West Midlands small businesses encouraged to apply for research and development grants

By Birmingham City University

1 minute 49 seconds

Growth

Share:

Quick Read: Creative freelancers and SMEs in the West Midlands can now apply for up to £10,000 in R&D funding through CreaTech Frontiers to develop innovative ideas, with access to expert mentoring, training, and cutting-edge research facilities. Backed by regional universities and the WMCA, this £250,000 funding round is the first of a £1.8 million initiative to boost the region’s creative and tech sectors.

A grant application scheme has opened to creative freelancers and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the West Midlands, to apply for up to £10,000 to develop innovative ideas through collaborative Research and Development (R&D).

Smaller companies and freelancers can struggle to access R&D grants, something that CreaTech Frontiers, the new creative industries cluster for the West Midlands, is hoping to challenge.

CreaTech Frontiers is made up of five partners: Birmingham City University (BCU), University of Birmingham, Coventry University, University of Warwick and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Professor Lamberto Coccioli, Director of CreaTech Frontiers, said:

We are thrilled to launch our first call to fund innovative ideas and projects only four months after the start of the CreaTech Frontiers programme. We hope to receive an enthusiastic response from creative companies and freelancers all across the West Midlands and we especially encourage first-time applicants with original and untested concepts.

A funding pot of £250,000 is being made available this summer, which will also give freelancers and SMEs access to academic R&D expertise, mentoring and training, and use world-class research and development labs to create new content, products and services.

This is the first round of funding of many, with a minimum of £1.8 million expected to be awarded over five years.

Kath Fuller, COO of TechWM, and board member of CreaTech Frontiers said:

This is a rare opportunity for freelancers, micro-businesses, and SMEs across the West Midlands to take creative risks, test bold ideas, and unlock the full potential of research and development. At TechWM, we see the transformative power of R&D every day — driving business growth, attracting investment, and opening new routes to market. I’d especially love to see ideas that pioneer sustainable products and services, helping to shape the future of the West Midlands’ dynamic innovation ecosystem and CreaTech sector.

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is backing the project as part of ambitions for the region to be a flourishing creative ecosystem by 2030.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “We’ve got a young, diverse region full of bold thinkers and creative minds who are really pushing the limits of what’s possible with technology.

I want them to take advantage of these grants and the amazing research and innovation coming out of our world class universities, so they can turn their great ideas into global success stories. And as we do that, we’re creating exciting new jobs and showing the world what the West Midlands is made of.

Applications are open now and close on Monday 4 August. Register your interest and find out more 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