Guest blog by Rajinder Bhuhi, Forging Ahead Project Manager
Regular readers may now be familiar with the Forging Ahead initiative, a bold new project launched in May 2025 to strengthen the innovation ecosystem across the Midlands. In this blog, I’m excited to share how things are shaping up just a few weeks into my role as Project Manager, and to offer a glimpse of what’s ahead.
Setting the foundations
It’s been just a few weeks since I stepped into the role, and already the project is gathering pace. While we’re still in the early stages, there’s something incredibly energising about laying the groundwork, especially when it involves building a brilliant team and putting the right structures in place.
Much of my first month has focused on recruitment, and I’ve been genuinely impressed by the calibre of talent we’ve seen. After a very competitive process, I’m thrilled to announce the core team members who will be joining me from early October:
- Cameron Bonser, Marketing and Communications Manager
- Pernille Hjort Boll, Peer-to-Peer Learning Manager
- Sue Grogan, Project Administrator
We’ll also be welcoming a Network Manager, to be announced soon, and recruiting for a Business Development Manager, with details to follow shortly.
Each team member brings vital expertise and fresh perspectives to the project. Together, we’ll be working to strengthen connections between institutions, share knowledge across the region, and amplify the impact of technology transfer. This means supporting technology transfer professionals commercialising research, enabling collaboration, enriching the startup ecosystem and helping our universities unlock even greater value from their research and innovation.
We’ve also established our Project Governance Team, which has already held its first meetings to guide delivery and ensure accountability. Alongside this, our Evaluation Team, including colleagues from City-REDI at the University of Birmingham and our partners at the CRSI who are laying the foundations for measuring impact and improving access to talent in our spinout teams across the Midlands.
With the team coming together and the governance framework now in place, we’re ready to move from planning to action. These early steps are essential to building a programme that delivers real, lasting change, and sets the tone for what promises to be a transformative journey.
Collaboration in action: our first away day
One of the highlights so far has been our first Project Away Day, hosted at Loughborough University Sport Park, within the Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park. It followed our inaugural Forging Ahead Council meeting, chaired by Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University.
We were welcomed with inspiring words from Professor Dan Parsons, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at Loughborough University and Principal Investigator of the project, and Dr Helen Turner, Director of Midlands Innovation. Their leadership and vision set the tone for a day full of energy and collaboration.
It was encouraging to welcome 50 technology transfer professionals from all 15 partner universities, who came together to explore future skills needs, share insights, and begin shaping the evaluation framework that will guide our progress. The strength of collaboration across the Midlands was on full display, and it’s clear that this partnership is ready to do something special. The energy in the room was palpable and a powerful reminder of what’s possible when we work together.
Looking Ahead: Birmingham Tech Week and Beyond
Our next major milestone is fast approaching: Birmingham Tech Week, where Forging Ahead will be represented alongside other key players from across the regional innovation ecosystem — all under one roof at Midlands House, The Exchange, Centenary Square.
We have two action-packed days planned on 22nd and 23rd October, and it promises to be a fantastic opportunity to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with colleagues from Midlands Mindforge, the Invest in UK University R&D campaign, and other regional partners — all of whom share our ambition to champion the Midlands and showcase the incredible talent, ideas, and spinouts emerging from our universities.
If you’re planning to attend, we’d love to see you there! You can explore the full Midlands House programme here.
From there, it’s full steam ahead. The team will begin to embed itself, build relationships, and get stuck into the business of delivery, turning vision into action and laying the groundwork for long-term impact. You’ll be hearing much more from us in the months ahead as Forging Ahead continues to grow, connect, and deliver for the region.
About Forging Ahead
Forging Ahead, supported by Research England’s Connecting Capability Fund, is a practical step toward levelling the playing field in the UK’s innovation landscape. Since 2010, Midlands universities have created 169 spinouts, 14.5% of the national total, these ventures receive just 15p for every £1 secured by ventures in London, Oxford, and Cambridge. That gap has real consequences: it limits growth, makes it harder to keep top talent, and means that nearly 40% of Midlands spinouts are founded outside the region. In effect, the Midlands is exporting the very jobs and R&D-driven businesses it helps create.
Forging Ahead aims to change that. By bringing together regional partners under a shared delivery plan, it builds the foundations needed to keep talent local, scale ambitious ventures, and attract fairer investment. It’s not just about funding, it’s about creating the conditions for long-term success, making the Midlands a place where innovation thrives in a globally competitive innovation ecosystem.
About the Author
Rajinder Bhuhi is a business leader with over 20 years of experience in innovation, entrepreneurship, and business coaching. She specialises in supporting business growth through collaborative partnerships, accelerator programmes, and skills development. Rajinder is also Co-Founder and Director of Leicester Startups CIC, a social enterprise supporting entrepreneurs across the region. She joined the Forging Ahead team as Project Manager in September 2025.
