Midlands universities unite to fly the flag for the region, attract international investment and drive growth
Universities from across the Midlands have come together with a pioneering campaign to leverage their global connections to attract international investment and support the regional economy. The Campaign showcases £13.5bn of university inward investment opportunities, including Midlands Mindforge, a £250m patient capital vehicle.
Today, the Campaign, backed by the UK Government publishes its first annual report setting out the establishment of the UK’s first regional R&D investment pipeline – with over 500 actively tracked investment opportunities and enquiries generated between 2024-2025.
Whilst most FDI projects take several years to land, the Campaign has begun to tap into the enormous potential of universities to play a greater role in inward investment. It has contributed to number of early wins and directly supported regional university investment initiatives, like the West Midlands Global Growth Programme and Midlands Mindforge, to attract companies, venture capital investment and jobs into the region.
Launched by the Mayors of East and West Midlands in late 2024, the Campaign brings together twenty Midlands universities in a unified effort to attract, retain and maximise foreign direct investment into regional R&D and innovation. Backed by the UK Government, Mayoral Combined Authorities and regional partners as a proof-of-concept pilot, the Campaign supports the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy by highlighting the world-leading R&D strengths of the Midlands, as well as the international reputation of UK universities.
Reach, partnership, impact
The Annual Report sets out the Campaign’s first-year activity, reach, insight and emerging impact. It has helped fly the flag for the region by bringing investment opportunities from the Midlands directly to global investors (including the alumni of all seventeen participating institutions). It has worked in partnership with the East and West Midlands Mayoral Combined Authorities, Freeport and trade bodies like Midlands Aerospace Alliance – as well as the Government’s diplomatic postings across the world.
These Missions have directly engaged over 4,500 investors, businesses and partners – leading to a pipeline of over 500 actively tracked high-potential R&D opportunities across key sectors including Creative & Digital, Health & Life Sciences, Transport Technologies, Zero Carbon Energy and Agri-Tech.
Alex Favier, Global Campaign Director, said: “The UK is in a highly competitive global race to secure international investment into R&D and innovation The global reputation of our universities is often referenced as a major draw for international companies choosing the UK. However, in the Midlands we wanted to go further and demonstrate what could happen if UK universities were ‘brought off the bench’ as a more active player in attracting investment.
The Campaign has shown the enormous potential of universities, mayors and the national government to forge a new type of partnership to attract inward investment, drive growth and create jobs in regional economies.
By leveraging the global connections of seventeen Midlands universities – in particular their alumni, industry and research partners – the Campaign has been able to scale the offer to investors and the reach of the region.”
Dr. Helen Turner, Director, Midlands Innovation, commented: “In just over a year, the Campaign has demonstrated how powerful our universities can be when we act together with a clear purpose. By uniting our global networks, our research strengths and our regional assets, we are opening doors for investors who might never have looked to the Midlands before. This report provides clear evidence that the Campaign’s approach is working, and that universities can be powerful engines of growth — driving investment, innovation and opportunity into the heart of the UK.”
The Invest in UK University R&D – Midlands Campaign Annual Report is now available to view on the Campaign website.
The Campaign Pilot concludes in June 2026 by hosting the inaugural UK Global Science and R&D Investment Summit at The Royal Society during London Tech Week.
View the full annual report here
