Making AI work for good in Manchester

The Manchester AI Guild is a private limited company. We help businesses adopt AI safely and usefully, and we connect the people, companies, universities and public bodies that make Manchester an AI city.

Objective one

Help businesses adopt AI practically and ethically, so that the gains last.

Objective two

Grow the ecosystem, academia and business together, so that Manchester is recognised globally as an AI-first city.

Our purpose

The Manchester AI Guild is a not-for-profit dedicated to making AI work for the benefit of Manchester and the UK.

We advise SMEs and institutions on their technology needs, grow people's understanding and skills, and connect to service providers. We strive to help businesses solve their challenges through impartial and practical advice, building on decades of experience and a shared knowledge base, to drive lasting change in Manchester and the UK through the responsible adoption of AI.

We have two ambitions:

  1. Help SMEs and enterprises adopt AI to drive growth, improve efficiency and solve real business problems.
  2. Bring business, academia, government and the AI community together to build the next generation of AI capability to support that growth.

The Manchester story

Manchester was the world's first industrial city. The atom was split here, the first stored program ran here in 1948, and graphene was isolated here. The University counts 26 Nobel laureates among its people.

That record is not yet turning into the growth it should. Of the fifty companies in Tech Nation's Future Fifty 2026, one is headquartered in Manchester. Start-ups grow here without the city noticing; small businesses do not know the university's door is open to them; AI projects start with tools rather than readiness, and governance fails before the technology does. Each of these is a gap in connection, not in talent or capital, and connecting people is what a guild is for. The Guild's job is to be the layer between the universities, the funders and the businesses that make up most of the city's economy.

Senior Leadership Team

The Guild is run by a volunteer Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

  • Adrian QuaylePresident & Director
  • Mihran HovnanianChairman, Secretary & Director
  • Edwin LutherRisk & Governance Director
  • Fernando TorresEvents & Marketing Director
  • Rufus CurnowCommunications Director
  • Marek KurczynskiWebsite & Platform
  • Trevor RobertsData Protection Lead
  • Tom ParsonEvents & Community Partnerships
  • Donald McIntoshTreasurer & CFO
  • Phil DaviesOperations Director

The Manchester Way

The Manchester Way is the Guild's practical method for helping small businesses adopt AI: it looks at a business like a band and helps you find where to start.

AI Cookbook and other guides on the Downloads page

Services

The Guild offers two services, both built on The Manchester Way.

SME Workshops

An afternoon workshop, a workshop for one company, or an open session. Self-sponsored: your business funds its own place.

AI Consultancy

Practical help to apply AI safely in your organisation.

Who we serve

The Guild connects the people and organisations that make Manchester an AI city, and helps each of them adopt AI the Manchester Way.

Businesses and SMEs

Small and medium-sized businesses that want to adopt AI safely, starting with readiness rather than tools.

Founders and entrepreneurs

People building AI products and companies in Greater Manchester who need connections, peers and a route to funders.

Professionals and practitioners

Developers, data and governance specialists who want to share knowledge and work to a common standard.

Universities and academia

Researchers and innovation hubs turning Manchester's research strength into adoption across the city.

Public and community bodies

Civic organisations and community groups making sure the ecosystem includes everyone building in it.

How to get involved

The Guild is for businesses, entrepreneurs, professionals, educational institutions and community organisations in Greater Manchester and the wider North West. Follow the Guild or get in touch through the main site.

👉 Visit manchesteraiguild.org 👉 Follow us on LinkedIn

Our public home on GitHub: github.com/Manchester-AI-Guild.

Downloads: guides, slides, logos and an infographic

Email signature for Guild members

Policies: privacy, cookies, complaints and data rights

Code of Conduct