The University of Warwick has welcomed the launch of a new £3m international campaign to attract inward investment into research and development (R&D), innovation, and science. This campaign aims to leverage global connections to drive economic growth across the Midlands.

Warwick has jointly launched the campaign with sixteen other universities across the Midlands.

Led by Midlands Innovation and the Midlands Engine Partnership, and hosted at Loughborough University, the Invest in UK University R&D – Midlands Campaign has been developed with regional partners including the West Midlands Growth Company, Midlands Enterprise Universities, and the East Midlands Freeport.

Professor Stuart Croft, Vice Chancellor and President of the University of Warwick, commented: “This innovative campaign highlights the Midlands' exceptional capabilities in research and development. At Warwick, we have a strong tradition of pioneering world-leading research and global collaboration.

“This partnership will not only enhance our ability to attract significant international investment but also drive economic growth and create high-quality jobs in our region. Together, we can showcase the Midlands as a premier destination for global R&D investment.”

Minister of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Andrew Griffith MP, announced an award of £1.5 million from the UK’s International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF) to support the campaign over the next two years, which has been matched by universities and regional partners. The Minister said:

“UK universities have directly attracted nearly £5bn of international industry funding into their research since 2015. But they are also a significant part of the UK’s global reputation as one of the world’s most innovative economies – attracting global investment that grows our economy and improves lives for people across Britain.

“I am delighted to announce £1.5m of Government support from the International Science Partnership Fund for this pioneering Campaign – led by our world-class universities in the Midlands. With this support, and working in partnership with the Government’s Science Innovation Network, universities will leverage their extensive global connections to alumni, industry, and research to help drive inward investment into the regional economy.”

Warwick, as part of this coalition, will join forces with other universities across the Midlands to create a more ambitious offer to global investors. The campaign will showcase five sectors where the Midlands is world-renowned for the strength of its research and innovation. These sectors include Clean Technologies, AI & Computational Science, Life Sciences & Health Tech. Additionally, the universities will leverage their international alumni, industry, and university connections in key markets such as Australia, Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the USA to engage investors and raise the profile of the Midlands.

The campaign will also work closely with Midlands Mindforge, an independent patient capital investment company established by the eight research-intensive universities in the Midlands Innovation partnership. Midlands Mindforge aims to deploy £250m to “invest with impact,” founding and scaling transformational science-backed companies, creating highly skilled jobs in the Midlands, and supporting the UK’s ambition to become a science and technology superpower.

ENDS