Birmingham tech ecosystem receives £1m investment
Birmingham’s tech ecosystem is set to benefit from a £1m investment from TechWM, the not-for-profit startup advocacy group.
Announced during the group’s industry event, Birmingham Tech Week, the funding will go towards a new acceleration programme for scaling regional startups.
The investment will also go towards an ecosystem platform that will collate all of the support and services available to companies and entrepreneurs, a tech support hub in Birmingham to encourage collaboration between tech professionals in the city, and an online tech showcase to keep West Midlands stakeholders up to date with events and opportunities.
“This will be a tremendous boost to our startups and scaleups. It’s particularly exciting to see the new stellar Tech & Digital Advisory Board that has been assembled – a board which will be responsible for driving forward the Digital & Tech strategy right across our region,” said West Midlands mayor Andy Street.
TechWM will also back a new digital and tech strategy to boost business support, investment and digital skills. The strategy will be chaired by Martin Ward, the recently appointed West Midlands tech commissioner.
“In the short time since TechWM announced its growth strategy, we have secured funding from our stakeholders, designed and launched a portfolio of strategic projects to boost tech businesses and appointed a Tech & Digital Advisory Board made up of some of the most influential voices in the UK tech sector. And this is just the start,” said Ward.
“The work the TechWM team has done so far is truly impressive and I think the programmes and initiatives announced will be a massive boost for the West Midlands tech sector and those who join us on the journey.”
Speaking at Birmingham Tech Week, Ward said the UK can learn from the startup ecosystem in Silicon Valley.
He added that growth in London “does not preclude the West Midlands from becoming a tech superpower in its own right”.
Read more: Regional tech report: West Midlands