I just met a chap from Glasgow and spent two hours talking about the Manchester tech ecosystem. He is keen to get to know others, so here goes a list of players, in no particular order and how the tech ecosystem in Manchester was developed.
Before we get going, I have not included tech entrepreneurs and others unless they are involved in the community development. Usually this means running tech entrepreneur events or involved in activities other than simply building their own companies.
From 2,300 strong Techcelerate Community
- Richard Gregory – Head of TechNorth
- Martin Bryant – Part of TechNorth, but previously Editor of Large at The Next Web.
- Volker Hirsch – Tech North Advocates (with Naomi Timperley) and angel investor.
- Scott Fletcher – ANS Group and angel investor
- Paul Treloar and John Leake – Sci-Tech Daresbury. Super connectors!
- Garry Partington – Mobile Monday Manchester, Apadmi and Reality Mine. Identified as an unicorn in waiting. He introduced Hugh to me, which resulted in acquisition of Northern Tech Awards. Apadmi was unbeatable and won awards every year.
- Anne Dornan – Manchester Knowledge Economy and now Manchester Science Park.
- Coral Grainger and Ian Moss
- Lee Strafford (from Sheffield) – Worked hard to bring the northern cities together.
- Katie Gallagher – Manchester Digital
- Stewart Townsend – now the Digital Tsar of Lancashire. Previously, the man who sponsored Pizza and Beer through Sun Startup Essential Programme.
- Colin Tan – Dotforge
- Dan Sodergren – Marketer at Large
I still have the assets and wondering what to do. Any ideas?
Politics: The current UKIP Treasurer was then a regular member (before UKIP was formed). Deputy Leader of Labour party was a past speaker (then Cabinet Minister).
New blood
- Jonny Cadden – Business Rocks
- Doug Ward and Shaun Gibson – SpacePortX and Telcom Networks. Done some amazing work to promote Manchester.
- Hugh Campbell – GP Bullhound, the man who bought Northern Tech Awards from me
- Guy Weaver – KPMG
- Peter Lusty – Manchester Tech Trust
- Claire Braithwaite – ex-head of TechNorth, then Manchester Growth Company and now Co-op Digital.
- Richard Faulkner and Matt Elliott – Barclays and Barclays Rise
- George Bettany – Ignite 100 team
- Emma Cheshire and Vimla Appadoo – Dotforge team
- Adam Gillett – Crowdcube
- Louis-James Davis – In the City Club and also VST
- James Akrigg – Microsoft
Have I missed you? Do let me know please?
Stages
The key stages in the evolution of Manchester Ecosystem:
- Phase 1 (2006 to 2012/13) – Techcelerate
- Phase 2 (2012 onwards) – Doug Ward and Shaun Gibson with Ben Hookway and Martin Bryant
- Phase 3 (2015 onwards) – TechNorth: Claire Braithwaite then Richard Gregory and the team. Jonny Cadden. Barclays Rise, KPMG, Dotforge, Ignite 100 and so on…
Special mention goes to Manchester Entrepreneurs Society linked to University of Manchester, some of whom were part of Techcelerate.