Dr Karim Bahou named Head of Innovation at Sister district

Dr Karim Bahou has been appointed as Head of Innovation at Sister, Manchester's GBP £1.7 billion innovation district.

As the new Head of Innovation, Dr Bahou will lead the development of Sister's global ecosystem, with an initial focus on expanding the early-stage start-up community in the recently opened Renold Building.

Sister's leadership team highlighted that the timing of Dr Bahou's appointment coincides with the district's one-year anniversary and the launch of its flagship facility, the Renold Building.

Leadership background

Dr Bahou holds a PhD in organic chemistry from Imperial College. His previous roles span academic research positions at Imperial College, CSIRO in Australia, and the University of Liverpool. In addition, he has held senior consulting roles at Plexal and FIS360, supporting collaboration among government, academia, industry leaders and small and medium enterprises to advance technological innovation.

At Sister, Dr Bahou will prioritise the further development of the Renold Building's business offerings, describing his brief as providing support to entrepreneurs, strengthening network connections, and fostering what Sister intends to be sustainable and inclusive growth in the district.

Project perspectives

"We're delighted to welcome Karim to the team as Head of Innovation. He joins us at an exciting time, as we celebrate the one-year anniversary of Sister and look to build on the strong foundations we've laid to grow and strengthen our ecosystem.

"Karim will be at the forefront of shaping this next phase of the project, identifying gaps and driving forward collaboration between key groups in our network to ensure we provide innovative entrepreneurs with the support they need to succeed."

These comments were made by Bradley Topps, Project Director at Sister and Chief Commercial Officer for Bruntwood SciTech.

Describing his new responsibilities, Dr Bahou stated his enthusiasm for joining the project and outlined his priorities.

"I'm thrilled to be joining Sister as Head of Innovation. This role brings an exciting opportunity to engage with founders and partners to strengthen collaboration, drive inclusive innovation and translate cutting-edge research into real-world impact.

"Sister has a vital role to play in the UK's innovation landscape, helping to catalyse positive change and support the country's ambition to become a global science and technology superpower. Joining at this early stage is a fantastic opportunity, and I look forward to growing the ecosystem and enhancing the support available to early-stage businesses here."

University partnership

Sister is a joint project between Bruntwood SciTech and the University of Manchester. Professor Aline Miller, who is an Executive Committee member at Sister and Chief Scientific Officer of Unit M at the University, described the appointment as a positive step for collaboration between the district and local businesses. She indicated that the district's early-stage business ventures in the Renold Building would benefit from Dr Bahou's experience.

"It's wonderful to have Karim on board to provide specialist support to businesses within the Sister ecosystem. His work will help to provide a supportive environment for early-stage businesses within the Renold Building and we are excited to begin this collaborative relationship.

Karim will be working closely with Unit M's Ecosystem Manager, who will provide streamlined access into the University's talent and resources."

Strategic vision

Sister is located in central Manchester and covers more than 4 million square feet. A total investment of GBP £1.7 billion is intended to foster new business start-ups, generate over 10,000 jobs and deliver 2 million square feet of workspace, retail and leisure spaces as well as 1,500 new homes and extensive public nature spaces.

The Renold Building acts as the central hub for these activities and is expected to concentrate on supporting technological business development and cross-sector partnerships. The continued involvement of the University of Manchester and its dedicated innovation arm, Unit M, is anticipated to facilitate access to research talent, university resources and connections for early-stage businesses within the Sister ecosystem.