Manchester stories

Manchester IT support firm Apex Computing lands a third Microsoft Solutions Partner designation after securing recognition for Microsoft Security.

Bucharest crowned Europe's most startup-friendly city as London ranks 69th globally, with Eastern European hubs sweeping the top three.

Manchester digital culture pioneer FutureEverything shuts after 31 years, leaving a legacy in AI, open data and festival-led innovation.

M&S says Auror platform is helping cut store violence, with nine in 10 colleagues feeling safer as police use sharper data to target repeat offenders.

Manchester fintech AccessPay lands majority backing from Accel-KKR to speed product development, widen enterprise services and eye acquisitions.

British Business Bank adds GBP £10 million to Empirical Ventures to back deeptech 'venture scientists' and widen early-stage funding beyond London.

GoCardless and Jellyfish Energy complete first live recurring Pay by Bank test, opening the open banking model to business energy billing.

Open Media links with VIOOH to trade 42 UK digital out-of-home screens programmatically, offering 120m monthly impressions to buyers.

Ecommerce agency PushON hires Emma Gunn and Emily Harris to bolster its growing Manchester team after reporting 40% annual growth.

Zayo Europe to build four fibre routes for QTS's vast Cambois AI campus, boosting Northumberland's role in the UK's digital infrastructure.

Newcastle tech consultancy hedgehog lab has named Orange Bus Co-founder Julian Leighton as Chair to guide its ambitious expansion plans.

Manchester Tech Week 2026 becomes a city-wide festival, with 10,000+ expected for AI, cybersecurity and digital transformation events.

Camp Digital returns to Manchester spotlighting ethical AI, inclusive design and hopeful technologists in a rapidly changing digital sector.

Starling launches free in-app MTD tax tool for sole traders and landlords, ahead of April 2026 digital income tax rules from HMRC.

Sluggish UK retail websites are prompting shoppers to abandon baskets, risking an estimated GBP £38 billion in lost eCommerce sales this year.

Deep Green launches rapid-deploy, AI-ready colocation in Manchester, touting four-week rollout, 150kW racks and heat reuse for UK compute.

Manchester agency Pixel Kicks has delivered a pro bono overhaul of Hideaway Youth Project's website, boosting the Moss Side charity's reach.

hedgehog lab has promoted Malcolm Seagrave to CEO, tasking him with scaling its AI-driven digital consultancy across the North and Scotland.

UK contact centres keep KPIs steady, but MaxContact warns a growing perception gap as frustrated customers switch providers in droves.

Automotive Insights bolsters senior team with three key hires and relocates to a new Manchester base to fuel its next growth phase.