WM HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES CLUSTER LTD
HealthTech WM Newsletter – June 2025
Science investment: a superpower in the West Midlands
A new report from UKRI sets out just how much public investment in R&D in the West Midlands has come on in leaps and bounds in the last three years.
Investment in science and technology to help create jobs and growth in the West Midlands has seen a £171 million increase since 2021-2022.
Half of UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) investments last year were made to organisations outside London and the South East, the highest proportion ever.
This represents an additional £1.4 billion invested outside the Greater South East since 2021 to 2022.
All regions and nations received an increase but one of the greatest absolute increases was in the West Midlands.
Significant investments in the region include West Midlands Innovation Accelerator which recently had extended funding and is helping the city-region to become a major, globally competitive centre for research and innovation.
The programme has created more than 160 jobs already and attracted £74M in co-investment.
Events
We are awaiting the outcome of our bid for funding for a successor programme to Kick Start for HealthTech, provisionally entitled Gateway to HealthTech Innovation, for 2025-26. Stand by for details of the new programme if our funding application is successful.
I convened the latest meeting of the WM HealthTech Land Insights Forum on 24th June.
The conference on Robotics and Autonomous Systems due on 26th June was postponed by MTC.
I attended the Cybersecurity in Healthcare workshop hosted at Aston University and presented by the Innovative Health Working Group, in partnership with the WM Cyber Working Group on 30th June.
Coming up:
10 July Plug and Play UK’s Health Showcase, the first event to be hosted at the newly opened Precision Health Technologies Accelerator, the cornerstone of the Birmingham Health Innovation Campus 14.00hrs – 18.30hrs. Speakers from Midlands Mindforge and AstraZeneca, and signups from investors, industry and key innovation leaders from the region’s universities (Birmingham, Warwick, Aston).
To register go here.
16 July Infiltrate the Golden Triangle by attending DBT’s Made in the UK, Sold to the World Roadshow, 09.00hrs – 15.00hrs at The Kings Centre, Osney Mean, Oxford, OX2 0ES. Learn how to enhance your export potential, improve your global competitiveness, and meet the growing demand for sustainable products. You could also benefit from the opportunity to meet relevant, overseas Life Sciences buyers.
To register, go here.
17/18 July West Midlands IVD Innovation & Adoption Conference 2025, Edgbaston Park Hotel, Birmingham over 2 days. The WM Health Technologies Innovation Accelerator, in partnership with ABHI, Birmingham Health Partners and PHTA Ltd is bringing together experts across academia, industry and NHS dedicated to advancing diagnostic innovation and adoption. Attendees will also gain a better understanding of the Birmingham health innovation ecosystem as well as details of NHS adoption, evaluation, regulation and funding pathways for diagnostics.
To register go here.
21 July Launch of the West Midlands Growth Plan at University of Wolverhampton’s Springfield Building (The Atrium), Springfield Campus, University of Wolverhampton, WV10 0JR, 11.00hrs – 14.00hrs, registration and refreshments from 10:30hrs. You may have responded previously to the Green Paper, now you can find out about the finished plan and how it will align with the Government’s newly-published Industrial Strategy. I haven’t seen the registration details but you can email wmf@wmca.org.uk for this information.
Medilink Midlands Innovation Day 2025
Date: Wednesday, 17th September 2025
Time: Full day event (specific timings to be confirmed upon registration)
Venue: Aston Villa Football Club, Trinity Rd, Birmingham B6 6HE
Join us for the Medilink Midlands Innovation Day – bringing together the Midlands life sciences and MedTech community for a dynamic day of inspiration, connectivity, and
opportunity. We are thrilled to invite West Midlands Health Technology Cluster members to book their places for this flagship event, whether you wish to attend to gain insights or showcase your innovations as an exhibitor.
Why Attend?
- More value and content with two agenda’s running parallel there will be more
choice and topics covered through the day. - Exclusive networking-
- Practical sessions tailored to help you grow, collaborate, and innovate
Why Exhibit?
- Elevate your presence and position your organisation at the forefront of innovation by exhibiting at our Innovation Day. Exhibiting offers a unique platform to:
- Showcase Your Innovations: Present your products, services, and expertise directly to a highly engaged audience of industry professionals, potential clients,
and collaborators. - Generate High-Quality Leads: Meet decision-makers and build valuable relationships that can drive new business opportunities.
