Driving innovation forward: Highlights from Innovate Local West Midlands
Celebrating local innovators and upcoming opportunities at Innovate Local West Midlands. Innovate Local: West Midlands showcased the incredible contributions of the West Midlands in innovation and the vital role innovators play in shaping the future of business.
Setting the scene for innovation in the West Midlands
Hosted by Kola Ladejobi (Innovate UK Business Connect), the opening of the day began with a short video reflecting on delivery and impact to date, reinforcing confidence in the region’s innovation ambitions. Sarah Windrum from the West Midlands Innovation Board spoke about how the region is leading the UK’s innovation revolution and outlined priorities for future growth, while Nazia Iqbal, Regional Manager for the West Midlands at Innovate UK, provided a forward look at how the Innovate UK system will continue to support businesses through funding, expertise and connections.
Start with why: The imperative to innovate
The Start with why session explored what innovation means in practice and why it is essential for businesses of all sizes. Hosted by Ian McLaughlan, Strategic Lead at Business Growth West Midlands, the session brought together perspectives from local government, intellectual property and national measurement science. Jon Egley from Birmingham City Council then highlighted the importance of innovation in driving competitiveness, protecting ideas and unlocking productivity, helping businesses understand where to focus their efforts and why innovation should be a strategic priority.
Starting and scaling a business in the West Midlands
The panel on Starting and scaling a business in the West Midlands focused on innovation for all, sharing lived experiences from a wide range of sectors and business models. Facilitated by Jim Sims (WMCA), the discussion featured speakers including Becky Mallaband (NEC Digital Studio), Dr Andreas Schroeder (Lancaster University Management School / Aston University), Jarvey Moss (Saible), Iain Collis (Metal Assemblies), Ilisha Masaun (Econominds) and Chris Randall (Second Home Studios). Panellists reflected on the practical steps businesses can take to innovate, the challenges of growth, and the value of collaboration, skills and specialist support in scaling successfully.
How to innovate: Using the Innovation Canvas
The Innovation Canvas session introduced a practical tool to help businesses prioritise next steps at any stage of their innovation journey. Hosted by Kezia Williamson (Innovate UK Business Connect), speakers John Bound (Innovate UK Business Connect), Daniel Burridge (IPO) and Mohammed Mir (NPL) walked through key considerations including intellectual property, finance, skills and markets. The session linked these themes to later parallel sessions, giving attendees a clear framework to assess their current position and identify actionable pathways forward.
Digitalisation for growth
The day also explored how digital adoption can support productivity and product development through the Digitalisation for growth panel. Hosted by Joanna Birch, the session brought together a diverse mix of perspectives from Yiannis Maos MBE (Unloq, Birmingham Tech Week, TechWM), Nathan Bailey (Advanced Innovative Engineering), Shammi Raichura (Uber) and Davies Okeowo (Service Business Innovation Accelerator). Speakers shared insights on how digital tools, mindsets and support structures can unlock new growth opportunities, offering inspiration and practical routes for businesses to begin or accelerate their own digitalisation journeys.
About Innovate Local
The Innovate Local programme is now in its sixth year and provides an unprecedented opportunity for businesses to find out more about the products and services offered through Innovate UK and our local partners, which help guide and transform businesses.
About Innovate UK
Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is the UK’s innovation agency. It works to create a better future by inspiring, involving and investing in businesses developing life-changing innovations. Its mission is to help companies to grow through their development and commercialisation of new products, processes, and services, supported by an outstanding innovation ecosystem that is agile, inclusive and easy to navigate.
Related Events and Recordings
Related programme
Innovate Local
Working alongside partners, businesses and stakeholders, Innovate UK hosts this series of events to help innovative businesses maximise their success.