A confident campaign has been launched to transform perceptions of the West Midlands on the global stage.
'It Starts Here' was officially unveiled by the West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC), the region鈥檚 official investment promotion agency, at Birmingham Tech Week in October.
The destination promotion campaign has been designed to help the West Midlands reinvigorate its brand, drive growth, and create new, high-value jobs.
It comes as the West Midlands was named one of Europe鈥檚 top three most innovative regions in this year鈥檚 European Capital of Innovation Awards.
Developed by WMGC in collaboration with organisations across the region, 'It Starts Here' seeks to reinforce and rejuvenate the West Midlands as a dynamic and confident region within the fiercely competitive international marketplace.
With a focus on demonstrating the region鈥檚 innovation-led strengths, the campaign aims to position the West Midlands as a place where 鈥渄isruptive minds meet鈥 and 鈥渂reakthroughs begin鈥, aiming to inspire a shared mantra of confidence and assertive 鈥榥ew era鈥 for the region.
Taking the West Midlands higher
According to the latest ' survey, the West Midlands has bucked the general 海角视频 trend of FDI decline, recording a 72% rise in foreign direct investment projects (127 projects) in 2023.
Birmingham was at the forefront of this growth, leading the West Midlands and outperforming all other 海角视频 cities outside of London. Securing 67 projects, it sets a record for the highest number of projects managed by any regional city in the last decade.
As part of the campaign launch event opened by the Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker, innovation thought figureheads from across the region participated in a panel discussion on the region鈥檚 strengths in disruption.
Chaired by Courtney Fingar, principal at Fingar Direct Investment, the panel included Joanne Roney CBE, managing director at Birmingham City Council; Professor Stuart Croft, vice chancellor of the University of Warwick; Murray Paul, public affairs director at JLR; and Melissa Snover, founder and owner of Nourished.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: 鈥淭he West Midlands has always been the home of entrepreneurs and inventors. Now, we鈥檙e fast becoming a powerhouse for new sectors like clean and green industries, cyber security, and innovative tech.
鈥淭here has never been a better time for businesses to invest, grow, and succeed here in the West Midlands. I want us to grasp this opportunity to become the best place in the 海角视频 to do business, creating new jobs, new opportunities, and improving thousands of lives across the region.鈥
How will it start?
'It Starts Here' will span several sub-campaigns focused on the region鈥檚 key growth sectors, including 'The Green Power Revolution Starts Here', 'Life-Changing Science Starts Here', 'Game-Changing Tech Starts Here', and 'Next-Generation Services Start Here'.
The campaign aims to drive inward investment from target markets such as India, North America, and Germany to ultimately create region-wide high-value jobs.
In February 2025, WMGC will also be taking the campaign to the international marketplace for the first time by way of a regional trade mission to India, led by West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker.
Neil Rami, chief executive at the West Midlands Growth Company, said: 鈥淚nternational competition for investment is fierce; with global investors citing access to innovation capabilities as their number one priority.
"In response to this, we鈥檝e developed a campaign that asserts our past and present ingenuity in a distinct and compelling way 鈥 and that speaks to all corners of our region.
鈥淓merging technologies are developing rapidly in the West Midlands. It is the golden thread of our economy, with the tech sector now valued at 拢15.3bn and growing. We are, therefore, incredibly well-placed to partner with organisations worldwide to drive pioneering technologies, thanks to our talented people and university-led R&D.
鈥淚nward investment is fundamentally about growth and job creation, but we must have clarity and conviction in our strengths to obtain it. And so, I鈥檓 inviting organisations from across the West Midlands to work with us, and come together to confidently convey that 'It Starts Here'.鈥
To find out more about how to get involved, visit , and use #WMItStartsHere on social media.
WMGC is supported by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and its seven constituent metropolitan authorities 鈥 Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, and Wolverhampton 鈥 as well as five of the region鈥檚 universities and WMGC鈥檚 private-sector network, Partners West Midlands. Strategic campaign partners include the Invest in University R&D Midlands campaign, the NEC Group, and Birmingham Airport.