- Boost Brand Visibility: Enhance your organisation’s profile within the vibrant Midlands health and life sciences ecosystem.
- Gather Feedback: Receive direct insights and feedback on your offerings from potential users and partners.
- Network Strategically: Enjoy dedicated time to connect with attendees and other exhibitors.
To book your attendance or register your interest to exhibit, please visit: Medilink Midlands Innovation Day | Medtech Expo
You’re Invited! West Midlands Health Technologies Cluster members can redeem exclusive discounts (to exhibit) by using the codes below.
o Standard table: MMSTAEXPO25 (entitles you to a £225 discount)
o Poseur table stand: MMPOEXPO25 (entitles you to a £150 discount)
15-19 Sep Life Sciences Week
The West Midlands has taken the lead in organising an inaugural Life Sciences Week relevant to the whole UK to be held here in our region between 15th and 19th September.
We are pleased to be a partner organisation for this bold enterprise, and we will have a strong presence at events during the Week.
Already a huge number of people have expressed an interest in being part of the activities, and you will find an impressive list of events that are already confirmed on the West Midlands Life Sciences Week website.
If you want to find out which events to attend, or host your own event during Life Sciences Week, just head over to the website to register your interest: West Midlands Life Sciences Week 2025 – Register Today
Funding Opportunities
- Investment Readiness and Business Advice for SMEs Programmes
Business Growth WM manages these two programmes giving access to free advice and grants to eligible WM businesses. Check out whether either programme will suit your business.
For the details go here.
2. Business Energy Advisory Service
The Business Energy Advice Service (BEAS) is a pilot programme designed to help businesses save money and drive growth by providing free energy assessments and 50% match-funded grants.
There is no payback required on the grants, and BEAS is part of a broader government initiative aimed at reducing carbon emissions nationwide.
For details and to see if your business is eligible go here.
3. WM Co Investment Fund
Midven still has WMCA funds to provide innovative businesses with equity of up to £1m when matched by private co-investment, helping them to expand and develop the region’s companies of the future. The fund aims to support SMEs with brilliant, well-developed propositions and vision who are hungry for growth.
For further details see here
4. Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund
A share of £520M is available to support HealthTech businesses in the West Midlands looking to be part of a capital investment programme that will deliver growth and innovative processes and products. I only know of one application from our region to date, so here is a reminder to consider whether this funding might be accessible for you.
The Fund is UK and sector wide and will provide capital grants for investments in the manufacture of:
- Human medicines (this includes both the manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) / drug substance and finished product / drug product).
- Medical diagnostics – for both disease identification and monitoring.
- MedTech products – all types of medical devices related to human health.
For guidance and how to enter an Expression of Interest see here
5. Horizon Europe
The European Commission has published the Horizon Europe 2025 Funding Opportunities (Work Programme). It Calls for Expressions of Interest across a wide range of subject areas, including health (especially cancer), explains the Calls procedure, gives details of Information Days, Partnering Events, Travel Grants and Support and referencing information on Innovate UK International Funding Opportunities for Health).
Contact me if you are interested but don’t know where to start in expressing your interest.
For the information published by the European Commission see here
6. Health Technologies Connectivity Awards: round two
You must be based at a UK research organisation to be eligible. £4M funding (maximum award £0.5M) to spend time in a different research or user environment to build new connections applicable to health technologies. Novel engineering and physical sciences (EPS) research contributing to the delivery of the health technologies strategy must comprise a proportion of the placement.
The closing date for bids is: 02 October 2025, 16.00hrs.
Full details here.
7. Forging Ahead/Forging Beyond
As part of a £30M Government-funded initiative to prime the Public sector to bring innovative ideas out of government labs and onto the market, a ”mini-Mindforge” is receiving almost £10 million over 5 years to address the talent, expertise and skills gaps in the Midlands by creating a Talent Pool, inward investment champions and innovation networks. The project will particularly target Heath, Advanced Manufacturing, Net Zero, and Creative & Digital sectors.
Full details here
£715,000 funding is available to support small-scale projects that address barriers to innovation in the West Midlands and create new collaborative approaches, driving growth across our region’s key clusters and sectors.
This opportunity will support a minimum of six pilot projects to be delivered in 2025–2026.
The closing date for bids is: 09 June 2025, 5.00pm.
