Wakelet’s rapid growth propels move to Manchester’s Tech Incubator

Fast-growing Manchester-based online content curation platform, Wakelet, is moving to a new base in Manchester Science Partnerships’ (MSP) Tech Incubator at Manchester Technology Centre.

The innovative company has seen its user base surge by more than 200% year-on-year – growth that has been supported by a stream of new hires with headcount growing by 40% in the past six months alone.

Wakelet currently has more than a million individual and business users.

Organisations on the platform include prestigious institutions like Harvard University, international sports teams FC Barcelona and Atlanta Hawks, and blue chip companies such as Airbus and Experian.

The move marks a new and exciting chapter for Wakelet, reflecting the company’s rapid expansion and multiple uses – whether it’s bookmarking, storytelling, archiving, collecting research, portfolios, topic pages and more.

Wakelet’s new home in the Tech Incubator will see them join a community of fast growing data science and technology innovation start-ups and have the support of a specialist growth programme including access to funding and finance, talent and leadership services, business mentorship and product development support from MSP and its partner network.

As the largest company within the Tech Incubator, Wakelet will be part of the new Circle Square development at the heart of the Oxford Road Corridor innovation district, next to the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University.

The Tech Incubator also forms part of Bruntwood SciTech, a 50:50 joint venture between Bruntwood and Legal & General Capital, which was created last week.

Bruntwood SciTech’s locations are already home to more than 500 science and technology businesses and has been established to provide high specification workspace as well as support the growth of companies like Wakelet in Manchester and other regional cities.

Jamil Khalil, chief executive and co-founder of Wakelet, said: “In recent months, world-class names such as the Ashmolean Museum, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Minnesota United have joined our platform and we’ve also expanded our team.

“This rapid expansion meant that we’d outgrown our previous offices.

“We saw how the space and the community had developed at the Tech Incubator since its launch in May, and knew it was the best place for our team to thrive as we enter an exciting phase in our growth journey,” he said.

Chris Oglesby, chairman of Bruntwood SciTech, said: “Wakelet is one of the most exciting tech businesses in the North, with the clear potential to be a global player in online content curation.

“We are delighted to welcome Jamil and the team to the Tech Incubator and look forward to working with them to help them achieve their growth ambitions.

“We are sure they will benefit from being part of the vibrant, collaborative and ambitious community at the Tech Incubator and also from the unique programme of business support it offers.”

He added: “Space at the Tech Incubator is filling up fast, reflecting the strength and depth of Manchester’s technology sector, which is great to see.”

Launched in May 2018 and helping to create up to 2,000 jobs for Manchester’s tech sector over the next decade, the Tech Incubator is already supporting start-ups working in the areas of Artificial Intelligence, blockchain, data analytics, AR/VR and cyber security.