Nile Henry is not waiting for the future—he is building it. In a city known for innovation, he is a force driving Manchester’s transition to a Net Zero, tech-driven economy, ensuring that no one is left behind in the green industrial revolution. Through cutting-edge EdTech, engineering challenges, and skills transformation, his work has redefined how young people, businesses, and entire industries prepare for a changing world.
Verciti, the workforce training platform Nile Henry founded, is closing the skills gap in real time. As industries rush to decarbonise, training in hydrogen, electrification, and renewable energy has failed to keep pace. Backed by UK Research and Innovation, Verciti’s simulation-based platform uses AI, augmented reality, and gamification to deliver industry-relevant skills at the point of need. Training is no longer bound to classrooms or outdated textbooks—it happens in real-time, in immersive environments, equipping workers to lead in a global green economy.
The Blair Project, the social enterprise Nile Henry founded, is revolutionising how young people access STEM careers. The ProtoEV Challenge takes engineering out of the textbook and into the real world, with students retrofitting petrol go-karts into fully electric e-karts, racing them to test speed and energy efficiency. It is not just a competition; it is a pathway to careers in sustainability, engineering, and technology. The programme has already introduced thousands of young people—many from underrepresented backgrounds—to high-tech careers, proving that the next generation of problem-solvers is ready to rise when given the right tools.
Barriers that once excluded young people from high-tech industries are being dismantled. Traditional experience requirements, financial limitations, and lack of role models have kept many locked out of the green economy. Nile Henry is changing that equation. Through mentorship, hands-on learning, and direct industry collaboration, the talent that has long existed in Manchester’s diverse communities is being mobilised to power the industries of the future.
The impact of his work has been recognised at the highest levels. Named by BBC Radio 1Xtra as one of 29 Black Britons shaping the future, alongside Lewis Hamilton and Stormzy, Nile Henry has cemented his place among Manchester’s most influential changemakers. From boardrooms to government panels, his expertise is shaping the region’s future. Sitting on the GM Social Enterprise Advisory Group, he advises Metro Mayor Andy Burnham, ensuring that social mobility is at the core of Manchester’s growth. As a member of the Manchester Science Festival Advisory Board, he is steering national conversations on sustainability, skills, and inclusion in STEM.
Innovation is not just about technology—it is about people. The classrooms, boardrooms, and racetracks where Nile Henry works today will define the engineers, entrepreneurs, and changemakers of tomorrow. Manchester has always been a city of revolutionaries. Nile Henry is making sure the next revolution is green, inclusive, and unstoppable.