Full details here
Health Technologies Sector News
1. Emerging risks in Life Sciences
Join WTW, alongside a specialist panel from Willis and Chubb, to discover more about the emerging risks and trends in the life sciences industry. The panel will cover:
Geo turbulence: How world events impact your business decisions
Casualty claims: Latest trends across the industry and how to prepare effective defence strategies to achieve the best outcomes
Clinical trials: Regulations regarding the need for specific insurance coverage and considerations for trials outside the UK
Artificial intelligence: Risks organisations face using AI.
Wednesday, 16 July 2025, 8.45hrs to 14.00hrs including networking and lunch. Location: WTW, 51 Lime Street, London EC3M 7DQ
If you’d like to attend RSVP joanne.stubbs@wtwco.com
2. NHS robotics drive
NHS England has announced a major increase in robotic surgery over the next decade as part of radical plans to cut waiting times. Half a million operations will be supported by the trailblazing approach every year by 2035, up from 70,000 in 2023/24, according to NHS projections. And 9 in 10 of all keyhole surgeries, such as the removal of certain organs affected by cancer, will be delivered with robot assistance within the next 10 years.
For more details go here.
3. NHS transformation – money for digital solutions
The £30 billion boost for the NHS, unveiled as part of the Chancellor’s first major Spending Review, includes £10 billion earmarked specifically for digital and tech transformation, laying the groundwork for a system designed to be faster, more agile, and truly fit for the future.
For more information go here.
4. HealthTech WM Narrative
Now finalised and with the designers, the new, single Narrative for HealthTech WM will be out soon.
The Narrative is constructed around four strengths:
- Digital connectivity (in all its senses)
- Innovation ingrained
- Unrivalled Collaboration
- Proven Track Record.
In summing up these strengths, the suggested Key Words for promotion of our sector are:
Connect – Innovate – Collaborate – Achieve
Look out for comms around the launch of the Narrative shortly.
If you want any further information about the Narrative, get in touch with David Kidney: david@wmhtc.co.uk
5. £86bn for ‘breakthrough’ UK science and tech R&D
New drug treatments, longer-lasting batteries and developing artificial intelligence are among research projects that will receive funding as part of an £86bn government investment into science and technology.
Ministers have announced a £22.5bn a year commitment in research and development (R&D) over the next four years, including up to £500m for regional authorities to target the investment locally.
The announcement came just ahead of the Spending Review.
See a report of the announcement here.
West Midlands Region News
1. A new register of UK university spin-outs
A novel UK spin-out register provides for the first time a complete ‘official’ list of all spin-out companies produced by UK universities with the launch of the UK’s first spin-out register by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
It is possible now to search for new spin-outs by each university, and from the first year’s publication of the register (statistics for 2023-24), I see that our universities performed as follows:
ASTON 12
BCU 5
BIRMINGHAM 46
COVENTRY 50
WARWICK 51
WOLVERHAMTON 11
This being the first year, the figures are experimental and will no doubt be refined going forward. On this basis though, congratulations to Birmingham, Coventry and Warwick on excellent performances.
For information about the new spin-outs register go here
For the searchable register go here
2. WM Growth Plan
Building on the West Midlands Futures Green Paper consultation (over 250 responses received), the West Midlands Growth Plan will outline a clear roadmap to unlock opportunity, drive innovation, and deliver prosperity for all. It will also complement the Government’s recently-published Modern Industrial Strategy.
See my Events section for details of the launch to be held at University of Wolverhampton’s Springfield Building (The Atrium), Springfield Campus, University of Wolverhampton, WV10 0JR, 11.00hrs – 14.00hrs, registration and refreshments from 10:30hrs. I haven’t seen the registration details but you can email wmf@wmca.org.uk for this information.
3. Robotics and Autonomous Systems adoption in the WM
Make UK, the leading voice for UK manufacturing and engineering, has released a joint study in partnership with the West Midlands Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Cluster commissioned by the West Midlands Combined Authority. Drawing on insights from over 100 manufacturers, the report outlines the potential for RAS technologies across the region’s industrial base and calls for urgent, coordinated action to scale up adoption.
For the details go here.
National and International News
1. The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy
The Government has now published the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy – the 10-year plan to kickstart economic prosperity. This aims to tackle the root causes behind the UK’s lack of competitiveness and forging a new relationship between business and government. The centrepiece of the strategy is reducing energy costs for big electricity users.
