Innovators in Coventry and Warwickshire Encouraged to Apply for £1.5 Million Funding

By Anushka Malhotra

1 minute 34 seconds

Investment

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Quick Read: Micro and small businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire's immersive and creative tech sectors are invited to apply for up to £1.5 million in funding from Innovate UK's new Launchpad competition.

Innovative micro and small businesses in the immersive and creative technology sector within Coventry and Warwickshire are being called to apply for a share of up to £1.5 million in funding.

A collaboration between Innovate UK, Warwickshire County Council, Coventry City Council, and the West Midlands Combined Authority aims to bolster innovation in the region's immersive and creative technology cluster.

Innovate UK has introduced a new Launchpad competition that offers up to £1.5 million in grants and business support to ‘New Innovators’ in Coventry and Warwickshire who have not previously sought assistance from the innovation agency.

Eligible micro and small businesses can apply for grants ranging from £25,000 to £50,000, with the application deadline set for 11 am on Wednesday, June 19.

The immersive and creative industries Launchpad invites applications for projects that develop and apply technologies in the following areas:

- Media technologies, including digital and mixed media

- Immersive technologies, such as augmented and virtual reality

- Game engine and virtual production, including 3D environments, simulations, and data visualisations

- Motion capture, including performance capture, gesture, and facial recognition

Cllr Martin Watson, Portfolio Holder for Economy at Warwickshire County Council, emphasised that this competition builds on the region's strengths in immersive and creative technologies. He stated,

“This Launchpad competition focuses on business growth by advancing innovation in immersive and creative industries. Our area is renowned for its video game development cluster, creating highly skilled jobs and opportunities. Over 1,000 high-quality games with globally recognized intellectual property have been developed here.”

He further highlighted the significance of the 'Silicon Spa' cluster in Warwick, Leamington, and Southam, which employs 15% of the UK’s games development talent and is recognised as the largest cluster outside Greater London by trade body UKIE.

Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration, and Climate Change at Coventry City Council, expressed his support:

“This funding opportunity is a significant boost for a growing sector that develops new ways for people to interact with content and experiences. It can create new jobs in Coventry and Warwickshire and support companies with growth ambitions.”

He encouraged ambitious small businesses working with these technologies to review the information and consider applying for the grants.

For further details and the application link, click here.

What's new

West Midlands Health Tech Innovation Accelerator Unlocks Nearly £50M in Private Investment

The West Midlands Health Tech Innovation Accelerator (WMHTIA), led by the University of Birmingham, has generated an impressive £49.4 million in private co-investment within its first two years, significantly surpassing its original £14.5 million public funding allocation.

Funded through the Innovation Accelerator programme, coordinated by Innovate UK, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and UK Research and Innovation, WMHTIA has become a leading force in advancing health technology innovation across the region.

The majority of the private investment—£36.3 million—was directly committed by investors to enterprises supported by the Accelerator. This achievement represents a threefold return on the initial public investment, demonstrating the strong investor confidence in the region’s health tech sector.

Powering Health Innovation Through Collaboration

The WMHTIA brings together 21 partners from academia, industry, and the NHS to help healthtech companies develop, validate, and commercialise cutting-edge medical technologies. So far, companies supported through the programme have also secured an additional £10 million in national public grants from agencies including NIHR, Eureka, and Innovate UK.

Including both public and private contributions, the total investment leveraged by WMHTIA now stands at £67.3 million.

Professor Adam Tickell, Vice-Chancellor, University of Birmingham:

We’re proud to support startups through the riskiest stages of innovation so more life-saving technologies reach patients. This exceptional investment proves what’s possible when academia, the NHS, and industry work together to drive economic growth and better health outcomes.

In March 2025, the Innovation Accelerator programme was extended with a further £30 million, including £4 million for the WMHTIA to continue supporting the region’s innovators in 2025/26.

Backing the Future of Health Tech

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands:

The West Midlands is leading medical tech innovation—from faster diagnoses to shorter hospital stays. Healthtech isn’t just improving lives; it’s creating secure, high-value jobs that drive inclusive growth.

Dean Cook, Executive Director of Place and Global, Innovate UK:

This programme shows how place-based innovation can unlock greater business investment in R&D. By connecting the region’s strengths, we’re creating high-value jobs and building globally significant innovation capability.

The WMHTIA continues to strengthen the region’s reputation as a national hub for health technology, with far-reaching benefits for patient care, job creation, and regional economic development.

By Anushka Malhotra

24 Jun