Thursday 6 June saw another instalment of the event series ‘Pitch in a Pub’ by the Manchester branch of the Innovation Forum. 

The event, held at KroBar in the heart of Manchester’s knowledge quarter, showcased entrepreneurs and their ideas across a diverse range of topics spanning medical devices in healthcare to tech innovations for the entertainment industry.

Our first speaker was Chris Bullock, PhD – Managing Director and Co-Founder of Honeycomb Biotechology. His start-up company aims to develop and deliver an innovative electrotherapy device for the treatment of glioblastoma mutliforme (GBM); the most common and deadliest of malignant primary brain tumours in adults. With no cure, the median survival on the NHS is currently a tragic 14 months post-diagnosis. In addition to the immense personal toll taken on affected families and friends, GBM costs the UK economy an estimated £578 million each year. Honeycomb Biotech believe that their device will increase the survival of these patients whilst also dramatically improving their quality of life. Their approach combines advanced engineering with clinical expertise in neuro-surgery and neuro-oncology, and whilst they are currently at a relatively early stage of prototype development, expect to launch several large R&D projects later in 2019. https://www.honeycomb-biotech.co.uk/

The second speaker to take the stage was Reece Douglas, founder of Social Plug. From the age of 13 Reece has been on TV & Cinema screens nationwide, accumulating a large social media following in the process and soon becoming an influencer in his own right. Shortly after personally collaborating with numerous brands, he decided to start his own influencer marketing agency – and thus Social Plug was born. From his own experiences in the industry, Reece has identified the biggest pain points in influencer marketing and is now on a mission to create a workflow solution that enables brands and agencies to work directly and efficiently with micro-influencers at scale through his smartphone app. https://www.socialplug.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/brandendorseltd/

Finally we heard from Oliver Read of Scream who founded his company after recognising the need for a more personalised approach to the themed entertainment industry and the growing potential of novel technology in the sector. Working primarily on software and hardware, the team hope to bring a much-needed fresh face to technology in theme parks, scare attractions, museums and escape rooms.

Each of our speakers inspired a lengthy discussion within our audience of students, researchers, academics and experienced entrepreneurs. The Q&A session gave rise to interesting conversations around IP for startups, product development pipelines and how to commercialise ideas into viable businesses, followed by networking in an informal and relaxed environment. The Innovation Forum Manchester would like to thank our speakers and guests for being a part of such a positive and engaging evening, and additionally our many sponsors and partners who make events like these possible.

The Innovation Forum is a global grassroots network of students, researchers, entrepreneurs and professionals who aim to drive innovation in science and technology forwards by connecting academics, private companies and investors. We support our local innovation ecosystem by organising events, networking sessions and through our IMAGINE IF! Program; an accelerator and mentoring program for science ventures.

Are you interested in joining our future events? Would you like to showcase your business or become a member of our friendly team?

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Don’t miss our next event ‘Pioneering Precision Medicine’ in Manchester on 22 August 2019! We will be discussing current and future directions for precision medicine in the North West and beyond, led by our keynote speakers and panel. 

The team will also be representing the Manchester branch at the 2019 Health Horizons Future Healthcare Forum in Cambridge later this month (26 -27 June). The conference will focus on the future of the healthcare industry, and will feature 100+ speakers and over 1,500 delegates including industry leaders, academics and professionals. See you there!
https://www.horizons.health/