National graphene institute

What National graphene institute does

The National Graphene Institute (NGI) operates as part of The University of Manchester's graphene and 2D materials research ecosystem, which traces its origin to the 2004 isolation of graphene by Professors Sir Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov — work that earned the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics. The NGI, established in 2015 on Booth Street East, Manchester, serves as the UK's national centre for early-stage 2D materials research, providing 1,500m² of ISO Class 5 and 6 cleanrooms, ultra-high vacuum heterostructure fabrication facilities, and shared research infrastructure across physics, materials science, chemistry, neuroscience, and engineering. The Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), established in 2017 at the Masquer Building, focuses on rapid development and scale-up of graphene applications, operating on a 100% industry-funded model with pilot-scale equipment including roll-to-roll CVD (Aixtron BM Neutron), MOCVD systems, pilot battery production (up to 50 pouch cells per week), and comprehensive characterisation suites spanning electrical, RF, mechanical, and thermal measurement.

The ecosystem commercialises through tiered membership (Tier 1 comprehensive, Tier 2 flexible), Associate Technology Partner status (£10,000+VAT annually), Affiliate Partner status (£3,300/year), and Pathfinder/feasibility agreements from £10,000. Direct sales and business-development outreach target enterprises (Aramco, BAE Systems, GKN Aerospace, Honda, HydroGraph) alongside SMEs and start-ups; named customer outcomes include Concretene (graphene-enhanced concrete reducing CO₂ by up to 30%), Vector Homes (modular smart homes), Molymem (water filtration membranes), and INBRAIN Neuroelectronics (graphene-based neural implants for brain cancer). The 65+ spin-outs generated through the Bridging the Gap initiative have collectively attracted £19.5M in downstream investment, illustrating the institute's role as both a research platform and an applied commercialisation pipeline spanning construction, energy, healthcare, aerospace, automotive, coatings, and water treatment verticals.

Name

National graphene institute

Legal name

The University of Manchester

Website

https://graphene.manchester.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The National Graphene Institute, part of The University of Manchester, operates a research-to-commercialisation ecosystem for graphene and 2D materials. It serves enterprises, SMEs, and start-ups globally through cleanroom research facilities, pilot-scale manufacturing, tiered membership partnerships, and incubation of spin-out companies across multiple industries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Industry Partnership Memberships: The GEIC operates a 100% industry-funded model, generating revenue through tiered membership packages (Tier 1, Tier 2), Associate Technology Partner fees (£10,000 + VAT annually), Affiliate Partner fees (£3,300 per year), and project/feasibility agreements starting from £10k.
2. Research and Development Services: Collaborative R&D, characterisation services, and facility access provided to industry partners on a per-use or contracted basis, supporting proof-of-concept, MVP development, and manufacturing readiness activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The National Graphene Institute (NGI) operates as a research and technology translation facility within The University of Manchester, offering industry partners access to state-of-the-art graphene and 2D materials research infrastructure. It delivers characterisation services, pilot-scale manufacturing capabilities, and collaborative R&D through tiered industry partnerships (Tier 1 and Tier 2). Complementary operations include the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), which focuses on scale-up and commercial translation of graphene applications.

Product overview

The National Graphene Institute operates as a unified platform combining two primary facilities: the National Graphene Institute (NGI) for early-stage research and fundamental discovery into graphene and 2D materials, and the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) for rapid development and scale-up towards commercial applications. The ecosystem provides end-to-end support from discovery to deployment, supplemented by specialist capabilities including Coatings, Composites, Construction Materials, Deposition and Integration, Energy Storage, Measurement and Characterisation, Membranes, and Printed Electronics facilities. The NGI houses cleanroom infrastructure while the GEIC focuses on industrial collaboration and pilot-scale manufacturing, together forming an integrated research-to-commercialisation pipeline for graphene and advanced two-dimensional materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• National Graphene Institute: The UK's leading centre for 2D materials research, providing advanced infrastructure, shared facilities and a collaborative research environment for early-stage innovation.
• Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC)

