A new collaboration has been launched to position the West Midlands as ‘the UK’s North Star for inclusive innovation’.
The Inclusive Innovation Catalyst brings together organisations to deliver an ambitious venture studio model that will unlock £30 million in co-investment, build over 50 startups, and generate £40m+ in portfolio revenues over the next three years.
The organisations are Future Planet Capital Regional, manager of the West Midlands Co-Investment Fund; Greater Things, a proof-of-concept and minimum viable product (MVP) builder; The 51% Club, a women’s entrepreneurship programme; The Black Business Collective, an inclusive support ecosystem for Black founder–led businesses, hosted by the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce; TIN Ventures, an inclusive venture and ecosystem builder; The Open University; and Innovation Alliance for West Midlands.
Together, the partners will deliver a ‘Think, Learn, Do venture studio model that develops investor-ready companies, showcases diverse entrepreneurial talent, and attracts corporate and institutional capital to the region.
“The West Midlands has world-class entrepreneurs, but too many face systemic barriers to accessing finance,” said Rupert Lyle, who leads Future Planet Capital Regional.
“With this venture studio, we’re creating a pipeline of ventures that investors can trust and communities can believe in. It’s the future of co-investment in action.”
Tara Attfield-Tomes, founder of The 51% Club, added: “I truly believe that the rich history and diversity that makes this region unique has the firepower to really drive economic prosperity.
“This venture studio sits at the heart of that ambition; representing untapped communities and providing the access to networks, opportunities and, most importantly, capital that founders need to scale.”
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The Inclusive Innovation Catalyst aligns with the UK’s Dormant Assets Scheme, the British Business Bank’s £500m Diverse Fund Managers Package, the Invest in Women Taskforce’s £255m ‘Women Backing Women’ fund, and Innovate UK’s Diverse Investor Partners Initiative. It is designed as a policy demonstrator, proving how inclusive venture building can deliver commercial and social impact simultaneously.
“The launch of this venture studio marks a turning point. We’re proving that inclusive innovation can deliver both equity and strong commercial outcomes for the West Midlands,” said Alex Cole of the Black Business Collective.
The Inclusive Innovation Catalyst is now inviting participation from investors looking to co-invest alongside WMCA and access high-quality, diverse deal flow, and policymakers and corporate partners who want to shape and scale an inclusive innovation ecosystem.
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