The University of Manchester recently launched a new company, wholly owned by the University, to develop and commercialize products based on its graphene technology. The company's name is Graphene Enabled Systems and it is headquartered in the University’s Innovation Centre (UMIC) on Grafton Street in Manchester.
The company will aim to create a number of spin-out businesses based on the University’s graphene patent portfolio. It is expected that many of these future spin-out businesses will be based in and around Manchester, creating new jobs in the region and benefiting the local economy. Using the University’s patents and working closely with its graphene research scientists, Graphene Enabled will be seeking new markets for graphene-based products. Once these markets have been identified, Graphene Enabled will create high-quality product prototypes which will showcase the technology to potential industrial partners and customers.
Graphene Enabled plans to deliver the first product demonstrators within twelve months of the company’s formation. As an important part of the University’s graphene strategy, Graphene Enabled is working in close collaboration with the University’s research teams, innovation and IP groups (UMI3 and UMIP), the National Graphene Institute (NGI) and, in 2017 and beyond, the new Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) and the Sir Henry Royce Institute for Advanced Materials.
Although Graphene Enabled is internationally focused, the creation of any new spin-outs will potentially result in a cluster of 2D technology businesses in the Northwest, bringing benefits to Manchester and the wider UK economy.