Founder Playbook podcast launches with new conversations from leading founders and innovators
The first episodes of the Founder Playbook podcast are now live, bringing together founders, CEOs and innovators to share candid insights into the realities of building and growing breakthrough businesses.
Created by The University of Manchester Innovation Factory, Founder Playbook explores the journeys behind innovative companies, from the early stages of developing an idea and building a team through to securing investment, entering new markets and scaling a business.
Across the series, guests share their experiences of entrepreneurship, the challenges they have faced and the lessons they have learned along the way. The conversations are designed to give researchers, founders and aspiring entrepreneurs practical insight into what it takes to turn ambitious ideas into successful businesses.
The first episodes are now available to watch on YouTube and listen to on Spotify, with further conversations to be released throughout the series.
Guests featured across the podcast include founders, CEOs and business leaders from companies including Signal AI, Orderly and Imperagen, alongside members of the Innovation Factory team and the wider innovation community.
Founder Playbook goes live at Innovation Festival 2026
The series will also move from the studio to the stage this October, with a special live recording taking place as part of The University of Manchester Innovation Festival 2026.
On Thursday 8 October at 5pm, Founder Playbook will host a live conversation at Manchester Museum featuring James Winterburn, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Holiferm, and Charles Dimmler, CEO.
The session will give audiences the opportunity to hear directly from the leadership of a University of Manchester spinout and explore the experience of building and developing an innovative business.
The live recording will form part of the wider Innovation Festival programme, bringing together researchers, founders, entrepreneurs and partners from across the University and the wider innovation ecosystem.
Further episodes of Founder Playbook will be released over the coming weeks.
Listen to Founder Playbook on Spotify
Watch Founder Playbook on YouTube
Find out more about the live Founder Playbook event at Innovation Festival 2026
