University of Birmingham Enterprise Annual Review
2025-26 was a year of strong progress, with foundations built over the last decade translating into tangible value.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, with Dr Richard Willliams, CEO of spin-out Healome Therapeutics, at a demonstration of Healome's novel eye drop technology
University of Birmingham Enterprise has published its Review of 2025-26, a dynamic and impactful year that saw growth and investment in spin-outs, and standout moments of progress resulting from our work in the Midlands region.
Quantum spin-out Delta.g raised £4.6 million in a Seed round, a record for a Birmingham spin-out. More recently, eye care treatment company Healome Therapeutics announced a £2 million over-subscribed Seed round, KVector, which is developing a next generation antenna technology, raised £3.8 million and medical diagnostics company IMS Solutions raised £1.1 million.
In recent years we have focussed on improving the quality of each opportunity by ensuring our spin-out companies are based on distinctive, high potential technologies and experienced leadership, so they are more attractive to investors. As a result, we have seen large seed rounds in what is still a difficult fundraising environment.
Three of these Seed rounds (Healome, KVector, and IMS Solutions) involved Midlands Mindforge, a patient capital investment company set up by research-intensive Midlands universities to invest in world-class science and technology businesses created in the region.
University of Birmingham Enterprise played a pivotal role in convening decision makers from the eight co-founding universities and worked with Midlands Innovation to drive progress behind the scenes before the investment company was established in 2023. In June this year, Mindforge announced it had entered the investment phase at the UK Global R&D and Science Investment Summit, which showcased the Midlands’ world‑leading research strengths and investment‑ready opportunities on a world stage.
Collaboration between Midlands universities has been further strengthened through the £16m Forging Ahead project. Launched in 2025, Forging Ahead aims to turn the Midlands’ research and innovation strengths into commercial success, strengthening networks, building capacity and supporting diverse talent to drive inclusive economic growth.
The projects initiated or supported by the Enterprise team create impact, and also deliver direct benefit to the Midlands, by supporting innovative young companies, improving the well-being of local residents, or fostering conditions where innovation can flourish.
Universities are increasingly expected to provide more than traditional degree outputs, and the formation and funding of spin-outs is amongst the clearest evidence of economic impact. The groundwork laid in previous years has started to crystallise, and is now bringing direct benefit to the University, the region, and the nation.
Notes for editors
Notes for editors
For media information contact Ruth Ashton, University of Birmingham Enterprise, email: r.c.ashton@bham.ac.uk
The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, teachers and more than 40,000 students from over 150 countries.
England’s first civic university, the University of Birmingham is proud to be rooted in one of the most dynamic and diverse cities in the country. A member of the Russell Group and a founding member of the Universitas 21 global network of research universities, the University of Birmingham has been changing the way the world works for more than a century.
University of Birmingham Enterprise is a venture builder, propelling groundbreaking innovations and transformative services from the University's academic community into high-impact ventures. We help academics realise commercial potential through venture development, proof-of-concept and IP investment, team formation, and investor readiness. We also support venture growth through specialist incubation facilities and ecosystem partnerships, and work across Birmingham and the Midlands to strengthen regional innovation capacity. Our portfolio spans healthcare, AI, quantum technologies, advanced manufacturing and clean growth, and addresses some of society's most pressing challenges. Follow us on LinkedIn and X.