Over the past two weeks, Universal Think Tank has undergone quite the transformation.
We've settled into a new office space, met with some fantastic new companies and gained two members of staff (a big welcome to the new marketing team!).
So, for this week's blog post, we thought we would focus less on the changes and more on what keeps us grounded - that is, our Mancunian roots.
Since the days of the industrial revolution, the City of Manchester - otherwise known as 'Cottonopolis' - has been internationally recognised as a hub of innovation.
It is the birthplace of modern computer science, as fathered by Alan Turing; home to the oldest public library in the English-speaking world, which continues to attract throngs of readers each year; and, more recently, scholars in this city saw the isolation of the thinnest material known to man - graphene.
Yet aside from the countless technological developments that have occurred here, Manchester also has a rich heritage of freedom, justice and opportunity for all. Many know it as the original homestead of British Women's Suffrage, as popularised by the Pankhurst family and their revolutionary cohort of women. Others recognise the city as a symbol of working people's rights, with the advent of Peterloo in 1819 and an extensive, varied history of industrial action.
As a company that celebrates immigration, incubation and innovation, we're immensely proud to be situated in such a radical city. Luckily, we have a fantastic visual reminder of our roots at our partner firm Latitude Law - our very own Worker Bee, designed by artist Caroline Coates as part of Manchester's Bee in the City project in 2018. This fantastic piece was purchased in a charity auction in aid of We Love MCR.
By looking back on Manchester's history, we are reminded of just how important it is to keep on innovating, and providing opportunities for businesses and individuals to flourish and achieve their goals - by doing so, we hope to form a small part of Manchester's radical heritage in the years to come.
To find out more about the history of Manchester, check out the article by Tim Lambert here.
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