text: The University of Manchester Innovation Centre's (UMIC) events arm delivers record revenues following refurb
  Pictured: Colin Curwen, UMIC Events executive
  The University of Manchester Innovation Centre's (UMIC) events arm has delivered record revenues following a refurbishment of its conference spaces.
  Throughout 2017 UMIC hosted 462 events at its Grafton Street base while also landing 47 new clients. Colin Curwen, UMIC Events executive, said revenues jumped 32 per cent from 2016 with further upgrades to the main atrium also due in autumn this year.
  He said: "The past 12 months at UMIC Events has been eventful to say the least.
  "The seven spaces we offer - which lie in the heart of the Oxford Road Corridor innovation district - are all in prime condition and seem to attract a wide range of organisations."
  The venue's biggest space, The Dalton Room, can hold up to 140 guests and has undergone major technological improvements, while the UMIC boardroom and the Innovation Suite have been refreshed with new lighting and coloured vinyl additions to the glass windows. Later this year the Innovation Centre's atrium will be redesigned to become a business hub.
  The latest accounts filed for the University of Manchester Innovation Centre show a turnover of £3.8 million and a pre-tax profit of £227k for the year ended 31 July 2017.
  Curwen added: "We are well positioned to continue our growth story while remaining agile to the needs of current and potential clients.
  "We are also thankful to the Alliance Manchester Business School for its continued support and look forward to the remainder of 2018."
  Acteon, Aeirtec, Blackboard International, Cadtek Enabling education network and Lan2Lan are among the new businesses to have used UMIC's seven events and conference spaces, while The Christie Charitable Fund, The University of Manchester and Child Poverty Action Group have all continued to use the Innovation Centre.