The isolation of graphene in 2004 by two scientists at the University of Manchester—a breakthrough later recognised by the Nobel Prize for physics—revealed to the world a brand new ‘wonder material’ which had been ‘completely hidden from science’. Graphene, the world’s first two-dimensional material, promises huge opportunities for a range of sectors, from aerospace to energy to biomedical. But how can the UK be known for ‘Made in Britain’ as well as discovered in Britain? As an answer, this book explores how the Manchester model of innovation has evolved to not only support great science but also accelerate the adoption of graphene into real-world products and anchoring an innovation ecosystem in the place of UK discovery. This book features first-hand experience, case studies and interviews with key strategic players in the graphene story to illustrate how Manchester has built a unique model of collaboration with industry to create an ecosystem that features a supply chain of companies not only producing graphene material but also starting to disrupt the marketplace with new products and application as we approach the tipping point of commercialisation.
