£6.75 Million Boost for West Midlands Creative Tech Firms

By Anushka Malhotra

1 minute 9 seconds

Investment

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Quick Read: The West Midlands’ creative tech sector secures £6.75 million in funding through the CreaTech Frontiers initiative, fostering collaboration among arts, academia, and industry to drive innovation and growth.

The creative technology sector in the West Midlands has received a significant boost with £6.75 million in funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. This investment will support training, research, and development in cutting-edge fields such as video gaming and immersive reality, driving innovation and growth in the region.

The programme, named CreaTech Frontiers, unites the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Birmingham City, Coventry, Warwick, and Birmingham universities, and the tech industry to foster collaboration and skill-building. It will leverage technologies like virtual reality, 3D modelling, and animation to develop new applications for live events, theatre, music, and film.

Performance initiatives under this programme include showcases by the RSC at the 2026 South by Southwest Festival in Texas and collaborative projects by Birmingham Opera Group and The Rep Theatre, targeting underprivileged youth in the West Midlands.

Professor Lamberto Coccioli from Birmingham City University, who is leading the project, highlighted the region’s unique strengths:

“CreaTech Frontiers will harness the diverse talent pool, world-class research, and vibrant arts scene in the West Midlands to drive innovation and business growth.”

Merseyside will also benefit from an equivalent £6.75 million for its MusicFutures project, aimed at supporting musicians, educators, and small businesses in leveraging new technology.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy emphasised the initiative’s goal of bridging opportunity gaps:

“This funding puts Birmingham and the West Midlands at the forefront of a new creative tech industry, shaping the future of visual effects in film, theatre, and gaming.”

The Creative Industries Clusters program, delivered by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, underscores the UK’s commitment to regional innovation and the growth of creative sub-sectors nationwide.

What's new

School of Coding Secures Investment to Launch UK’s First AI Learning Lab in Birmingham

A fast-growing West Midlands digital training firm has secured a six-figure investment to launch what it claims will be the UK’s first AI Learning Lab, supporting regional upskilling and job creation.

The School of Coding, founded in Wolverhampton, has received backing from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II (MEIF II), via fund manager Frontier Development Capital (FDC). The funding will be used to fit out its new central Birmingham tech hub, expected to create 50 new jobs within the next year.

Founded in 2017, the company delivers digital skills education to both young people and professionals, offering courses in cybersecurity, software development, AI, health tech, and digital entrepreneurship. It also runs nationwide coding classes for children and works with schools, councils, and education providers.

The new lab will act as a centre for innovation and learning, equipping individuals and businesses with practical skills to adopt AI technologies responsibly and effectively.

Photo Credit: School of Coding

Manny Athwal, founder and CEO of School of Coding, said:

“AI is here to stay, and we want to help people use it ethically and productively. This new hub in Birmingham will democratise access to digital education and support both personal and business growth in the tech economy. We see this as the first of many tech hubs across the UK.”

The company now operates in 17 countries, with offices in Telford, Dublin, and India, employing nearly 300 people worldwide, including 95 in the UK.

This latest investment builds on a previous round from MEIF in 2023, reinforcing the British Business Bank’s commitment to supporting scale-up businesses in tech and innovation.

David Tindall, Senior Investment Manager at the British Business Bank, said:

“We’re proud to support a business that's actively addressing the digital skills gap and championing innovation. This second round of funding demonstrates MEIF II’s mission to back high-growth firms driving change.”

Ryan Cartwright, of Frontier Development Capital, added:

“Manny and his team are creating real impact through digital education. We’re excited to support the UK’s first AI Learning Lab – a step that will help more regional businesses benefit from emerging technologies.”

By Anushka Malhotra

23 Apr

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