techSPARK uk appointed to deliver national Tech Booster programme

✅  1 month into a 5 year project - and what a way to mark it with our first visit to #BirminghamTechWeek2025   🤝 Being in the early stages, its key Forging Ahead makes the right connections across a vast network of professionals in the region’s innovation space. So it was enlightening to be so well received and warmly welcomed amongst our colleagues in the conversations we had.   Highlights included:   🔸 The Midlands science parks spotlight session offered a literal lay of the land - held in The Exchange with a representative from each who presented their unique offer as the place where many businesses, spinouts and startups can call home. It really brought to life, not just the level of expertise and the vast range of facilities, but also the clear sense of collaboration across the entire region. It was fantastic to meet and reconnect with many of you Sophia Tarr, Alice Cooper-Reeve, Richard Billingham, William Wells, Angie Reynolds, Mark Tock, Nick Gostick Nigel Babb   🔸At the Gala Dinner we heard remarks from Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, Science Minister Lord Vallance, Ed Cox, and Professor Adam Tickell, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Birmingham who showcased Forging Ahead and its mission to strengthen connections between tech transfer professionals, spinouts, science parks, incubators, access to talent, skills training programmes, and more. Huge thanks to Lisa Smith, CEO of Midlands Mindforge, for hosting such a brilliant evening, and to Helen Turner, Joshua Hawkins, Midlands Innovation & Áine Gallagher Alex Favier Invest in UK University R&D - Midlands Teams for bringing together innovation champions to connect, collaborate, and drive investment and brilliance across the Midlands. 🔸Visiting the new @Birmingham Health Innovation Campus (BHIC), touring the building and making new connections in the space was invaluable. The view from the top really demonstrates the level of co-location in the city - a theme replicated across the region.   🔸And of course, the launch of the new Dealroom.co Platform presented by Aoife Morrin - the new online resource for investors, spinouts, startups, universities and more to supercharge the ecosystem ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e_ikBEEK   See you next year #BirminghamTechWeek TechWM Dan Parsons Rajinder Bhuhi 🍀Cameron Bonser Rhianna Briars Sue Grogan Pernille Hjort Jennifer Johnson Kathryn Burchell

The ARC Hub for ICT is preparing to launch our open call for new projects on October 1st. 🎉 Building on the momentum of our first call, the ARC Hub for ICT continues its mission to create an entrepreneurial pathway for Irish research helping transform ICT innovations into real-world impact. What this means for researchers: 💡Turning breakthrough ideas into solutions that address unmet needs 📚 Access to entrepreneurial training and mentorship 🤝Connections with industry, venture, and regional partners who can help make it happen We believe the future of ICT isn’t just about the technology, it’s about the people and partnerships who make innovation possible. 📅 Our second call opens October 1st - stay tuned for more information on how to apply and our information webinar. #ARCHub4ICT #ARCHubs #ArcHub #TUDublinResearchandInnovation #ictresearch #WeAreTUDublin #euinmyregion

💡Today we are launching the new Midlands Ecosystem Platform - giving you access to every corner of the Midlands’ entrepreneurial landscape, all in one place 📍 ❓ How can I make my startup more visible to top tier VCs? How many spin outs are being produced by universities in the Midlands? For anyone who may have asked question like this, this platform is for you. Powered by Dealroom.co, this free-to-use tool offers you game changing insights into funding rounds, valuations, market trends and so much more: ⏫ Explore nearly 6,000 Midlands start-ups, 400 spinouts and 1,000 investors 📍 Add your business to the database - for free 🤝 Use the platform as a bridge between founders and global investors 📊 Make smarter policy and resource decisions with real time data 🌱 Gain visibility for the Midlands’ next generation of unicorns Rajinder Bhuhi 🍀, Forging Ahead Project Manager, said: “This new platform gives us a powerful way to assess the strength of our innovation ecosystem and track the progress we’re making through initiatives like Forging Ahead. It’s an invaluable resource - helping us connect the dots, see the bigger picture, and engage more effectively with the people and organisations driving, supporting, and funding innovation across the region.” Read the full story in our latest LinkedIn article below ⬇️ So what do you need to do? 🔸 Sign up for free today 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ek28JF_k 🔸 Share this widely in your networks 🔸 Help us strengthen the database by adding your organisation’s details - and join an ecosystem worth £31bn+ At #BirminghamTechWeek today or tomorrow? Find us in the Exchange Building - we’d love to show you the platform in person! TechWM For our university Tech Transfer teams, Dealroom will be holding tailored ‘how-to’ guided webinars with their friendly team - stay tuned for dates! We are proud to launch this alongside our partners Midlands Innovation Midlands Mindforge Invest in UK University R&D - Midlands #BirminghamTechWeek #BTW2025 #TechWM #FutureOfWork #Digital #DigitalSkills #QuantumLeap #WestMidlandsTech

The Midlands taking a step forward in mapping its innovation landscape with the Midlands Ecosystem Platform, powered by Dealroom.co, a free, open-access digital gateway designed to provide insight into the region’s £31bn innovation economy. The platform aims to connect start-ups, investors, universities, and research hubs across the Midlands. All of the above should claim your page and benefits of connectivity within the platform. 👇🏼 Rajinder Bhuhi 🍀 Joshua Hawkins Dan Parsons Nick Gostick Roshna Mistry Helen Turner Lisa Smith Cameron Bonser Sue Grogan Rhianna Briars Pernille Hjort Jennifer Johnson Kathryn Burchell Emma Bishop

𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 asking why high-potential European R&D stalls between the lab and the first commercial license. 🙅 The truth? It isn't a 𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹. It’s the sheer weight of ineffective, outdated, and time-consuming processes. The digital plumbing is broken. That failure of process is the problem we designed our platform, LoftOS, to solve. Now, we have a fascinating 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗦 that could be the solution blueprint for tech transfer challenges across Europe. On 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟲𝘁𝗵, I’m joining Wilson Fay Innovative Ventures Manager at WiSys, to break down how they’re using our platform to digitize the entire innovation pipeline across the University of Wisconsin-Madison system. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁-𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱: ✅ Direct Insight: Hear from Wilson Fay on how a major US university system fundamentally redesigns its approach to entrepreneurship and commercialization today. ✅ The Proof: We'll detail the current status of the Wisconsin Innovation Ecosystem built specifically on LoftOS. ✅ The Blueprint: We will compare the operational realities, investment cultures, and digitalization gaps between the US and European approaches. This provides the tactical benchmark you need. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥&𝗗 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. It is truly motivating to work with Wilson Fay Adhira Sunkara and the entire WiSys Team. I hope to see you there to discuss how we finally solve this problem. Register for this year's summit here: https://lnkd.in/e8YSDJSM #LoftOSSummit2025 #TechTransfer #B2BSaaS #InnovationEcosystem #CEOInsights

Applications are now open in Nottingham for Start Strong: Tech for Good - a free, five-week start-up programme from Allia designed to help founders use technology to create lasting social and environmental impact. Starting in November at the University of Nottingham (Castle Meadow Campus), the course offers: • Expert-led workshops and one-to-one mentoring • Guidance to develop your business model and impact strategy • A supportive community of like-minded founders Open to founders in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, it’s part of the Regional Tech Booster initiative, supporting tech innovation for good across the East Midlands. If you’re ready to build a purpose-driven venture, apply now to secure your place: https://bit.ly/3LkxWrl This project is part of the Regional Tech Booster programme, funded by the UK Government and supported by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, in partnership with the UK Tech Cluster Group.

Really proud moment for the TRIBES team. Our journey with DevCheck® started as a simple idea: how can we verify developer capability fairly, transparently, and intelligently? Fast forward, and we’re now collaborating with The University of Manchester through support from the GM Business Growth Hub, accelerating DevCheck’s next phase of growth. Huge thanks to The Growth Hub team for their continued support, and to everyone at Tribes who’s been part of this journey. 👉 Read the coverage via TechDay UK: bit.ly/42BMp8e #Innovation #ManchesterTech #AIEthics #Bcorp #DigitalGrowth #DevCheck #TechForGood

We’re proud to be collaborating with Tribes Digital on the next phase of their AI-powered vetting platform, DevCheck®, supported by an innovation grant from the GM Business Growth Hub. This partnership brings together Tribes’ cutting-edge technology with our academic expertise in AI and data science, led by Professor Xiao-Jun ZENG, to enhance DevCheck’s accuracy, transparency, and scientific validation. It’s a great example of how our research can help innovative SMEs translate ideas into impactful, market-ready solutions- strengthening Manchester’s position as a leader in AI innovation. To find out how we can support your business, drop us an email via collaborate@manchester.ac.uk 🔗 Read more: http://bit.ly/42BMp8e #UniversityOfManchester #AIResearch #Innovation #ManchesterTech

Last week I joined a panel on innovation during Scottish Innovation Week. The conversation leaned heavily towards early-stage funding, startup validation and communications. Important topics — but I left with thoughts I wish we’d explored further. Here are four areas I believe deserve more airtime: 1. Innovation ≠ Entrepreneurship We need to decouple the two. Innovation belongs to everyone, and it happens in everyday practices, not only in start-ups. When we conflate the two, we miss huge opportunities for innovation-driven growth across wider society. 2. Messy ecosystems are healthy Scotland’s innovation ecosystem has recently been criticised as fragmented or having too much duplication. But complexity brings diversity, and diversity drives ideas. The Pathways Fund is a brilliant example of creating on-ramps for marginalised innovators – the onus is now on those already in established networks and organisations to open doors wider and build bigger tables to ensure that new perspectives and people are embraced fully. 3. Growth isn’t one-size-fits-all Instead of fixating on angel and VC funding as the sole means of scaling innovation ideas, we should explore new models of growth and governance and adoption of ideas. Social enterprise is now mainstream – for me, the next frontier is community wealth building and procurement innovation. CivTech Scotland shows what’s possible, and I’d love to see this practice scaled up, scaled down and adapted to different contexts. 4. The challenge is the “why,” not the “what” Scotland has talent, education, and world-class research in abundance (just look at the annual Converge Challenge awards last night if you don’t believe me). We only need to glance at the world to see there is no shortage of problems to solve. The bigger question for me is around why we innovate. Purpose and impact are what inspire individuals and organisations - we need pathways that put that front and centre and support those driving our innovation forward. These are the conversations I’d love to explore further. What would you add? #innovation #scotlandinnovationweek #nationalinnovationweek