A fintech firm has secured a £1.35m investment following a pitch competition.
Inicio AI has developed a tool called Budgie AI which aims to provide consumers with financial support and remove the need to speak to a human.
It works with clients such as Northumbrian Water, credit agency TransUnion and IT services provider Wavenet.
Called One to Win, the competition is backed by investors and key figures in the West Midlands' tech industry including Rigby Group, SCC, Haatch and the West Midlands Co-Investment Fund.
Judges said the winning business needed to demonstrate game-changing innovation and convince them of its future growth prospects.
The reward is believed to be the largest single prize for any pitch competition in the 海角视频 and Coventry-based Inicio AI was chosen ahead of 140 other applicants.
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The main prize was £1 million but the panel was so impressed with Inicio AI that a further £350,000 was awarded to the firm, with judges Yiannis Maos and Hephzi Pemberton backing it as angel investors.
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The pitching event took place as part of the annual Birmingham Tech Week and the judging panel included Steve Rigby, chief executive of Rigby Group which owns BIrmingham IT firm SCC, and Yiannis Maos, chief executive of Tech Week organiser TechWM.
The two other finalists were Birmingham-based ChangeMaker3D, a 3D concrete printing company aiming to reduce carbon emissions and material costs, and Skyfarer, a Coventry startup focusing on revolutionising the use of drones, particularly for medical uses.
Rachel Curtis, founder and chief executive of Inicio AI, said: "I am completely overwhelmed and blown away to be named the recipient of the One To Win prize.
"The £1.35 million will truly change the game for us as a business. In fact, it's officially closed our funding round - something that I feel excited, relieved and so grateful to announce.
"This funding will allow us to accelerate our growth plans and bring our solution to so many people who need it that much more quickly.
"To receive this backing, after the hard graft of the last three years, makes me feel immensely proud and I can't thank the judges enough for believing in us."
The winner was announced at a black tie dinner and awards evening held at the ICC in Birmingham to mark the end of this year's tech week.
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Mr Maos added: "The One to Win competition is a testament to our ongoing efforts to nurture, support and promote the thriving tech ecosystem in the West Midlands.
"We firmly believe that our region is a hidden gem in the global tech landscape and we've been working tirelessly to showcase its immense potential.
"Innovative initiatives like One to Win provide invaluable platforms for local startups to shine."