There’s a tangible buzz around Manchester in 2025. With Andy Burnham backing Old Trafford’s redevelopment, a diverse, thriving industry base, and a growing narrative of venture capital waiting to be deployed, the city feels primed for its next leap forward.

Nowhere is this more evident than in Manchester’s health and life sciences sector, where world-class universities are consistently spinning out IP-rich businesses. Yet, while the city is making strides, it still has work to do in positioning itself alongside the so-called Golden Triangle as a true magnet for investment.

At one of Insider’s latest roundtables, sponsored by the University of Manchester Innovation Factory, investment professionals, property experts, and spin-out CEOs discussed what’s working, what’s missing, and what makes Manchester’s innovation economy unique.

A city built on collaboration

“I think we [Manchester] are quite unique in terms of the spirit of the business community,” said Dr Lucy Buckley, PhD, founder of The Digital Health Assurance Company.

“Launching my second business, I’ve been astounded by the kindness and generosity of people with their time, their networks, their advice. I now always try to do the same, which I think creates a bit of a movement.

“And it’s not just in our sector… I feel like there is a spirit across the city.”

However, she added: “One thing that Manchester could do better is that I feel it’s a bit disjointed. There are pockets of brilliant things going on, but how do we pull all that together? That’s a big job!”

Strength in networks

One organisation bridging these gaps is Bionow, which connects key players in the biomedical and life sciences sector. Stella James, director of business development, highlighted Manchester’s strengths:

“We [the North West] are the third-largest hub for life sciences in the UK, and Manchester is the leading centre for industrial-sponsored clinical trials,” she said.

“We’ve talked about networks and bringing people together and collaboration—well, speaking on behalf of Bionow, that’s essentially what we’re here to do.

“Honing in on Manchester, with our renowned research institutions—the University of Manchester, MMU, Salford, and Bolton—we have a huge number of talented individuals, academics, and students who want to stay and work in and around the city. It’s a lovely place to live, it’s friendly, and there’s lots going on.”

Building the right infrastructure

A key challenge for health and life sciences businesses worldwide is securing specialised workspaces tailored to their needs. Manchester is well ahead on this front, with Bruntwood SciTech - the UK’s leading property provider dedicated to the science and tech sector - playing a pivotal role in the region.

“Bruntwood made the decision in 2014 to acquire Alderley Park when AZ [AstraZeneca UK] relocated to Cambridge,” explained Kath Mackay, Chief Scientific Officer for Bruntwood SciTech.

“There was traction and momentum building in the health and life sciences community in Manchester, and a huge opportunity to attract and grow the next generation of spin-outs and scale-ups.

“There is a huge growth opportunity in the Manchester city region, and since then we’ve gone on to develop other opportunities.”

A city with a strong foundation

Reflecting on Manchester’s journey, Catherine Headley, CEO of the University of Manchester Innovation Factory, acknowledged the city’s progress and the sense of community that sets it apart.

“What I would reflect on is actually the journey that we’ve come on. If you look at where we are now, we might not be at the end of that journey, we might not be at the level of maturity that we hope to get to, but we’ve come a really long way—and I think what weaves through all of that is that sense of community.

“The colleagues around this table are in regular interaction, we work together, and we’re very collaborative. And I think there is this sense of community, openness, and generosity which differentiates Manchester from other regions.”

Tapping into Manchester’s talent pool

Few people have a better perspective on Manchester’s life sciences sector than Jo Kelley, whose experience spans major players like AstraZeneca and BDD Pharma. She reinforced the idea that Manchester is the place to be for innovation and growth in this field.

“I think the actual AstraZeneca presence - because there’s still a huge site at Macclesfield, as well as the legacy - means there are lots of people who are willing to put time into life science start-ups, either as MDs or chairs.

“And there’s more we can do to capitalise on very experienced folk that are either still working at AZ or had a change of career when AZ relocated to Cambridge.”

Bringing investment into focus

From an investor’s perspective, Alex Stewart, director at Knight Corporate Finance, sees Manchester’s strength in its connectivity - but also recognises the need for a more centralised investment ecosystem.

“I do think there are lots of pockets of money, but I don’t think there’s a place where it necessarily all comes together at the moment,” she said.

“But Manchester as a hub is very good at connecting people. I think people are willing to make introductions, people are willing to speak to you and offer support.

“I don’t think you get that in London, for example, where there’s vast amounts of money, but it can be hard to connect with people.

“I think it’s definitely coming together in Manchester,” she continued. “I also think there are some great success stories - SpaMedica, for example. A high-net-worth individual set up his own fund to invest in healthcare businesses.

“I think there’s going to be more of that, where you find founders who've had great success, created a lot of wealth, and now they’re looking to invest in smaller companies.”

Emma Cassidy, investment manager at DSW Ventures, echoed this optimism, highlighting the city’s strong infrastructure and talent retention.

“The facilities [in Manchester] are really good, and there’s that mix of more mature companies and early-stage companies," she said.

“These facilities run accelerator programmes, which I think are really beneficial to life science companies.”

Emma also pointed to Manchester’s quality of life as a key advantage in keeping talent in the city.

“Manchester is also just a nice city to live in, so the talent from the leading institutions stays in the city. They don’t move back home, and they don’t necessarily move to London. I think that’s what makes Manchester special.”

The road ahead

Manchester’s health and life sciences sector is at a pivotal moment. With world-class research institutions, a strong culture of collaboration, and key players driving investment and infrastructure, the city has built an ecosystem with enormous potential.

But as our roundtable discussion revealed, unlocking Manchester’s next chapter will require even greater cohesion, investment, and strategic positioning on the global stage.

If the momentum continues, there’s every reason to believe Manchester can solidify itself as the UK’s next major powerhouse for health and life sciences innovation.