Businesses across the West Midlands can now apply for a share of £50m in research and development funding aimed at accelerating innovation in advanced manufacturing, health and life sciences, and creative technologies.
The funding forms part of the UK government’s £500m Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF), led by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which is designed to help businesses develop and commercialise near-to-market products and services while strengthening regional innovation clusters.
Expressions of interest are now open for organisations operating within the West Midlands’ three priority sectors, with advanced manufacturing projects supported through the new FORGE programme, led by the University of Warwick.
FORGE will focus on technology-enabled industrial transformation and supply chain agility, supporting manufacturers involved in future mobility and the clean energy transition.
The £50m allocation to the West Midlands is expected to unlock more than £200m in private investment and generate a long-term economic legacy worth around £700m. The programme also supports the West Midlands Growth Plan, which aims to increase the region’s gross value added (GVA) by £17bn by 2035 and create 100,000 high-quality jobs.
The funding was officially launched in Birmingham by West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker, alongside Lord Vallance, Minister for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear, and Mike Wright, Chair of the West Midlands Innovation Board.
Richard Parker said: “Our track record of investing in the right ideas at the right time has already created hundreds of jobs and attracted millions in private investment. Government is now backing us to do even more through this record innovation funding deal.
“These research labs and tech studios are as important to our economy today as the factories of previous generations that made the West Midlands the ‘workshop of the world’.
“We’re determined to cement our role as a global leader in the industries of the future by backing a new generation of innovators and pioneers to turn their big ideas into commercial success.”
Lord Vallance said the programme would help strengthen the region’s position in key growth sectors.
“Innovation is fundamental to achieving economic growth, which is why we want to support the development of new technologies right across the country, including here in the West Midlands,” he said.
“These projects will help secure the region’s status as an engine for growth in advanced manufacturing, health and life sciences, and creative technologies, with the local partnership expecting to deliver more than 2,300 skilled jobs while helping unlock more than £180m in private investment.”
Alongside FORGE, the funding will be delivered through three flagship innovation programmes:
- FORGE for Advanced Manufacturing (University of Warwick): Supporting technology-enabled industrial transformation and supply chain agility across future mobility and the clean energy transition.
- Clinical Trials Catalyst for Health and Life Sciences (University of Birmingham): Strengthening regional expertise in clinical trials, near-to-patient biomanufacturing and regulation to help commercialise healthcare innovations.
- Creative Industries Scale-up Lab (CISL) (University of Warwick): Supporting immersive technologies, AI-enabled innovation and design-led businesses to accelerate growth across the creative sector.
Eligible organisations include start-ups, scale-ups, SMEs, large businesses and research organisations based in the West Midlands. Projects must be delivered through partnerships involving industry, academia and the public sector, with a focus on commercialising innovation and delivering real-world economic impact.
The West Midlands is one of 17 regions across the UK selected to receive support through the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund.
For more articles like this, visit our Innovation channel
