£1m investment to charge the West Midlands’ tech future

Over 300 tech leaders gathered for the West Midlands Tech Review, where new plans were unveiled to boost the region’s tech scene.

The event revealed a new £1m investment that will be invested into the region.

Hosted by Tech West Midlands (TechWM), the event brought together founders, CEOs, investors, and government officials to discuss the region’s tech future.

The event, now in its third year, featured talks from local tech experts like Prof. Prashant Pillai MBE and Yiannis Maos MBE, sharing insights and trends and also announcements of big investments to support tech startups and businesses.

Yiannis Maos MBE, CEO of TechWM, said: “This landmark £1m investment in the region’s tech sector is going to move the dial for businesses in the ecosystem and beyond. I’m tremendously proud of the commitment that has been made by TechWM and our partners to these ambitious, but crucially needed, initiatives. Each of the five projects will take us a step closer to our aim of being recognised as a global tech superpower; cementing the West Midlands’ reputation as the one-to-watch worldwide.”

£200,000 will be invested to help tech businesses connect with investors whereas RBC Brewin Dolphin will link tech businesses with investors to help them grow.

£200,000 to support green innovation, where Plug & Play will assist businesses in tackling sustainability challenges, like reducing waste and emissions.

£160,000 will be invested to boost AI solutions, AND Digital will aid manufacturers in using AI to improve operations.

Building digital skills will receive £140,000 and aims to train people in digital skills and help tech businesses find new talent.

£300,000 will be invested into connecting tech with business, creating a hub and platform to bridge the gap between the tech world and other businesses, and providing access to opportunities and insights.

Simon Walsh, CEO of OneAdvanced, said:  “The West Midlands is home to many of the UK’s fastest-growing tech businesses, so OneAdvanced is honoured to be named as the first patron of TechWM – especially at such a fantastic event. We’re looking forward to helping shape and grow this unique and dynamic ecosystem powering, not only the West Midlands economy but also significantly contributing to our national economy.

“Being at the heart of this vibrant tech sector in Birmingham City centre is key to our culture and success. Our innovative technology combined with access to the region’s diverse talent pool is enabling us to innovate and develop sector-specific software to help organisations such as the University of Birmingham, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, Walsall Housing Group and Enoch Evans LLP, across the region.  Working with the Tech WM community, I am confident that we can digitally transform some of the most critical sectors of society and enable us to help define a digital future for this region that will positively impact the lives of millions of people every day.”