Collective Strength
Individually, no single Midlands university can compete for the attention of major global investors in the way established global research clusters can. Collectively, however, the region has a powerful proposition: the Midlands is home to world-class research and innovation strengths across sectors including health and life sciences, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, transport and creative and digital industries. Midlands Innovation’s eight research-intensive universities, alongside Midlands Enterprise Universities and Harper Adams, brought together 17 universities with deep research and innovation expertise across these sectors.
The challenge was turning this collective strength into a coherent proposition that international investors, embassies and government could recognise and act on.
Connecting investors with opportunity
Launched in October 2024, the Invest in UK University R&D – Midlands Campaign was a UK Government-funded proof-of-concept pilot to turn this regional offer into an investable proposition. It brought the project partners together around a shared objective: to attract international investment into university-led R&D across the region.
The Campaign turned this offer into something that could be taken directly to international markets. Universities identified investible research, specialist facilities, spinouts and development opportunities, while regional partners brought together local economic priorities and international market intelligence.
International missions and UK activations then connected these opportunities with investors and businesses. The University Investment Concierge Service provided a single route into the region, helping international businesses identify relevant university expertise, facilities, locations and wider public-sector support.
Delivering investment, jobs and growth
The approach has generated tangible results. To date, the Campaign has delivered 11 overseas missions and 15 UK activations, engaging more than 5,000 investors and businesses and generating a pipeline of 754 investment leads for follow-up. It has directly supported 16 international companies to co-locate on Midlands university campuses and science parks, associated with an estimated 279 new jobs, and helped a Midlands spinout secure £400,000 in pre-seed investment. Campaign missions also leveraged over £1.5m in match funding from partners and collaborators.
The Campaign’s success culminated in the inaugural UK Global R&D and Science Investment Summit. Building on the Midlands approach, the event brought universities, investors, businesses and policymakers together to explore how university-led research and innovation can drive investment and economic growth across the UK.
More than an investment campaign, the initiative has demonstrated what can be achieved when universities, regional partners and government. The Midlands model has shown that research excellence can be translated into investment opportunities and economic growth.
Building on this foundation, the Campaign is now exploring how the Midlands model can be scaled nationally, while continuing to connect international investors with UK university R&D opportunities through the 2027 UK Global R&D and Science Investment Summit.
