GROW AI: From Innovation to Adoption in Greater Manchester

The Thursday Gathering turned over to Grow AI, a 12.8 million pound partnership between Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Manchester, funded by the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, to build out the AI cluster across Greater Manchester. The session introduces the Challenge AI Labs, which put corporates, SMEs, community groups, academics and students together on problems in four frontier sectors. The first Lab is health, run with Health Innovation Manchester, and the challenges are shaped by the people who own the problem rather than handed down. Selected companies go on to build with NHS partners and academics; Creative and Digital, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing, and Net Zero follow. Venture Cafe's usual format applies: open doors, no ticket barrier, three hours of sessions and conversation. Why go: this is the clearest public read yet on how Grow AI money will actually be spent, and the Labs are recruiting participants in the room. Best for founders and researchers with something to put into a health AI challenge.