The project builds on a growing partnership with Greater Manchester, which has been consolidated since 2021 through reciprocal visits, a memorandum of understanding and joint projects. This close connection forms the basis for expanding Innovation Bridge UK to the entire United Kingdom together with the British Consulate General in Düsseldorf.
Picture (from left to right): British Consul General in Düsseldorf, Nick Russell; Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester; Jörg Kemna, Managing Director, Business Metropole Ruhr.
Offers and target groups
The Innovation Bridge UK is aimed at British start-ups, scale-ups, investors and networks that want to tap into the German market - with the Ruhr region as the first starting point. At the same time, companies and institutions from the region benefit from access to partners in the UK.
A central component of the programme is personal exchange:
- Digital offers
- Workshops
- Delegation trips
„Our aim is to position the Ruhr region as a leading base for British companies looking to enter the German market. At the same time, we want to facilitate concrete collaborations in the major transformation fields of our time.“
Chief Executive Officer, Business Metropole Ruhr
Thematic focus
In terms of content, the Innovation Bridge UK focuses on key transformation areas such as digital health, cyber security and hydrogen technology. These topics were identified as particularly relevant in the bilateral exchange and offer great potential for cooperation between partners from the UK and the Ruhr region. In addition, the Innovation Bridge remains open to other topics - such as green tech or artificial intelligence - that can be jointly developed as part of the collaboration.
Activities and next steps
- 21 May 2025: Workshop ‘Growing your business in Germany’ in Manchester
- 27/28 May 2025: Delegation from Manchester at the ruhrSUMMIT in Bochum
- 24/25 September 2025: Innovation Summit in Greater Manchester
Are you interested in expanding into the Ruhr region? Or are you looking for project partners in the UK?
Then get in touch with us.
Internationalisation & Location Marketing