‘Forging Ahead’ Aims to Position Midlands as a Global Hub for Research Commercialisation"

Midlands Boosted by £9.9 Million Fund to Transform Research into Real-World Innovation

The Midlands, a dynamic region with a population of 11 million and an economy comparable to Denmark’s, has long been recognised for its entrepreneurial spirit and high-growth companies. However, despite its potential, the region has historically received only 5% of the total investment in high-growth enterprises, which has limited opportunities for further development.

A significant investment gap persists, particularly concerning university spinouts. Since 2010, Midlands universities have produced 169 spinouts—14.5% of the UK total—but these ventures raised only 15p for every £1 secured by their counterparts in London, Oxford, and Cambridge during their first seven years. This disparity has hindered the region’s ability to retain leadership talent, with nearly 40% of spinouts being founded elsewhere, making the Midlands a net exporter of high-value jobs and research-driven businesses.

To address these challenges and drive innovation, a coalition of 15 Midlands university partners has launched an ambitious initiative called "Forging Ahead." Led by Loughborough University and Midlands Innovation, the programme is designed to transform the way research and innovation are translated into real-world impact across the region. The initiative aims to unlock the Midlands’ untapped potential by fostering stronger collaboration between universities, businesses, and policymakers, positioning the region as a leading hub for technological advancement and economic growth.

The five-year initiative will be delivered in two phases. Phase one focuses on developing entrepreneurial talent, enhancing investment readiness, and embedding a culture of innovation both within and beyond universities. This phase will scale successful models and pilot new, accessible, inclusive, and impactful approaches to commercialisation. Phase two will introduce targeted interventions to accelerate innovation in key sectors, such as Advanced Manufacturing, Creative and Digital, Health and Med Tech, and Net Zero. These efforts aim to position the Midlands as a nationally significant hub for mission-led innovation, driving regional growth and contributing to national prosperity.

The long-term goal of the "Forging Ahead" initiative is to establish a lasting legacy of collaboration among universities, spinout founders, and public and private sector partners. This collaborative legacy is intended to sustain innovation-led growth, elevate the Midlands’ status as a globally competitive centre for enterprise, and support the commercialisation of research. The initiative secured £9.9 million from Research England’s Connecting Capability Fund, with an additional £6.1 million in matched support from partner universities and regional stakeholders. However, commentators emphasised that it is the strength of collaboration and a shared commitment to transformative change that truly sets the "Forging Ahead" programme apart as a model for reshaping regional innovation ecosystems.

Despite the Midlands’ strong university knowledge base and initiatives like Midlands Mindforge, challenges around fragmented talent and expertise persist. The "Forging Ahead" initiative aims to tackle these issues by developing a regional talent pool, expanding successful business accelerators, encouraging inward investment, and enhancing innovation networks within priority sectors. These efforts are expected to attract intellectual property-rich spinouts and high-growth enterprises, further reinforcing the region’s innovation ecosystem and contributing to the broader UK industrial strategy.

Stakeholders have stated that the programme’s long-term goal is to build a lasting legacy of collaboration among universities, spinout founders, and public and private sector partners. This legacy aims to sustain innovation-led growth and position the Midlands as a globally competitive hub for enterprise and research commercialisation.

The funding award was officially announced on Friday, 9 May 2025, by Lord Vallance, Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation, during his visit to the Midlands, where he met with senior academic leaders from the participating institutions. In his statement, Lord Vallance highlighted the Midlands' rich history of innovation, particularly in creative industries, health, and clean energy. He emphasised that the new support would help transform research ideas into successful businesses, driving investment, creating jobs, and fostering economic growth in alignment with the government’s Plan for Change.

Professor Dan Parsons, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at Loughborough University and Project Lead, expressed his excitement about the investment. He emphasised that it would accelerate innovation-led growth, support high-potential spinouts, advance research commercialisation, and create an ecosystem where talent is both attracted to and retained in the region. He further noted that "Forging Ahead" exemplifies the power of collaborative leadership across Midlands universities in transforming academic excellence into tangible economic and societal benefits, contributing to regional development and national prosperity. The "Forging Ahead" initiative stands as a transformative step towards unlocking the Midlands' full potential, driving innovation, and ensuring sustainable economic growth for the region and the nation.

Editor's Note:

The "Forging Ahead" initiative marks a pivotal moment for the Midlands, a region historically rich in innovation but often overlooked for investment in high-growth enterprises. With an ambitious £9.9 million investment from Research England and a further £6.1 million in matched funding, this programme sets out to bridge the region's significant investment gap, particularly for university spinouts. By fostering collaboration between universities, businesses, and policymakers, the initiative will drive technological advancement and create jobs and stimulate economic growth across key sectors, such as Advanced Manufacturing, Health, and Net Zero. This programme’s long-term vision of cultivating a thriving, sustainable innovation ecosystem is vital for ensuring the Midlands becomes a globally competitive hub for research, commercialisation and enterprise. 

Skoobuzz asserts that as the UK seeks to strengthen its industrial strategy, "Forging Ahead" is a critical step in ensuring the region plays its part in the country’s broader economic success. The project’s potential to attract high-growth enterprises, nurture leadership talent, and retain intellectual property-rich spinouts is fundamental to reshaping the region’s future and contributing to the nation’s prosperity.