Greater Manchester's artificial intelligence sector is now valued at USD $4.7 billion, according to Invest Manchester, with the agency putting growth at 9% this year.
New data also showed 59 AI fundraising rounds worth a combined USD $167 million were completed in the city region over the past 18 months. Nearly USD $1 billion in cumulative AI investment has flowed into Greater Manchester since 2010, the agency said.
The figures place the region within a broader rise in AI investment and company values worldwide. Data cited by Invest Manchester showed AI companies globally have attracted about USD $1.2 trillion since 2010 and are now valued at USD $26.6 trillion, or roughly USD $22 in market value for every USD $1 invested.
According to the same dataset, global AI company valuations have risen 145% since 2023. Invest Manchester said the trend has strengthened Greater Manchester's case as a base for AI businesses seeking talent, investment, and access to public sector and university partnerships.
The city region is home to 13,500 AI professionals, according to the agency, which also cited a separate report ranking Greater Manchester 13th in Europe for AI talent.
A number of international and domestic companies have expanded or increased investment in the region over the past 18 months. Those named in the data included Arm, IBM, Makutu, Boom Interactive, Xcubated, OLT, and Slick+, alongside local businesses such as Matillion, Peak, ConnexAI, UrbanChain, and Summize.
One of the more notable comparisons in the data concerns employment. Invest Manchester said the region has 13,500 AI professionals, while Dr George Windsor, founder of ScaleUp Global and data and research director, separately referred to AI companies employing 5,744 people, indicating different measures of the local workforce and company base.
Public backing
The figures come as policymakers seek to present Greater Manchester as one of the UK's strongest technology clusters outside the capital. The Government has approved the Manchester Digital Campus, which local leaders say will support digital public services, while SAS has ranked the city region the UK's most AI-ready city outside London for a second consecutive year.
That mix of private investment, university research, and public sector demand has become central to Greater Manchester's economic case for AI. Local officials argue that devolution has helped align skills, transport, planning, and business support around sectors seen as likely to create jobs and attract outside investment.
Joe Manning, managing director of Invest Manchester, pointed to that long-term effort when discussing the latest numbers. "Greater Manchester has spent over a decade building and establishing the right conditions for the growth of the technology sector and the data proves the success of this. The talent is here, the research base is here, and the governance to pull it all together is here.
"Global businesses do not make location decisions lightly. The fact that they keep choosing Greater Manchester tells you something about what we have built," Manning said.
Councillor Bev Craig OBE, leader of Manchester City Council and GMCA economy lead, linked the sector's growth to local economic policy and collaboration across institutions.
"Manchester has always backed the industries that create jobs and opportunities for people across the city region, as demonstrated by our capacity to connect up those opportunities to local people.
"Our AI sector has not emerged by chance, it has been built through collaboration with our universities, businesses and public sector, and through the devolved powers that allow us to make decisions that work for Greater Manchester. This is built on our commitment to harness new tech like AI for good.
"The companies choosing to invest and grow here are creating real opportunities for our residents and that is what this is all about," Craig said.
Global context
For investors and policymakers alike, the local figures sit against a global market that has shifted rapidly from early-stage backing to larger-scale financing and expansion. Rising company valuations have intensified competition among cities and regions to attract AI employers, researchers, and startup activity.
Dr Windsor said the latest numbers showed Greater Manchester had established a foothold within that wider cycle, but suggested stronger links between institutions and businesses would be needed if investment is to translate into broader economic gains. "AI has moved from a startup investment boom into a global scaleup and infrastructure cycle. Globally, AI companies are valued at around $26.6tn, roughly $22 for every $1 invested since 2010.
"Greater Manchester is building from a credible base in that cycle, with AI companies valued at $4.7bn and employing 5,744 people. The opportunity now is to join up talent, companies, universities, public leadership and adoption support so that AI growth translates into productivity, innovation and good jobs across the city region," Windsor said.