Midlands Mindforge announces investment phase, with first spinout investments deployed
A major milestone for Midlands Mindforge, co-founded by eight Midlands universities to scale high potential, research led businesses emerging from the Midlands.
Lord Patrick Vallance, Minister for Science, Innovation and Research, announces the news at the Midlands Innovation & Investment Reception.
Midlands Mindforge, the investment company dedicated to supporting university spinouts and other science and technology businesses in the Midlands, has completed its first round of investments.
The news was announced today by Lord Patrick Vallance, Minister for Science, Innovation and Research, at the UK Global R&D and Science Investment Summit, where senior leaders from the University of Birmingham and Birmingham spin-out companies are in attendance to showcase the Midlands’ world‑leading research strengths and investment‑ready opportunities on a global stage.
This milestone is a strong marker of intent. It demonstrates that Midlands’ stakeholders are aligned, persistent, and serious about working collectively to attract investment at scale: investment that supports innovators and entrepreneurs to build ambitious companies delivering regional and national economic and societal benefit.
The announcement marks a major milestone for Midlands Mindforge, which was co-founded eight research-intensive Midlands universities, including the University of Birmingham, to accelerate the commercialisation of science and technology developed across the region, address the historic under-investment in the region’s university spin-outs, and help to create high‑growth businesses, attract investment and deliver long-term economic benefits.
Dr Lisa Smith, Chief Executive of Midlands Mindforge, said: “This is a significant moment for Midlands Mindforge as we move to actively investing in the region’s innovation future while continuing to complete our initial raise. The Midlands has an exceptional depth of research talent and entrepreneurial ambition, and our role is to help unlock that potential by providing the capital and support needed for ideas to grow into globally competitive businesses.”
An initial £30m of capital for the region
Drawing on its unique access to the Midlands university ecosystem, Midlands Mindforge has identified a pipeline of world-leading science and technology businesses with strong commercial and scale potential. Over the coming weeks, Midlands Mindforge and its regional partners will unveil further details of these initial investments in a first cohort of carefully selected companies.
The investment will help unlock an initial £30m of capital into the region. Mindforge will make its first round of investments into outstanding Midlands spinout companies producing cutting edge antennae technology, a novel drug delivery platform for the eye, and water sensor technology to protect our river systems.
Unlocking full innovation potential
This progression reflects growing confidence in the Midlands’ ability to translate its research strengths into a credible, investment‑ready pipeline of high‑quality opportunities. Together with Combined Authorities and regional partners, Midlands Mindforge is helping to build a more connected, competitive and investment‑ready innovation environment — generating a strong pipeline of world‑class opportunities with the potential to deliver significant economic and social benefits for the Midlands and beyond.
Professor Sir Nishan Canagarajah, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester and Chair of Midlands Innovation, said: “The Midlands has the talent, the ideas and the research strength to lead on the global stage. This milestone demonstrates what can be achieved when universities, investors and regional leaders work together with a shared purpose.”
David Coleman, CEO of University of Birmingham Enterprise, added: “This milestone is a strong marker of intent. It demonstrates that Midlands’ stakeholders are aligned, persistent, and serious about working collectively to attract investment at scale: investment that supports innovators and entrepreneurs to build ambitious companies delivering regional and national economic and societal benefit.”
Notes for editors
Notes for editors
For media information contact Ruth Ashton, email: r.c.ashton@bham.ac.uk
About Midlands Mindforge
Midlands Mindforge is an investment company established by eight universities to invest in world-leading science and technology companies from across the Midlands. Mindforge supports entrepreneurs to build and manage high-growth businesses. Supporting these high-growth companies in the Midlands creates an economic flywheel with local impact. Mindforge’s rich and unique deal pipeline underpins its mission to deliver attractive financial returns for its shareholders. Mindforge founding-partner universities are: Aston, Birmingham, Cranfield, Keele, Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham, and Warwick.
About Midlands Innovation
Midlands Innovation (MI) is an ambitious research and innovation partnership, combining the collective excellence of eight world-class universities in the heart of the UK: Aston University, University of Birmingham, Cranfield University, Keele University, University of Leicester, Loughborough University, University of Nottingham and University of Warwick.
Together, we are committed to building a vibrant and sustainable research and innovation ecosystem for the Midlands that is renowned for its excellence in R&D and helps to facilitate global investment. We unite the power of university research with the unique strengths of Midlands industry to drive cutting-edge research, innovation and skills development to create opportunities for our people, place and partnership.