The fourth instalment of FUEL Manchester smashed its previous attendance record and earned rave reviews.
FUEL, which combines two events in one, took place yesterday on the day of John Healey’s Budget and attracted an audience of more than 100 people.
Held at No.1 Circle Square in Manchester, the event was sponsored by GM Business Growth Hub, S&W and IT firm Nybble.
Attendees at the morning discussions heard from 12 speakers, many of whom shared their hopes for the Budget.
Former rugby league coach Shaun Wane being interviewed by Chris Maguire
One of the highlights was an interview with former Wigan Warriors coach Shaun Wane, who spoke about creating a winning culture and the importance of honest, continuous feedback.
“Tell everyone, everything, all of the time,” he said.
Mike Carter, Vistage chair for Greater Manchester, said: “Two great panels and some excellent additional speakers who rounded out the morning really well.
“All the panellists were excellent, but a special shout-out to local rugby league legend Shaun Wane, whose no-nonsense approach and refreshing honesty were particularly powerful.
“We all make choices about where to invest our time, and when an event delivers like this, you leave with a few new ideas, some fresh perspectives and a real spring in your step.”
Connor McAndrew, associate producer at Lockton, said: “Shaun Wane’s story, leadership skills and commitment to getting the best out of individuals was great to listen to and I can see why major businesses across the UK are using his leadership knowledge and getting him in front of their employees.”
Record audience at FUEL Manchester 2026
The other speakers at the morning event were Gabriel Erinle, founder and MD, GAME FM; Sid Sethi, founder and MD, Specscart; Sam White, founder and CEO, Stella Insurance; Samantha Fay, CEO, SiSU Health; Phil McCabe, founder and MD, Hybrid Solutions Group; Ram Gupta, founder, Nybble; Fergal O’Connor, founder and CEO, Buymedia; Gary Fenemore-Schenk, tax director, S&W; Hannah Smith, operations and project manager, Red Rock; Janine Smith, executive director, Greater Manchester Business Growth Hub; and Tom Keighley, co-founder, urfuture.
Yvonne Sampson, director of enterprise at GM Business Growth Hub, said: “It was a great morning hearing from so many inspirational founders from across Greater Manchester.
“It was brilliant to hear how they started their businesses, the journeys they’ve been on, and how they’ve successfully scaled.
“So much energy, ambition and entrepreneurial spirit in the room — a fantastic reminder of the strength of our Greater Manchester business community.”
Masterclasses
The breakfast event was followed by four masterclasses covering funding, growth planning, people and performance, and AI and technology.
The sessions gave a cohort of 25 startups access to a panel of experts through four round-robin discussions.
Held under the Chatham House Rule, the masterclasses gave founders the opportunity to ask questions, share challenges and receive practical advice from experienced business leaders.
Top advice: Two panels of experts shared their advice on growth
The experts included Stephen Dootson, growth specialist, GM Business Growth Hub; Andy Mather, enterprise delivery manager, GM Business Growth Hub; Ram Gupta, founder and MD, Nybble; Phil McCabe, founder and MD, Hybrid Solutions Group; Jenna Livesey, founder, Hello Sunny; Steph Stafford, head of innovation, GM Business Growth Hub; Joe Makepeace, mission specialist and senior manager, Nybble; Gary Higham, CTO, Zuto; Andy Nicol, founder and MD, Sputnik Digital; Jonathan Symcox, editor, BusinessCloud; Dawn Duggan, head of programmes and initiatives, GM Business Growth Hub; Sam White, CEO, Stella Insurance; Derrick Watson, partner, Derrick Watson Executive Coaching; Francesca Asante, senior business adviser, Acas; Chris Maguire, executive editor, BusinessCloud; Ranvir Singh, investment manager, GC Angels; Ian Dixon, head of access to finance, GM Business Growth Hub; Gary Fenemore-Schenk, tax director, S&W; and Troy Wood, venture principal, EHE Ventures.
Hannah Smith, operations and project manager at Red Rock, said: “It was great to be part of the FUEL Manchester panel today, alongside some amazing business leaders, and hear a range of perspectives on business, leadership and growth.
“The masterclasses afterwards were brilliant. They provided a great opportunity to get into detail, ask specific questions and discuss challenges across four areas: AI and technology; growth planning; funding; and people and performance.
A cohort of startups picked up some expert advice in a series of masterclasses
“It was really valuable to be able to ask questions relevant to your own business and take away ideas to think about.
“The highlight for me was meeting so many inspiring people, sharing experiences and making new connections.
“It was definitely a reminder of how much value comes from getting people in a room, having open conversations and learning from each other.”
Applied futurist Tom Cheesewright added: “Thoroughly enjoyed the FUEL event with a great line-up of panellists and speakers.”