The Strategy signals that government investment will lean towards eight growth-driving sectors and the places and clusters that support them, referred to as the IS-8, and creating new opportunities in areas like digital, engineering and life sciences, with opportunities for workers to upskill and fill vacancies, as well as supporting businesses to scale up. All eight of these growth-driving sectors will be bolstered by individual sector plans.
Main points include:
- Cut delays to medical trials and “streamline” drug approval processes at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to accelerate development of new treatments and make it more attractive for companies to invest in the UK.
- NHS procurement of medical technology will also be accelerated.
- Overseas investment support will be focused on the IS-8 companies, and ambassadors in key markets will be tasked with drawing up plans to help those sectors
- Overseas investment support will be focused on the IS-8 companies, and ambassadors in key markets will be tasked with drawing up plans to help those sectors
- The British Business Bank will be allowed to take equity stakes for the first time of up to £60m
- A “British industrial competitiveness scheme” to reduce electricity costs for 7,000 businesses that use electricity intensively
- Speeding up grid connections
For all the details of the strategy go here.
2. Boost for training and apprenticeships
I have only read the news reports of an announcement made by business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, of an additional £275M funding for new technical excellence colleges, short courses in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital manufacturing, and major capital upgrades to training providers across England.
For the news story go here.
3. Spending Review announcements
Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveiled the outcome of the Spending Review, with spending plans that will effectively define this government’s term in office. Highlights include:
- R&D budgets increasing to £22.6bn, including £500m for the new R&D Missions Accelerator Programme
- £410m for a Local Innovation Partnership Fund to support local leaders to drive innovation
- Life Sciences sector uplifts such as £600m for Health Data Research Service and £520m for resilience in health emergencies.
- Growth Mission Fund to invest £240m of capital in projects that enable local job creation and the economic regeneration of local communities.
- £2.6bn capital investment to decarbonise transport including £1.4bn to support the continued uptake of electric vehicles and £400m to support the rollout of charging infrastructure.
- An overall £1.2bn of additional skills investment per year, benefiting 1.3m 16-19 year-olds in England and a £187m ‘Tech First’ national skills programme to bring digital skills and AI learning into classrooms and communities.
- Funding for the 8 Youth Guarantee and inactivity Trailblazers announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper will be extended.
- £132.5 million of dormant assets will be unlocked – via the Dormant Assets Fund – to support disadvantaged young people to access music, sport, and drama through investment in facilities and libraries
- £39bn for the Affordable Housing Programme to be spent over the next 10 years by Local Authorities.
There were two specific mentions of the West Midlands: the extension of the Metro and progress the Midlands Rail Hub West.
For all the details go here.
4. British Business Bank
In the Spending Review, British Business Bank’s funding capacity was raised to £25.6bn from about £15.6bn. The bank has a souped-up range of investment schemes, mainly aimed at the eight key sectors that Ministers believe have the highest potential to drive economic growth over the next decade: advanced manufacturing, the creative industries, life sciences, clean energy, defence, digital and tech firms including artificial intelligence, financial and professional services.
The BBB will now expand regional investment programmes aimed at finding promising businesses outside London, hunt for specialist fund managers to deploy its cash, and launch a turbo-charged direct investment programme that will see it take stakes of up to £60m in individual companies.
For all the details go here.
SPOTLIGHT ON…
Linear Diagnostics Limited
Member company Linear Diagnostics Limited has been awarded £1m funding to finalise the development of a rapid test for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), in readiness for clinical trials. The company is developing a low-cost, accurate, near-patient diagnostic platform, that aims to diagnose infection from a single sample faster than any commercially available alternative.
The funding was awarded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Invention for Innovation programme to cover a three-year package of work by Linear, in partnership with NIHR HRC in Diagnostic and Technology Evaluation and the North East Innovation Lab – part of Newcastle Hospitals.
This is one more step forward for this local, innovative HealthTech business which I am sure will lead to great things in the future. It has been a delight to see Linear Diagnostics grow, having received previously spin-out support from University of Birmingham and coaching from the WM Health Technologies Innovation Accelerator. Good luck everyone!
I hope you enjoy reading my e-bulletin. Feel free to contact me personally with your feedback and suggestions for future activities at david@wmhtc.co.uk
Regards,
Executive Chair.
