The University of Manchester has been ranked the fourth highest academic institution for the total number of spinout companies generated in the Spotlight on Spinouts 2025 report.
Between 2011 and January of this year, 114 spinout companies were tracked for The University of Manchester in data produced by the Royal Academy of Engineering and Beauhurst.
There has been a significant rise (32.6%) in the number of Manchester spinouts since the last report, jumping from 86 to 114. Eight additions were due to the revised HESA definition of what constitutes a spinout.
The University’s Technology Transfer Office, The University of Manchester Innovation Factory, has been at the forefront of spinout generation at the University, helping to bring ideas to life by licensing intellectual property (IP) and making an impact on industry.
Catherine Headley, CEO of the Innovation Factory, said: “With many years of experience delivering commercialisation from The University of Manchester’s research and intellectual property, we are proud to play a key role in the University’s impressive ranking as a top-tier institution for spinout generation.
“The Innovation Factory is excited to build on the success of the more than 100 existing spinout companies we have created from the University’s academic research, driving further innovation and impact for the region and beyond.”
The report highlighted how the ‘Golden Triangle’ of Oxford, Cambridge and London, the UK’s research and development (R&D) cluster, accounts for 27.7% of the total spinout population.
The University of Manchester fell just behind Imperial College London (132) for number of spinouts, with the University of Cambridge (175) and University of Oxford (225) taking the second and first spots respectively.
The report also highlighted the top sectors by number of spinouts, with pharmaceuticals (399), data provision and analysis (282) and electronics hardware (269) making up the top three. The highest emerging sectors in this report include artificial intelligence (214), software-as-a-service (180) and CleanTech (169).
In keeping with Manchester’s innovation drive, the University of Manchester recently established its new innovation capability, Unit M, to connect and catalyse the innovation ecosystem in Manchester and the wider region.
By making the University’s world-class research, innovation assets and talent more accessible to all, Unit M is attracting and growing innovation-intensive businesses in the region. It is designed to address all aspects of the innovation challenge – from R&D and innovation adoption through to talent and skills – creating an economy that creates good jobs, higher pay, and improved productivity, alongside supporting and nurturing spinout talent.
Professor Lou Cordwell OBE, CEO of Unit M, said: “The University of Manchester has long been the innovation engine of the city, making it no surprise that it has ranked so highly for spinout generation.
“This stellar track record has paved the way for Unit M to drive a more inclusive model of innovation-led growth, bridging the gap with other participants in the innovation economy. This outward facing ethos will make the innovation assets and talents of the University more accessible to all – enabling Manchester to fulfil its economic potential and supercharge growth both regionally and nationally.”
