Campus Capital founding partner Michael Howe has joined the speaking line-up for our breakfast event focusing on the Manchester tech scene on Friday February 17.
The UK’s first on-campus venture capital fund recently signed a partnership with the University of Manchester and also works with the University of Sheffield.
In an attempt to identify the tech stars of the future, the agreement with the University of Manchester will see Campus Capital invest between £50k and £200k in early-stage companies.
Howe and fellow founder Samantha Deakin Hill were inspired by US funds such as the Wolverine Venture Fund and the Dorm Room Fund.
Howe, who has run several companies, is also the CEO and founder of artificial intelligence firm Otus Labs and is heavily involved in the mentoring of young entrepreneurs and early-stage start-ups.
The event will be co-sponsored by KPMG and recruitment agency Search and hosted at KPMG’s new office on St Peter’s Square in Manchester.
A panel of entrepreneurs will be joined by industry experts to look at what the future holds for Manchester, a booming tech city which has been buoyed further by a £4m investment to fund two new tech hubs in the city.
As part of Project Forward the £4m tech fund will be split between Bruntwood-owned Manchester Science Partnerships and Allied London Properties to secure and refurb two city centre properties with the aim of creating 2,000 jobs over the next decade.
This comes on the back of the success of MediaCityUK, The Sharp Project, SpacePortX and Manchester’s wider importance to the Northern Powerhouse.
The discussion will investigate the tech disrupters looking to shake up the world, and where funding is going to come from to add rocket fuel to the start-up tech community.
Speaking alongside Howe will be Danny Manu, founder, Mymanu; Jamil Khalil, CEO and founder, Wakelet; Tom Williams, co-founder, Rota; Philip Piper, head of IT, digital & change for Search in England; Graham Pearce, head of TMT for KPMG in the regions; Katie Peate, head of digital, creative and technology growth, Business Growth Hub; Damian Hanson, director, MissionLabs; and Kerry Wright, alliances director, Purple.
The panel discussion will be followed by a roundtable event.