Who We Are
Our Mission
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Our mission is to equip decision-makers with the best possible data, empowering them to foster economic growth and support businesses of all sizes. By providing a reliable, comprehensive business dataset, we aim to be the foundation for better planning and investments.
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Our Story
In 2001, Dr. Geoff Wainwright took a pivotal step in his career by joining MerseyBio, a life science incubator designed to boost the region's emerging Life Science sector. With a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Liverpool, Geoff had already built a diverse career combining academic rigor with hands-on business development and data science expertise. His earlier roles in a large contracting research company, where he worked with leading global companies such as AstraZeneca, NutraSweet, and Unilever, had prepared him to make a significant impact on the UK’s biotech landscape. His mission at MerseyBio, which later became 2Bio, was to accelerate the growth of life science start-ups both within the region and beyond.
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At MerseyBio, Geoff played an integral role not just in nurturing start-ups but in the design and operation of over 1 million square feet of laboratory facilities—a massive infrastructure that helped position Merseyside as a hub for innovation. Under his leadership, MerseyBio supported 38 life science companies, two of which successfully went public on the AIM stock market. Geoff also spearheaded the acquisition of £40 million in government grants over a decade, which was used to fuel the incubator’s growth and build a network of thriving businesses.
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Despite these accomplishments, a serious challenge emerged that threatened to undermine future growth: the lack of accurate, reliable, and up-to-date business data on the local ecosystem. Geoff became increasingly frustrated by the difficulty in obtaining a clear picture of the business landscape in Merseyside. On one occasion, a consultancy was commissioned to produce a report on the region's life sciences sector. To Geoff’s dismay, the report was riddled with errors. Major companies, such as Eli Lilly, Novartis, and even AstraZeneca, were omitted, alongside many smaller local businesses. The data, pulled from Companies House, failed to capture the true scope of the sector, revealing glaring gaps. This led Geoff to a pivotal realization: if the existing business data could be so unreliable for a single sector in one region, how many other areas of the economy were operating with incomplete or incorrect information?
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This realization marked a turning point. Geoff recognized that without accurate data, any attempts to strategically grow local or national economies would be seriously hampered. Placemaking, investment, and resource allocation would all be compromised. Determined to address this critical issue, Geoff decided to tackle it head-on, but he knew he couldn't do it alone.
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At this stage, Geoff reached out to an old friend, John, who had spent years working in Silicon Valley and had led high-profile projects, including Amazon’s Kindle initiative. John brought with him a wealth of experience in machine learning and large-scale data processing—skills that would prove essential in solving the business data problem on a national scale. Together, Geoff and John envisioned a revolutionary project: creating a standardised, comprehensive dataset capable of mapping every business across the UK, down to the precise location of each building. This would be a tool unlike anything that currently existed, designed to give councils, governments, investors, and businesses an accurate view of the economic landscape, enabling smarter, data-driven decisions.
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As the project began to take shape, Geoff and John knew they needed someone with the right business acumen to help drive their vision forward. Enter Neil, a seasoned business strategist with a proven track record of helping companies grow and scale. Neil brought the commercial expertise that completed the team, and together they launched IDM—an innovative company with a bold mission: to create the most accurate, reliable business dataset available.
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What started as an effort to solve a regional data problem has grown into a national initiative. IDM's dataset has become an invaluable tool for economic planners, developers, councils, and businesses across the UK, enabling them to make informed decisions that fuel economic growth and resilience. This is a continuation of Geoff’s original mission when he first joined MerseyBio: to support business growth, but now on a much larger scale.
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Today, IDM stands at the forefront of economic planning and data intelligence. Just as Geoff had sought to drive the life sciences sector forward in Merseyside, IDM is now providing the tools to foster sustainable economic growth across the UK, helping to shape a more prosperous future for businesses of all sizes.
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Our Vision
Our vision is to be the premier source of accurate business data, enabling smarter economic planning and sustainable growth across the UK. We strive to help businesses, governments, and investors make informed decisions that lead to thriving local and national economies.