West Midlands Launches Bold New "It Starts Here" Campaign to Drive Growth and Investment

By Anushka Malhotra

1 minute 28 seconds

Tech

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Quick Read: The "It Starts Here" campaign has been launched to elevate the West Midlands as a global innovation hub, aiming to attract investment, drive growth, and create high-value jobs.

The West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC) has unveiled "It Starts Here," a campaign to rebrand the West Midlands as a leading hub for innovation, attract investment, and boost job creation in emerging sectors. Launched during Birmingham Tech Week, the campaign is a coordinated effort by regional leaders to enhance the West Midlands' reputation on the global stage and showcase its strengths in clean technology, cybersecurity, and advanced tech.

Photo Credit: Thom Bartley

Mayor Richard Parker highlighted the region’s historic and future potential:

"The West Midlands has always been a home for entrepreneurs and innovators. With advancements in clean industries, cyber, and tech, this is the best time for businesses to invest and grow here. I want the West Midlands to be the UK's top business destination, bringing new jobs and transforming lives across the region."

Showcasing Strengths as Europe’s Innovation Capital

The launch follows the West Midlands' recognition as one of Europe’s top three most innovative regions in the European Capital of Innovation Awards. "It Starts Here" is designed to re-energise the West Midlands' brand, illustrating it as a place "where disruptive minds meet" and “breakthroughs begin." Developed by WMGC in collaboration with regional partners, the campaign aims to build confidence and competitiveness, inspiring global investors and innovative businesses to set up and thrive in the region.

A Record-Setting Year for Foreign Investment

According to the EY "UK Attractiveness" survey, the West Midlands led the country with a 72% increase in foreign direct investment projects, a sharp contrast to the UK's overall FDI decline. Birmingham spearheaded this growth with 67 projects, achieving the highest number of FDI projects managed by any regional city outside London in the past decade.

The campaign launch also included a discussion on the region’s advantages in disruptive innovation, featuring thought leaders from various sectors, with each emphasising the region's ability to transform into a vibrant innovation hub.

With the "It Starts Here" campaign, the West Midlands seeks to propel itself forward, transforming the region into a top destination for global businesses and creating a new era of economic success and job opportunities.

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