Mi-IDEA, the place to bee -- Cisco and Manchester Science Partnerships open a hive of their own in the heart of the city's innovation district

MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwired - Sep 22, 2017) -  In the city that takes the bee as its symbol, we've been building our own hive of innovation. Today, Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) and Manchester Science Partnerships (MSP) announce the opening of Mi-IDEA, a new post-accelerator centre in the heart of Manchester's innovation district. The centre aims to help digital tech start-ups flourish and be a catalyst for co-innovation between businesses, academia and the government in the North of England.

Focused on developing the next generation of entrepreneurs and encouraging businesses to accelerate their digital thinking, Mi-IDEA gives start-ups the space and support to grow -- on their terms. Without restrictions and without equity, the post-accelerator offers a carefully crafted programme with access to opportunities for new business, partnerships, product development, finance and talent.

Located in the Bright Building, a new 70,000 sq ft development, in Manchester Science Park which also opens today, the Mi-IDEA partnership combines Cisco's unrivalled tech heritage, global reach and the ability to develop new solutions at pace, with MSP's deep experience of fostering co-innovation in Manchester and bringing partners together to effect real change.

Mi-IDEA is already home to six innovative start-ups including Hark, the IoT data capture, monitor and analysis pioneer and Wattl, a video platform, providing a unique and novel way to discover new content. A smart building in itself, the facility is also a centre of operations for CityVerve, the UK's Internet of Things smart city demonstrator, as well as the home of the Cisco UK and Ireland Innovation team.

As part of a global network of Cisco innovation centres, which includes IDEALondon, Mi-IDEA offers its residents the opportunity to network with other start-ups, connect to investors, and collaborate with potential customers focused on digital acceleration, in the UK and around the world.

Jake Berry, Northern Powerhouse Minister, said, "Greater Manchester is home to world-class digital innovators and entrepreneurs and I am delighted to have been at the opening of its latest success story, Mi-IDEA and the Bright Building, which will focus on supporting collaborative innovation in Greater Manchester and across the Northern Powerhouse. The Government understands just how important digital and creative sectors are to ensuring the North, and the UK more widely, remains a global powerhouse of digital economic activity."