SOLIHULL and Birmingham have been exclusively selected as the UK’s top destination for opportunities in Data Driven Healthcare and Technologies, as part of a major new programme from the Department for International Trade to boost Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
Under the programme, the Coventry and Warwickshire region has also been declared a nationally significant destination for advancing Connected and Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) Modelling and Simulation.
Tim Pile, chair of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP), said: “The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has brought to the fore the critical role of innovative, data-driven healthcare systems.
“The Greater Birmingham region continues to be a major proving ground for technologies in this field, anchored by the world-class research capabilities of our universities and powerful alliances that include Birmingham Health Partners.
“Government’s endorsement of our digital healthcare ecosystem as a High Potential Opportunity will help the GBSLEP in partnership with the West Midlands Growth Company drive further investment into this nationally important cluster.”
His opposite number at Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), Nick Abell, added: “Coventry and Warwickshire is a global force in future mobility, including low carbon propulsion and autonomous technologies.
“This support from the Department for International Trade will help us to promote our internationally significant strengths and identify supply chain gaps and opportunities for new investment and jobs.
Dan Storer, chief investment officer at the West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC) – the organisation charged with attracting inward investment into the region, said: “Despite current economic challenges, the West Midlands remains a strategically investable destination which this latest Government announcement shows.
“We welcome this added impetus from the Department for International Trade (DIT), which will support our inward investment efforts ahead of major opportunities such as the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.”
The West Midlands has been ranked as the UK’s leading location for securing overseas investment outside of London and the south east for the fifth year in a row, thanks to investment from companies such as Lotus Cars, IPG Photonics, and Alvarez & Marsal.
