Game-changing tech starts in the West Midlands

The birthplace of innovations from steam power to battery technology, and ibuprofen to life-saving diagnostics, the West Midlands – which encompasses the UK’s second city, Birmingham, as well as Coventry and Wolverhampton – is the nation’s future tech powerhouse. While the UK’s capital often receives the lion’s share of the attention, this hotspot of UK growth is spearheading the nation’s ambitions to be a globally competitive tech destination.

Transformational tech hub

For over two centuries, West Midlands-borne technologies and disruptive thinking have had a profound impact on the global economy. From the industrial mills that sparked the first industrial revolution, to the modern discoveries and achievements of the twenty-first century, this multi-city region remains the place where breakthroughs begin. The West Midlands’ three-pronged approach to innovation – transformational tech strengths, excellence in R&D and mindset for disruption – mean it is perfectly placed to lead the rest of the UK when it comes to shaping the future economy. These strengths were recently recognised at the European Capital of Innovation (iCapital) Awards, where the West Midlands was celebrated as one of Europe’s top three most innovative regions.

With an economy worth £117 billion, the West Midlands operates at scale. It boasts record levels of foreign direct investment and the UK’s highest rate of new company formation rates outside of London, and this upwards trajectory shows no signs of slowing. Earlier this year, at London Tech Week, the attractiveness of the region’s tech ecosystem was reinforced when the West Midlands Global Growth Programme was launched in front of an international audience. The fully funded package of market entry support provides companies, such as Australian scale-up Agilyx Group, with a springboard to success in the region.

The programme, as well as the proactive investment promotion efforts of the West Midlands Growth Company – the region’s official investment promotion agency – and business support policies such as tax incentives, are accelerating rates of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the region – with FDI growing faster there than in London.

A trusted heartland of R&D excellence

Industry academic partnerships have also proven a catalyst for the region’s rise as a technological force. It is home to Europe’s largest automotive research facility, the National Automotive Innovation Centre – a partnership between WMG, JLR and Tata Motors; as well as EV battery end-life project RECOVAS, a partnership between EMR Metals Recycling, the University of Wolverhampton and three of the region’s major vehicle manufacturers.

Global leader in design and technology services, Tata Elxsi’s commitment to the region reinforces its success in attracting global heavyweights, keen to locate themselves within the UK’s heartland of R&D excellence. The business has recently pledged to create a wave of skilled roles at its state-of-the-art Coventry design hub, which represents its Global Centre of Excellence for Cybersecurity & AI.

A mindset for disruption

The West Midlands’ mindset for disruption is also the driving force behind its vibrant startup sector, bolstered by business and entrepreneurial support. More and more game-changing companies are backing the region, from groundbreaking life sciences firm, FlexSea, to some of the world’s biggest organisations, such as unicorn, Gymshark.

What’s more, the region is well-placed to nurture the next generation of tech talent, with a young, diverse population of around five million people and 185,000 students across its world-class universities.

It’s also emerging as a major life sciences destination, as a result of its clinical expertise and presence of ambitious pharmaceutical companies such as Celadon Pharmaceuticals, leading liquid biopsy company, Nonacus and genomic testing laboratory, Informed Genomics.

The region is a leader in the world of professional services and fintech, with renowned firms like Goldman Sachs and HSBC scaling up their presence. As well as being home to a critical mass of financial services companies, the region’s capabilities in areas such as cyber security are going from strength to strength.

For forward-thinking companies looking to embrace the industries of the future, the West Midlands is the place to unearth opportunity and leave a lasting legacy of innovation. Game-changing tech starts here. To learn more, visit here.

Nations and Regions Programme activities

techUK champions the tech sector throughout the UK. We work with local authorities, devolved government, and local and national policy makers to advocate for the tech sector in strengthening economic growth and resilience across the nations and regions. Visit the programme page here