Venture Café, the world’s leading innovation ecosystem activator, will open a Manchester location this Autumn in partnership with ARIA and the newly launched £1.7bn innovation district Sister, which is a joint venture between Bruntwood SciTech and The University of Manchester.

Manchester is the most popular British city outside London for starting a new tech business, with 28 percent of tech leaders saying it’s their top choice, according to recent research by Capital Enterprise. As startup founders and other innovators in the UK increasingly look northwards for talent, research and community support, Venture Café Manchester will give the local innovation ecosystem a powerful extra boost.

Venture Café Manchester will host inclusive, regular, in-person meetups that help innovators – from startup founders and investors, to scientists, academics and students – connect, collaborate and build momentum. Launched in Cambridge (Massachusetts), Venture Cafe has gone on to activate more than 20 innovation ecosystems worldwide from Tokyo to Berlin. The Manchester opening follows the launch of Venture Cafe London, its first UK location, in May.

Tim Rowe, Founder and Chair of the Venture Café Global Institute, said:

“In a world dominated by digital connections, the real magic still happens when people meet in person, especially when they do so regularly.  That’s what Venture Cafe is all about. Manchester has a rich tradition of tech breakthroughs, from pioneering the world’s first commercial computer to the UK’s first heart transplant, and is now powering ahead in areas such as AI, robotics and clean tech. We’re here to help innovators of all kinds to come together, collaborate and turn the best ideas into reality.”

Earlier this year, Manchester announced a 10-year growth plan to add £13bn to the UK economy by doubling the size of the city region’s innovation sector. In the heart of the city, Sister is a world-class tech district being built to supercharge innovation across science, technology and advanced manufacturing. It aims to give the UK’s most ambitious ideas the space, community and infrastructure they need to grow, while supporting the next generation of globally significant breakthroughs from the North of England.

Liz Bamber, Director of Place of Sister said:

“We’re thrilled to partner with Venture Café and ARIA to further drive Manchester’s growing innovation ecosystem. At Sister, we know that it takes a community to raise an idea, and this partnership with Venture Café is an excellent complement to the science and technology ecosystem we are building. This is exactly the type of environment where big ideas can take root and grow, a space that nurtures collaboration, innovation and brings together diverse talent. Together, we’re not just creating a physical hub, we’re cultivating a culture of innovation that empowers the next generation of start-ups to shape the future.”

ARIA Chair Matt Clifford said earlier this year,

“For groundbreaking ideas to flourish, they rely on more than funding. They need bold thinking, challenge and serendipity – all in the right rooms. ARIA’s partnership with Venture Café UK is about creating those environments. At ARIA, we’re unlocking new pathways to scientific and technological breakthroughs, backing the audacious ideas that will shape the future. Venture Café brings the energy, collaboration, and openness that helps transform those ideas into movements that can deliver real-world impact.”

ARIA, which is partnering with Venture Cafe across its first three UK locations, is an R&D funding agency set up by the Government to unlock transformative scientific and technological breakthroughs for the UK and the world.

Venture Café Manchester is assembling a world-class team — visit their website to explore current career and partnership opportunities and be part of building something extraordinary.

About Venture Café
Founded in 2009, Venture Café is an international innovation activator on a mission to build thriving ecosystems with local roots and global reach. Through its signature Thursday Gatherings and other tailored programming, Venture Café connects around 100,000 startup founders, investors, researchers, and other innovators annually across cities worldwide. Its mission is simple: connecting innovators to make things happen.

CIC’s Venture Café has been selected by ARIA as one of nine Activation Partners globally who will support its mission to unlock scientific and technological breakthroughs that benefit everyone

London, UK – October 14th, 2024 – Venture Café, a global leader in activating innovation ecosystems, is excited to announce its upcoming expansion into the United Kingdom, with its first location set to open in London in early 2025. In collaboration with ARIA (Advanced Research and Invention Agency), Venture Café will establish three dynamic hubs in the UK, designed to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and collaboration across key opportunity areas.

As part of this expansion, Venture Café will work closely with ARIA and its Activation Partners to identify two additional strategic cities that will launch within six months of the London opening. This bold move aims to create an inclusive and vibrant innovation ecosystem, connecting the UK’s brightest minds with Venture Café’s global network, which spans cities around the world.

Tim Rowe, Founder & CEO of CIC and Founder & Chair of Venture Café added “ARIA, Venture Café, and CIC share a unified mission and ambitious goals, completely in sync with a bold vision for the future. Venture Café is eager to make an impact in the UK, connecting its innovation ecosystem to our global network in this powerful collaboration.” 

Venture Café’s signature program, the Thursday Gathering, will serve as the cornerstone of its UK operations. This weekly event provides innovators, entrepreneurs, and community members a platform to exchange ideas, spark collaborations, and drive forward innovation in diverse fields. Through partnerships with ARIA and local stakeholders, Venture Café will craft tailored programming that aligns with the unique needs of each city’s innovation ecosystem.

“The UK is already buzzing with brilliant minds, but our role is to elevate this energy,” Rowe continued. “We activate key players, craft the perfect environment for those ‘aha!’ moments, and amplify the bold projects shaping the future.”

Venture Café began as a simple idea at CIC in Cambridge, USA, in 2009. Since then, it has grown into a global movement, gathering over 100,000 innovators each year to build strong, inclusive, and equitable innovation ecosystems in cities worldwide. Venture Café’s mission is to connect innovators to make things happen, driving progress across a broad range of industries and opportunity areas.

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