UMIP and the Manchester Enterprise Centre (MEC)

Launched in 2000 with funding from the Government's Science Enterprise Challenge Fund, MEC is based within Manchester Business School at The University of Manchester.

MEC's principle role is to foster enterprise amongst the student population at the university. It provides enterprise degree programmes with units being available from first year undergraduate to doctoral, as well as training programmes and workshops

Students are given the support to help make their own ideas a reality and those ideas that have real business potential can enter the business creation facilities available to become new companies creating wealth for the region.

MEC business creation activities have successfully launched over 30 new companies in the last five years based on innovations from its students.

UMIP and MEC complement each other well, with UMIP providing commercialisation support for the research output from the university, vs. MECs focus on students.