IN4.0 collaborates with AI innovators

Left to right: Rob Aspin, Deputy Head of Department (Computing and Mathematics) at Manchester Metropolitan University, Mo Isap, CEO of IN4.0 Group and Keith Miller, Principal Investigator for GM AI Foundry.

A new collaboration between leading digital and innovation hub, IN4.0 with The Landing, and the Greater Manchester AI Foundry, will accelerate the uptake of AI technology across the region.

The Landing, based at MediaCityUK, has played a major role in establishing Greater Manchester as a world leading digital city-region, at the heart of Salford’s innovation district.

The management of the hub has recently been handed over to IN4.0 Group, which also has offices at UCLan's Media Factory and is led by Blackburn tech entrepreneur and CEO Mo Isap. It is focused on providing SMEs and larger businesses with access to cutting-edge industrial digital technology and word-class technical disruptor talent across Greater Manchester and the wider pan northern region.

This will now be accelerated thanks to a new association with the GM AI Foundry, a £3m European Regional Development Funded project to develop Artificial Intelligence in Greater Manchester.

The GM AI Foundry combines business innovation expertise and leading AI research from Manchester Metropolitan University, Lancaster University, University of Manchester and the University of Salford to help SMEs create new AI products and services which will enable their businesses to grow.

The association between The Landing and GM AI Foundry will include the delivery of AI master classes and AI innovation and technology workshops for business growth.

The GM AI Foundry alongside the GM Cyber Foundry, a programme launched in September, will play an integral part in the Connected Cities Innovation Lab based at The Landing. This will be home to the region’s SMEs to access and adopt technology with a focus on cyber, AI, data science and IoT.  

The collaboration will also ensure diversity and inclusive innovation across the region and will reach cross-sector SMEs across all ten districts within Greater Manchester to nurture and transition new talent into AI roles.

Mo Isap, CEO of IN4.0 Group and co-chair of the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “We have an ambition in Greater Manchester to be the best place to start, grow and scale a business through tech and innovation.

“With the right support in place, the region’s SME community can truly thrive and be part of a movement that is embracing digital technologies and be at the centre of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“The application of AI is going to be transformative for businesses throughout all sectors, geographies and occupations and is fundamental to GM’s current and future international competitiveness.

“We’re looking forward to working with the GM AI Foundry team to make sure SMEs in Greater Manchester can realise their digital ambitions.”

Keith Miller, Principal Investigator for GM AI Foundry from Manchester Metropolitan University, which is leading the project, said: “The GM AI Foundry is delighted to be working with The Landing, under the new leadership of Mo Isap and IN4.0 Group.

“The four universities, Manchester Metropolitan, Manchester, Lancaster and Salford, working together are bringing our cutting-edge AI research to GM SMEs to help them scale. 

“The collaboration will help the AI Foundry extend its reach in applying AI innovation in the GM footprint and nurturing tech talent, and we are happy to make our AI expertise accessible through The Landing.  Together, we can support the city-region with building back smarter and better, making GM a leader in AI nationally and internationally.”