Two nights. One venue. One message: The Midlands is overflowing with talent - and finally building the momentum it deserves.
We hosted our 3rd Midlands Investment Forum (our 2nd in Birmingham) at The Exchange University of Birmingham, powered not not by a big budget, but by the belief and determination of a handful of brilliant people working alongside Andy Yeoman, the brilliant John Cooke, and the support of TechWM and Katherine Fuller.
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In the room: founders, angels, VCs, university leaders, and representatives from across the ecosystem including Mindforge, Innovate UK, HSBC, professional services firms, corporates, and many universities.
A cardiac surgeon, showcasing PerDeCT: a breakthrough tech that could save lives in operating theatres worldwide.
Converting elite human movement into insights for the $250bn sports performance market.
Transforming government meetings with remote attendance, proxy voting and seamless digital governance.
Advanced AI simulation reshaping industrial design and already delivering commercial impact.
Using AI voice agents to audit the human layer in cyber breaches.
A remarkable learning platform improving educational outcomes and giving disadvantaged students tools for free.
Serious companies solving serious problems - exactly why MIF exists.
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And then, the very next night, Elevate (the University of Birmingham’s venture incubator) celebrated their 5th birthday with 21 amazing founders delivering rapid-fire pitches.
The energy, confidence and ambition on display were extraordinary. And on a personal note, a memorable moment at MIF:
As part of the event, everyone attending was offered a copy of my new book ‘Be More Strategic’. And several people have commented since that its core message — awareness → choice → action → impact - is exactly the mindset the region and its entrepreneurial ecosystem now needs.
A nice reminder that strategy isn’t a document… it’s a way of showing up
What’s happened since?
- More connections than we can track.
- Direct investor interest in several of the scale-ups and Elevate founders.
- New collaborations emerging with other regional innovation ecosystems across the UK.
More news to follow, so stay tuned!
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The Midlands doesn’t have a talent problem. It has a visibility, connectivity, and narrative problem. And together, we’re fixing that, one founder, one investor, one room at a time. Our ambition remains simple:Make the Midlands the #1 region in the UK to start, scale and invest in a business.
Momentum is here. Let’s build it.
