The Midlands has become the first region in Europe to deploy Dealroom's next-generation data platform, introducing powerful new tools designed to connect innovators with investors, showcase regional strengths and unlock opportunities across the Midlands economy.
Unveiled at Birmingham Tech Week's Universities, Innovation & Investment Dinner, attended by more than 150 university leaders, investors, founders, business leaders and policymakers, the enhanced platform marks the next phase in showcasing and connecting the Midlands innovation ecosystem.
Developed in partnership with Dealroom, Midlands Innovation, Forging Ahead, Midlands Mindforge and the Invest in UK University R&D Midlands Campaign, the platform was first launched at Birmingham Tech Week in 2025 to provide free access to comprehensive data on the region's research, innovation and investment landscape. It already has a community of more than 600 registered users.
One year on from its launch, the platform has evolved significantly. The upgraded interface combines advanced investor matching, AI-powered search and interactive mapping to help users identify companies, investment opportunities and regional strengths more quickly and intuitively.
As the first innovation ecosystem in Europe to adopt Dealroom's new-generation platform interface, the Midlands now benefits from more powerful intelligence and networking capabilities, alongside improved access to global investor networks. The platform will help innovative businesses and university spinouts raise their profile, connect with potential investors and collaborators, and access the support needed to scale and succeed.
Helen Turner, Director of Midlands Innovation, said:
Over the past year, the Midlands Dealroom platform has become an important resource for understanding and showcasing the breadth of innovation activity across the region.
The latest enhancements will make it easier to explore the region's strengths and opportunities, helping innovators, investors and partners discover potential collaborations, build valuable connections and access the insights they need to support growth. The new functionality will further strengthen the conditions that enable innovation to flourish across the Midlands and beyond.
The platform's improved mapping capabilities allow users to explore innovation activity in greater detail, identifying emerging clusters, investment hotspots and areas of specialisation across the region. Combined with AI-powered search and richer ecosystem intelligence, the platform offers a more powerful way to understand and navigate the Midlands innovation landscape.
The initiative reflects a shared commitment from regional partners to strengthen innovation-led growth, support research commercialisation and improve connections between universities, investors, businesses and policymakers.
Explore the platform at: https://midlands.dealroom.app/home