Invest in the inventors ready for scale-up. This is the key to going faster and further.

A tide has turned in the UK thanks to Universities who have stemmed the ‘brain drain’ that has long plagued the country. Thanks to their vision, University-led incubators are transforming the UK’s innovation landscape, providing the structure and support that turns groundbreaking research into market-ready solutions. They are ensuring that homegrown talent and intellectual property have the foundation to thrive. In just six years, Graphene - The University of Manchester at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) – a catalyst dedicated to supporting start-ups and spinouts accelerate lab-to-market development – together with the National Graphene Institute (NGI), we’ve helped over 400 companies, many of which are now getting to the point where they can go to market. But we can only get them so far because, just as these innovations reach scale-up potential, they hit a ceiling.?

Take Graphene Innovations Manchester (GIM), a spin-out from The University of Manchester. Recently lauded by Number 10, GIM has secured a landmark deal to construct a factory in the Gulf, producing graphene-enhanced carbon fibre for the region’s ambitious eco-city developments. As part of the agreement, GIM has committed to investing ￡250m into a research and innovation hub in Greater Manchester, with the potential to create over 1,000 jobs. This success story was made possible by a collaboration between the CEO’s vision and the University’s comprehensive support ecosystem – seed investment, access to cutting-edge facilities, deep expertise and shared ambition to innovate.?

Yet despite this success, every day brings new challenges that test the loyalty of entrepreneurs like GIM’s founder, Dr Vivek Koncherry . The UK’s cumbersome banking systems make it difficult for him to manage operations from abroad. The lack of available space and market demand means he has had to expand internationally, with the hope of bringing investment back home. But how many others won’t??

It’s not just operational friction – it’s funding. Consider HalioGen Power , another GEIC partner. This company has developed a long-term energy storage solution that doesn’t rely on lithium, an innovation with immense potential. But where did the funding come from? Not the UK, but SPRIND – the German Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation. Germany saw the opportunity; the UK did not. But it’s a UK company, based in the GEIC in the UK that is developing the technology and should look to scale-up here in the UK to meet our future energy demands.?

Then there’s regulation. Vector Homes , a start-up tackling the housing crisis with sustainable, affordable housing solutions made from recycled materials, faces significant regulatory barriers and funding for affordable housing projects. Despite proven products and market demand, red tape has slowed progress so much that their first commercial project is potentially a commercial sports project – not the desperately needed affordable homes their technology is ideally suited for.?

And what about the broader innovation ecosystem? The conversation too often fixates on Oxford and Cambridge as the UK’s answer to Silicon Valley. But the UK doesn’t need a single hub – it needs a national innovation network. Manchester is proof of this. Here, universities, businesses, and local authorities collaborate to build seamless innovation pipelines, such as Atom Valley, ensuring that manufacturing stays onshore and growth is truly national.?

Rachel Reeves and policymakers: do not limit potential by chasing easy soundbites. The communities that are already delivering real results need your backing. Growth is good – but it’s not just about headline-grabbing, long-term mega-investments like Heathrow. The UK must seize the opportunity to scale the innovations that are ready now.?

If we are serious about driving economic growth, we must support the businesses that want to scale here. Let’s invest in them. Let’s strengthen the ecosystems, like Manchester’s, that have already proven they can deliver. These grassroots networks have reversed the brain drain, fostered breakthrough innovations, and build a pipeline of businesses with British-born IP. Now, it’s time to ensure they can scale at home, not just abroad.

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