Recent Events

Innovation Labs

Background

In May 2022, Translation Manchester and the Business Engagement Team at the University of Manchester, along with the R&I Health Innovation Accelerator at Health Innovation Manchester ran an Innovation Lab around Digital Health and AI. Innovation labs have been developed at Manchester as an effective mechanism for engagement between businesses & academics. The Innovation Labs further translational research through innovating with industry, one of the aims of the Translational Partnership Award, which is delivered through Translation Manchester. Innovation Labs initiate and pump prime co-developed research projects that address a specific business need or challenge. We looked to work collaboratively with businesses to help tackle challenges around Digital Health and AI.

Translation Manchester, FBMH Business Engagement Team and the Pankhurst Institute curated individual groups of academic experts to support each business and over the course of a facilitated workshop we developed tangible project plans to pitch for seed funding. We were able to help fund four new collaborative research projects with industry following this workshop.

Why Digital Health and AI?

The current climate of rapid adoption of digital health and AI solutions into the NHS, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, has made for a ripe environment to explore the additional potential for innovations in this space.  The University of Manchester wants to partner with companies at the forefront of this fast moving sector to solve business bottlenecks and support the translation of research. Given our expertise in the field brought together under the Digital Futures umbrella and with the Christabel Pankhurst Institute for Health technology Research and Innovation, the university as a lot to offer in terms of overcoming business challenges.