DigiSpinWM pilot programme celebrates milestone and showcases investor-ready innovations

The DigiSpinWM pilot programme, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at accelerating the spin-out of digital and advanced manufacturing innovations in the West Midlands, celebrated its 6-month milestone with a successful showcase event.

Funded by Research England and a collaboration between the University of Wolverhampton, Coventry University and Birmingham City University through the West Midlands Combined Universities, DigiSpinWM set out to test a concept: to establish a shared model for spinning out digital and advanced manufacturing innovations in a faster, smarter, and more investment-ready manner.

The programme has demonstrably achieved significant progress in its first six months:

• Over 40 promising technologies have been rigorously assessed for their spin-out potential.
• Participants have benefited from bespoke support tailored to their specific spin-out and intellectual property development needs.
• An impressive 11 investor-ready innovations have been nurtured and are now poised to pitch to potential investors.
• The initiative has facilitated the development of a unified framework for technology transfer across the participating universities in the West Midlands.

The event served as a platform to commend the participants who have advanced their 11 inspiring innovations. These ventures, ranging from early-stage technologies to near-market solutions, each hold the potential to generate significant real-world impact.

Ceri Jones, Director of Research & Enterprise at the University of Wolverhampton, commented: "The DigiSpinWM pilot has been a truly transformative journey for the University of Wolverhampton and our partners. Witnessing the evolution of these 11 innovations into investor-ready ventures underscores the power of collaborative support and a unified regional approach to technology transfer. We are incredibly proud of the participants and excited to see the real-world impact these spinouts will undoubtedly create, further strengthening the West Midlands' position as a leader in digital and advanced manufacturing."

The success of the DigiSpinWM pilot is also attributed to the invaluable contributions of academic partners, business growth advisors, mentors, and reviewers, whose expertise and support have been instrumental in guiding the programme and shaping the next generation of university spinouts. Their commitment has played a crucial role in strengthening the West Midlands’ innovation ecosystem.

The showcase event provided a crucial opportunity for a selection of the 11 investor-ready ventures to present their concepts live to an audience of investors, stakeholders, and innovation leaders. This marked a significant step towards securing the investment needed to bring these promising technologies to market.

DigiSpinWM is proving to be more than just a pilot programme; it is emerging as a blueprint for transformative change in how university research is translated into regional growth. By fostering collaboration and building a shared innovation infrastructure, the participating universities are demonstrating a powerful model for accelerating the journey of groundbreaking ideas from the lab to the market, directly supporting the West Midlands Investment Zone vision.

"What began as an ambitious experiment is now actively shaping the future of how we convert research into tangible regional benefits," added Ceri Jones. "We are committed to maintaining this momentum and further solidifying the West Midlands as a hub for digital and advanced manufacturing innovation."

Note:

DigiSpinWM is a pilot programme funded by Research England and led by Coventry University, with partners Birmingham City University and the University of Wolverhampton through the West Midlands Combined Universities. The programme aims to build a shared model for spinning out digital and advanced manufacturing innovations faster, smarter within the West Midlands.