Whilst Innovator International was formed and grew in Lancashire, we've recently made the decision to move to Manchester. Choosing where to base your business is a lot more important than it first sounds. You may think that the logical assumption is to choose somewhere close to where you live – but in reality there are many more factors that you need to consider.

The business support ecosystem

It's always great when you can become part of a business support community that fully understands your needs. Whether it's innovation, access to finance or internationalisation, the Manchester business support community is there to help. Sure, we have an amazing team – but when we want to grow OUR business, it's good that we can step outside and speak to people who can actually help us, especially with the exciting growth plans we have in mind. We have an international business - we need to be somewhere that can provide international support.

Manchester's business support ecosystem really encapsulates this, and you only need to attend one of the regional events to realise just how thriving Manchester is. It's a scene that mirrors Innovator International's own community. Our contacts within the Manchester business support community first introduced us to the team at Venture Café – a relationship that resulted in one of our best annual events in London this year, another event due in mid-August, and a business relationship that we hope will continue to grow.

We're now based right in the heart of Manchester's innovation community. Being surrounded by entrepreneurs, investors, universities and business support organisations means we're closer to the conversations and collaborations that matter most to both our clients and our own growth.

Our new home

Our new home is No. 1 Circle Square, right at the centre of Manchester's Oxford Road Corridor – one of the UK's leading innovation districts. The Circle Square development itself is built on the former BBC Manchester site, transforming what was once a broadcasting hub into a vibrant community of technology companies, entrepreneurs, universities, investors and innovators. It's designed to bring ambitious businesses together, encouraging collaboration, fresh ideas and innovation. It felt like the perfect place for Innovator International to write the next chapter of our own story.

Manchester’s buzzing

Manchester is a thriving hotbed of innovation across the board. Think about the great things to come out of Manchester – the inventions, the great businesses, the academic expertise. And then there's the culture too – the music, the food, the fashion, the football. It just has so much to offer as a region.

Take a walk around Manchester's Northern Quarter – it's like no other place. It has the buzz of Paris, with a closeness and friendliness that you'll struggle to find in most other cities. We were out with our family at the weekend and, in between shops selling old records, we wove in and out of smiling faces enjoying a bite to eat and a drink outside cafés and bars, before stopping off at an old converted meat market that now offers such a fantastic range of food and drink. It really is such a fantastic, unique place.

Despite this, around 68% of international entrepreneurs arriving in the UK via an Innovator International endorsement choose to begin their UK life in London. Less than 4% relocate to Greater Manchester, which is more centrally located within the UK, offers easier access to the rest of the country, is more cost-effective and provides many other benefits. Another of our aims is to promote Manchester as an equal choice alongside London, helping entrepreneurs discover more of what the UK has to offer.

Being part of something

All of the above contributed to our decision to move to Manchester – but it wasn't the main factor. Ultimately, business is a very personal thing. We spend a significant percentage of our lives working, and I'm a firm believer that you have to enjoy the journey as much as the destination. That could include where you work, the people you work with, or even your bigger goals – whether for your business or the impact you want to have on the world. It's important to be part of something.

Some people are transactional – they can turn up to work, switch it on, and then switch it back off before they go home. But that doesn't really work as an entrepreneur. Personal life and business life weave into each other, making it difficult to switch off at any time. That's why it's important to enjoy every step of the journey.

There's something about Manchester where people genuinely want to get to know you – but they also genuinely care about you and what your business do. We feel appreciated here, wanted, and part of the ecosystem. That's something that isn't superficial, and it certainly isn't something money can buy. The care shown by the Manchester business support community mirrors the care that we've always tried to show our own community of international entrepreneurs.

We've not done it alone...

There are some exceptional entrepreneurs and support specialists in Lancashire who have helped so much on our journey this far, including (to name just a few) Andrew Leeming, Rafik Adam, Amin Vepari, Richard Few and Andy Henderson, along with a simple 30 minute business support session from Steve Brennan that will stay with me forever. And, there's the hour's coffee with Penny Davis that led to the creation of Innovator International - an hour that changed my life, and the lives of many others, forever. Although the support infrastructure in Lancashire is limited by comparison, moving "next door" won't alter the amazing relationships we've already built - they should only enhance them.

Ultimately, this move isn't simply about us. It's about giving our entrepreneurs even greater access to one of the UK's strongest innovation ecosystems, creating more opportunities, more introductions and more support as they build their businesses. This has been enabled and supported by some fantastic people in Manchester's business support community, including Chris Greenhalgh, Janine Smith, Ian Dixon, Steph Stafford, Katie Gallagher and Hannah Churchman - so a heartfelt thanks to all of you too, for supporting our journey and transition to Manchester.

It feels like the right fit for us, and it's one of the biggest driving factors behind our move.

Our natural path

We've got big plans for the coming months, and they involve Manchester. Building on what we've already created, promoting Manchester as a city of choice alongside London, and doing much more in the area. We've also got some exciting new services on the way that bring opportunites for international investors and entrepreneurs seeking investment, and they'll happen much more quickly and effectively when we're part of such a thriving innovation ecosystem.

That said, we're still maintaining a presence at Society1 in Preston. It's an amazing place, right on the main London–Glasgow train line, and it continues to work brilliantly whenever we need local meetings. Besides, we'd miss the team there FAR too much!

We always say this to our community – remember that we're entrepreneurs too, and Innovator International represents our journey. This is such an exciting step for us, and that's why we're so proud to begin that next chapter in No. 1 Circle Square, Manchester.

Oh, and yes... we will be having a launch party to celebrate.

Just watch this space!