The West Midlands: the best kept secret in the UK tech industry

In the age of acceleration where transformational change is driven by rapid technological advancements, the West Midlands has been quietly but confidently establishing itself as one of the UK’s most promising innovation hubs.

Last year, the region attracted 86 inward investment projects, outperforming major European cities (such as Istanbul and Berlin), and ranking among the continent’s top 20 regions for FDI performance. These are clear signs of a region where tech can thrive and business can grow. In fact, the West Midlands secured 130 FDI projects in 2024–25, more than Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland combined, creating over 5,800 new jobs. This performance places the region second only to London in the UK’s FDI rankings and highlights its growing appeal to global investors.

It would be easy to attribute this success exclusively to Birmingham (the UK’s Second City and a magnet for AI, fintech, and CreaTech startups), but the truth is this innovation ecosystem spans the entire West Midlands. From Coventry’s leadership in future mobility and Wolverhampton’s advanced manufacturing capabilities to Solihull’s low-carbon advances, the West Midlands is the UK’s fastest-growing tech sector, offering a diverse and interconnected landscape for growth. Further cementing its status is the presence of over 100 collaborative tech hubs, four Innovate UK Catapult Centres, and nine leading universities attracting students from all over the globe.

The regional spread is the result of the West Midlands Plan for Growth initiative, which focuses on high potential economic clusters, rather than broad sectors. Designed to scale innovation and attract global business partnerships, these clusters are interconnected networks made up of talent, businesses, and institutions from across the region. Whether a MedTech founder is looking for clinical trial support, or a quantum computing start-up is seeking academic collaborations, the West Midlands offers the infrastructure and networks to make it happen.

But what truly makes the West Midlands a fascinating tech hub is its heritage. Innovation is in its DNA – after all, this is the birthplace of the industrial revolution. And today this legacy is being revived and reimagined through the proliferation of gigafactories, groundbreaking transport systems, 5G-powered technologies, and EV battery manufacturing facilities.

What we’re also seeing is a surge in grassroots innovation. Thanks to a project backed by Mayor Richard Parker and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) in June 2025, creative freelancers and SMEs across the region now have access to £10,000 of funding to develop innovative ideas through collaborative Research and Development (R&D). Initiatives like this and events such as Birmingham Tech Week, which brings together futurists and local founders to explore the region’s emerging trends and opportunities, tie in with the region’s ambitions to become a flourishing creative ecosystem by 2030.

Being the UK’s largest regional tech festival, Birmingham Tech Week brings together over 8,000 people from global tech companies to champion the growing West Midlands tech sector. With events that cover key topics including AI, Cyber, ScaleUp, and Engineering and Development, Birmingham Tech Week sits at the forefront of conversation about the future of technology. This year, events during Birmingham Tech Week will take place from 20th to 24th of October at several locations across Birmingham and the West Midlands.

As global investors continue to prioritise resilient, high-growth destinations, the West Midlands is gaining recognition as a region with serious potential. Its blend of industrial capability, academic strength, and a commitment to inclusive innovation positions it as a compelling example of how tech ecosystems can thrive outside capital cities.

This momentum is reflected in the region’s emergence as a launchpad for ventures that combine ambition with impact. With a collaborative tech community and a strong industrial foundation, the West Midlands offers both the infrastructure and the energy needed to support meaningful growth. This is a region that’s not embracing the future – it’s engineering it.

Nations and Regions Programme activities

techUK champions the tech sector throughout the UK. We work with local authorities, devolved government, and local and national policy makers to advocate for the tech sector in strengthening economic growth and resilience across the nations and regions. Visit the programme page here