Products and services

• Tier 1 Industry Partnership Strategic, deep-collaboration membership tier offering industry partners the highest level of access to NGI/GEIC researchers, facilities, and capabilities for joint research programmes in graphene and 2D materials. Targeted at large enterprises seeking long-term R&D partnerships and IP generation.
• Tier 2 Industry Partnership Mid-level membership tier providing industry access to graphene research expertise and characterisation capabilities on a more limited basis than Tier 1, suitable for companies exploring graphene applications without full strategic partnership commitment.
• Project Pathfinder Project-based engagement programme starting at £10,000+, enabling companies to undertake defined proof-of-concept or characterisation projects at NGI/GEIC facilities without long-term membership commitment. Suitable for evaluating graphene applications or testing specific technical hypotheses.
• Associate Technology Partner Annual subscription partnership programme priced at £10,000+VAT per year, providing ongoing access to NGI/GEIC capabilities, expertise, and facilities for companies building graphene into their technology roadmaps.
• Affiliate Partner Entry-level annual partnership priced at £3,300 per year, offering baseline access to NGI/GEIC resources, events, and community for smaller companies and startups beginning to explore graphene applications.
• Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) Services Commercialisation and scale-up services offered through the GEIC facility, including pilot-scale graphene production, application development, and technology translation services that bridge laboratory research and industrial deployment.
• Materials Characterisation Services Professional characterisation and analysis services using specialised equipment including Raman spectroscopy, optical microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, and other techniques for analysing graphene and 2D materials samples.
• Intro to 2D Materials Training Course Professional training programme providing foundational education in 2D materials science, characterisation techniques, and applications for industry practitioners and researchers new to the field.
• Graphene and Beyond Training Course Advanced training course covering graphene applications, production methods, and emerging 2D materials technologies, designed for professionals seeking deeper technical knowledge in advanced materials.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 30% reduction in CO₂ output with graphene-enhanced concrete (Concretene)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Advanced Carbons CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner collaborating through GEIC for development of advanced carbon materials and graphene applications.
• AramcocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal energy and chemical company partnering for research into graphene and advanced materials applications in energy sector.
• BAE SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDefence and aerospace company collaborating on graphene-enhanced materials for aerospace applications.
• GKN AerospacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAerospace specialist partnering for development of graphene-enhanced composite materials for aircraft applications.
• HondacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal automotive and technology company collaborating on advanced materials research including graphene applications.
• HydroGraphcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCanadian company partnered through GEIC's commercialisation arm, regularly traveling to Manchester to be part of the graphene community.
• National Physical LaboratoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK's national measurement institute partnering on standards, characterisation and quality assurance for advanced materials.
• ConcretenecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGraphene-enhanced concrete company born and raised at GEIC, using state-of-the-art equipment and engineering expertise for product development.
• Vector HomescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManchester-based start-up developing modular smart homes using graphene-enhanced sustainable building materials through BtG partnership.
• MolymemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManchester spin-out creating groundbreaking low-cost graphene membrane for water filtration, 80% of GEIC companies developing environmentally beneficial products.
• Graphene Innovations Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGraphene technology company part of the GEIC partner network developing advanced materials applications.
• MK AdvisorsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAdvisory firm providing professional services to GEIC members and partners.
• INBRAIN NeuroelectronicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded by Professor Kostas Kostarelos, developing world-first graphene-based neural implant for cancer treatment with micrometre-scale precision.
• Crop Health and Protection (CHAP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural innovation centre collaborating on graphene-enhanced hydrogel for sustainable farming applications.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cambridge Graphene Centre: University of Cambridge's flagship graphene and 2D materials research centre. Most direct UK peer to NGI/GEIC with overlapping Nobel-era research heritage, academic-industry collaboration model, and application breadth across electronics, energy, and healthcare.
• Graphenea: Spanish graphene materials producer offering graphene oxide, CVD graphene, and characterisation services to R&D customers. Comparable as a commercial graphene supplier serving the same university and industrial R&D customer base that NGI/GEIC supports.
• Directa Plus: Italian graphene nanoplatelets producer with end-products in textiles, composites, and environmental remediation. Directly comparable commercial graphene company operating in similar verticals (textiles, composites, water treatment) that GEIC serves through industry partnerships.
• Haydale Graphene Industries: UK-based functionalised graphene and nanomaterials company with plasma treatment technology and commercial products in composites, coatings, and energy storage. Listed partner of NGI/GEIC and a direct competitor in commercialising graphene-enhanced materials for industrial customers.
• Vorbeck Materials: US-based graphene materials company producing Vor-ink and Vor-x conductive graphene formulations for electronics, batteries, and composites. Comparable in commercialising graphene-enhanced products across similar end-use verticals to NGI/GEIC's industry partners.
• Angstron Materials: US producer of pristine graphene nanoplatelets and graphene oxide for energy, aerospace, and composite applications. Comparable as a vertically integrated graphene materials supplier serving R&D customers and OEMs in the same sectors as NGI/GEIC partners.
• NanoXplore: Canadian graphene producer with large-scale manufacturing capacity serving automotive, packaging, and energy storage customers. Comparable commercial graphene platform pursuing similar volume applications (graphene-enhanced composites, batteries) to those developed at NGI/GEIC.
• MIT.nano: MIT's 200,000 sq ft nanofabrication and characterisation facility supporting research across 2D materials, quantum devices, and advanced manufacturing. Comparable as a world-leading university-based nanotechnology research hub with similar cleanroom scale and industry collaboration model to NGI.

Emerging players

• Skeleton Technologies: European ultracapacitor manufacturer using curved graphene to produce high-power energy storage for automotive, grid, and industrial applications. Comparable in commercialising graphene-enhanced energy storage - one of the lead verticals at NGI/GEIC's Energy Storage Facilities.
• G6 Materials: Graphene-based materials company developing graphene-enhanced air filtration, water purification, and composite products. Comparable in commercialising graphene in water treatment and composites - segments where NGI/GEIC partner companies like Molymem and Concretene also operate.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/homeofgraphene
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/showcase/graphene-manchester
• Instagraminstagram/uom_graphene
• Xx.com/UoMGraphene

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National graphene institute