The Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) have published an in-depth report on the West Midlands Fintech sector today (Tuesday 26 May 2020).
The Fintech Ecosystem report provides the most detailed overview yet of this sector in our region and outlines steps to promote the continued growth of the industry, including the role of Universities.
More than 70 stakeholders from organisations across industry and education, including the University of Birmingham, have contributed to the report. Their research and analysis uncovered more than 7,625 financial services and tech-sector firms active in the region, and over 120 businesses already engaged in the Fintech ecosystem around the city-regions. The report notes that the Universities in our region make up one of largest clusters of major institutions in the UK marking Universities out as a strong asset to the Fintech industry, with access to 164,000 students and high graduate retention within the region.
The University of Birmingham is actively engaged in delivering Fintech initiatives and courses. Our Department of Finance has developed a Sustainable Finance Innovation Centre, the first interdisciplinary research centre to focus on financial technology and sustainable financial innovation. The centre will hold its second annual conference on the Developments in Financial Technology later this year. They are also developing plans for both MSc and BSc qualifications in Fintech.
Tim Pile, Chair of GBSLEP said:
“The Fintech sector offers the West Midlands region considerable opportunities for growth. The building blocks for a thriving Fintech ecosystem embedded in our region, with a strong and well-established history in Financial Services, a youthful, diverse and expanding workforce, and a host of incubators and innovation centres.
There is enormous potential to support more Fintech start-ups and scale-ups here in the West Midlands.”
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GBSLEP is a partnership of business, public sector and further and higher education. Its mission is to drive sustainable economic growth across the city-region, creating jobs and improving the quality of life for everyone. For details from GBSLEP, please contact Tom Silk at Core Marketing by calling 0121 232 5000, or emailing gbslep@core-marketing.co.uk
To speak to University of Birmingham about your Fintech project or opportunities to collaborate with us, contact business@contacts.bham.ac.uk