As the world descends on London Tech Week, an event set to showcase the latest innovations from the UK capital, there is another location laying claim to being the engine room driving the nation's tech revolution.
The West Midlands—which encompasses the UK’s second city, Birmingham, as well as Coventry and Wolverhampton—is responsible for innovations from steam power to battery technology, and ibuprofen to life-saving diagnostics. While London tends to gain the plaudits and international reputation, this hotspot of UK growth remains a huge part of the national success story when it comes to tech.
For over two centuries, the global economy has been shaped by West Midlands-born technologies and ingenuity. From the industrial mills that kickstarted the first industrial revolution, to the modern-day feats that are defining the twenty-first century, this multi-city region remains the place where breakthroughs begin. Thanks to the region’s transformational tech strengths, excellence in R&D and mindset for disruption, it’s poised to continue its integral role in helping the UK to disrupt the future economy.
The West Midlands represents an economy of scale worth £117 billion ($150 billion). With record levels of foreign direct investment and the UK's highest new company formation rates outside of London, the region's momentum feels unstoppable. At this year’s London Tech Week, the rise of the region’s tech sector will be reinforced as the West Midlands Global Growth Programme is 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.
“Being part of the West Midlands Global Growth Programme has been invaluable, enabling us to make the most of Birmingham’s collaborative business ecosystem from day one,” says Harpal Mattu, EMEA managing director at Agilyx Group.
The programme, in addition to proactive investment promotion led by the West Midlands Growth Company, and business-friendly policies like tax incentives, are causing foreign direct investment (FDI) to flow into the region at record levels—with FDI growing faster here than in London.
Industry academic partnerships have also supercharged the region'’s ascent 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.
Product engineering and digital services company, Tata Technologies, exemplifies how the region is proving a magnet for global heavyweights, looking to invest in the UK’s heartland of R&D excellence. As well as creating 350 new specialist roles at its state-of-the-art European headquarters in Leamington Spa, the business recently created brand new centres of excellence at the University of Warwick and University of Wolverhampton.
The West Midlands holds great significance for Tata Technologies, serving as our second home and playing a pivotal role in realising our growth aspirations,” says Warren Harris, CEO at Tata Technologies. “Our European Innovation and Development Centre in Leamington Spa is our largest facility outside India, and we have been leveraging the region'’s manufacturing heritage, advanced Industry 4.0 capabilities, and abundant STEM talent since 2017.”
The West Midlands’ disruptive mindset is also key to its vibrant startup sector, accelerated by business and entrepreneurial support. From innovative life sciences firm, FlexSea, to some of the world’s biggest companies, such as Unicorn Gymshark, more and more game-changing companies are backing the West Midlands region.
Wolverhampton has enabled us to take advantage of the region’s diverse end-to-end manufacturing supply chain, while forming a valuable new partnership with Warwick Manufacturing Group,” says Olivia Simpson, chief operations officer at FlexSea..”
With a young, diverse population approaching five million people, the region boasts the critical mass to cultivate the next generation of tech superstars. Home to 185,000 students across its many universities West Midlands’ education sector produces an evergreen pipeline of tech talent.
The West Midlands is also emerging as a life sciences powerhouse, thanks to its clinical expertise and concentration of major pharmaceutical players like Celadon Pharmaceuticals and leading liquid biopsy company, Nonacus, along with genomic testing laboratory, Informed Genomics.
The region’s strengths also reach into the professional services and fintech realm. Firms like Goldman Sachs and HSBC are scaling up their presence, attracted by the region'’s burgeoning capabilities in areas like cyber security, while a concentrated financial services cluster is growing, building on a longstanding track record in business and innovation.
“As the global tech community descends on the UK for London Tech Week, we’re rightfully shining a spotlight on the West Midlands – another transformational tech hub with arguably even greater potential,” says Neil Rami, chief executive at the West Midlands Growth Company.
“A long-standing heartland of R&D excellence, the West Midlands is driving forward Britain’s agenda in key areas including Clean Energy Systems and Future Mobility,” says Rami. “Combine this with our burgeoning talent pool and central connectivity, and it is clear, that game-changing tech starts in the West Midlands.”
For ambitious companies looking to embrace the industries of tomorrow, the West Midlands is the place to unearth opportunity and leave a legacy of invention. While London Tech Week might grab the headlines, for the region defining the modern tech age, every week is tech week.
To learn more about why the new tech revolution starts in the West Midlands, visit here.
