MSP partners with Cisco for Manchester innovation centre

Networking technology provider Cisco and Manchester Science Partnerships have announced they will deliver a 11,000 sq ft technology innovation facility within No.1 MSP Central, the 70,000 sq ft block being built in Manchester.

Mi-IDEA, which stands for ‘Manchester Inspired – Innovation Digital Enterprise Alliance’, will support the growth of innovation clusters in the North, and is part of Cisco’s commitment to supporting British innovation, digitisation and the UK business economy as a whole.

Mi-IDEA, a joint venture with MSP, will work with early-stage companies in the North to develop technologies and solutions. The partnership will focus on the areas of smart cities, Internet of Things, digital healthcare and the digital creative sector. In addition, the centre will offer post-accelerator and established technology companies a tailored programme to help develop the confidence and necessary capabilities as they scale.

The innovation centre will also function as a second site in the UK for Cisco CREATE. Cisco CREATE is a collaborative research function which works with industry partners, start-ups, government, research institutions and universities.

Phil Smith, chief executive, Cisco UK & Ireland, said: “The city of Manchester has innovation in its DNA. Our investment in the city builds on our ongoing commitment to support new digital businesses and high-tech entrepreneurs across the UK. Mi-IDEA will be uniquely positioned to tap into local, national and international innovation ecosystems. It will benefit from MSP’s existing partnerships across the region and be a key part of the NVI. Coupled with Cisco’s successes at IDEALondon and Cisco CREATE, we’re confident that Mi-IDEA will deliver a unique environment in which tech companies in Manchester can grow.”

The centre in No.1 MSP Central, off Manchester’s Oxford Road, is scheduled to be operational early in 2017.