The West Mids is lighting the way to a digital revolution

There’s a wealth of dynamic talent among the entrepreneurs, small enterprises and multi-national companies in a pioneering region with a £128billion economy.

In 2019, the Region in Renaissance networking event , Birmingham Tech Week and the Linn Academy at the ICC have all provided forums for innovators, adopters and disruptors to shape the future.

There’s much more to look forward to, including the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, which is expected to further drive business, skills and transport network growth as it brings more than a million visitors to state-of-the-art venues across the region.

Even setting aside HS2, which is facing questions over its viability, transport links including the Midland Metro are in for a major upgrade in future years, further enhancing a dynamic, fast-moving region.

BirminghamLive and their sister website CoventryLive are also running an award scheme to celebrate the best tech and digital companies across the West Midlands.

The event will gather together some of the finest tech talent when it takes place at the ICC on December 12, 2019. For more information and to buy tickets click here

Here are 10 reasons why the West Midlands is truly future-proof:

1. Enter 5G

The West Midlands is the UK's first large-scale 5G 'test bed' - paving the way for the roll-out of the high-speed network across the country.

2. Paradise Birmingham

The West Midlands is the UK's first large-scale 5G 'test bed' - paving the way for the roll-out of the high-speed network across the country.

3. Silicon Spa

The Leamington Spa area has emerged as a global engine room for the computer gaming industry. The town’s prolific success has earned it the name ‘Silicon Spa’, which also includes Warwick and Southam, where Codemasters has its headquarters.

4. The Next Generation

Flying drones, tackling cyber-crime and creating the next generation of advanced robots. These are among the innovative courses for young people aspiring to be part of an exciting digital future- and they are being offered for the first time in the West Midlands at South and City College Birmingham.

5. Start-up Heaven

Visionary digital businesses and entrepreneurs are hitting the ground running in the West Midlands.

The region is home to more than 13,000 tech companies, worth around £5billion to the local economy. The scene is rapidly growing, too, and the cluster of business in Birmingham have earned it a ‘Silicon Canal’ nickname.

6. Tech Magnet

Leading lights in the eCommerce world descended on Birmingham for the annual Linn Academy in 2019. The unique one-day event united entrepreneurs, innovators, start-ups and global online brands at the ICC.

7. Going Driverless

Autonomous vehicles are being made a reality in labs, workshops and test circuits across the West Midlands.

8. Battery Power

The West Midlands’ emergence as a pace-setter in the future generation of intelligent vehicles has been further boosted through investment in battery research.

9. Enterprise Wharf

Birmingham is on course to have a digital and tech star-ship in the form of Enterprise Wharf.

Scheduled to opening in 2021, the 11-storey leandmark is intended as a hub of innovation for tomorrow’s businesses.

10. Digital Digbeth

Digbeth has always been slightly ahead of the curve, and the digital industries are no exception.

Birmingham’s evolution into a heaving industrial powerhouse in the 18th Century stemmed from an initial flush of endeavour in Deritend.

To read the full article visit the Birmingham Live website.

Ten reasons why the West Midlands is lighting the way to a digital revolution