en.Wedoany.com Reported - The West Midlands region of the UK has launched a £50 million research and development funding programme to support innovative projects in advanced manufacturing, health and life sciences, and creative technologies. This funding is part of the UK government's £500 million Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF), led by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), aiming to help businesses commercialise near-market products and services while strengthening regional innovation clusters.
Organisations in the region's three priority areas can now submit expressions of interest. Advanced manufacturing projects will be supported through the new FORGE programme, led by the University of Warwick. FORGE focuses on technology-driven industrial transformation and supply chain agility, primarily supporting manufacturers involved in future mobility and the clean energy transition. The £50 million grant for the West Midlands is expected to leverage over £200 million in private investment and generate approximately £700 million in long-term economic impact. The programme also aligns with the West Midlands Growth Plan, which aims to increase the region's Gross Value Added (GVA) by £17 billion and create 100,000 high-quality jobs by 2035.
The funding was jointly announced in Birmingham by West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker, Lord Vallance, Minister for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear, and Mike Wright, Chair of the West Midlands Innovation Board. Richard Parker stated that the region's past practice of investing in the right ideas at the right time has already created hundreds of jobs and attracted millions in private investment, and the government is supporting further expansion through this record innovation funding agreement. He noted that these research labs and technology studios are as vital to today's economy as the factories that made the West Midlands the "workshop of the world" in previous generations, and is determined to support a new generation of innovators in turning big ideas into commercial success, cementing the region's leading position in global future industries.
Lord Vallance said that innovation is fundamental to economic growth, and this programme helps strengthen the West Midlands' position in key growth sectors. Local partners are expected to provide over 2,300 skilled jobs while helping to leverage more than £180 million in private investment.
In addition to the FORGE programme, the funding is distributed through three other flagship innovation initiatives: the Advanced Manufacturing FORGE, led by the University of Warwick, focusing on technology-driven industrial transformation and supply chain agility in future mobility and clean energy transition; the Health and Life Sciences Clinical Trials Catalyst, led by the University of Birmingham, aiming to strengthen regional expertise in clinical trials, near-patient biomanufacturing, and regulation to drive healthcare innovation commercialisation; and the Creative Industries Scaling Laboratory (CISL), led by the University of Warwick, supporting immersive technology, AI-driven innovation, and design-led enterprises to accelerate creative industry growth. Eligible organisations include startups, growth companies, SMEs, large enterprises, and research institutions headquartered in the West Midlands. Projects must be delivered through collaboration between industry, academia, and the public sector, with a focus on innovation commercialisation and achieving tangible economic impact. The West Midlands is one of 17 regions in the UK supported through the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund.
