercialisation.
Accelerating sustainable advanced materials and manufacturing innovations
We spend time understanding your business and navigate you, providing our expert advice to help you overcome challenges you might face, including:
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Sourcing the appropriate sustainable material
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Responding to environmental and consumer demands
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Sustainably scaling production
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Meeting sustainable development goals and regulatory compliance
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Accessing the right resources, know-how and funding
Our innovation team
Our specialist team is on hand to help accelerate you from working prototype to commercialisation faster.
First you’ll speak to one of our Local Innovation Connectors (LIC), based in your local authority area. Our LICs all have first-hand experience of developing and commercialising new products and services across a wide range of businesses.
Hear from the businesses we’ve supported
Wigan-based business De-Wipe manufactures innovative biodegradable wipes, which help to remove post-fire contaminants from the skin and provide long-lasting protection from toxic hazards.
Through GM Business Growth Hub, the business teamed up with academic researchers at the Ecology & Environment Research Centre at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), to undertake laboratory testing to assess the wipes and prove the efficacy of the product.
“It was clear that we needed to team up with academic researchers but finding the right university was a huge task. Working with innovation advisors at the Growth Hub [helped us] to develop a brief about what we needed. We’re continuing to work with the Growth Hub, as well as Innovate UK, to carry out market analysis and look at possible new markets. And at the same time, we’ve been introduced to the Department for Business & Trade, as we work to expand the brand into Europe.”
Jo Taylor, Director of De-Wipe
Our partners
Greater Manchester has a thriving innovation ecosystem of partners and collaborators, whose support you can access through Innovation Navigator.
