Midlands universities showcase the “critical mass” of investment opportunity in the region

The University of Birmingham and the University of Nottingham will be presenting jointly at an invitation-only event held by Mercia Technologies PLC, one of the UK’s leading investors in early-stage technology companies, including university spin-out companies.
 
The two universities are the largest in the Midlands, and have an established agreement to collaborate on research, business engagement and internationalisation. They also have an outstanding pipeline of Intellectual Property which rivals that of the universities in the Golden Triangle.
 
The event aims to showcase the critical mass of investment opportunities in the Midlands, the North of England and Scotland and it will take place in Manchester’s Town Hall at 6.30pm tonight.
 
Dr Mark Payton, CEO of Mercia Technologies PLC, said: “This year, Mercia is bringing together its entire Group to celebrate the wealth of investment opportunities that exist in the Midlands, the North of England and Scotland. With university partnerships across what we refer to as the capital-underserved regions of the UK, we have invested in spinout businesses from both Birmingham and Nottingham universities. We are confident that these exemplary research institutions will provide further evidence of their ability to create innovative technology businesses that are capable of boosting the economy and creating jobs.”
 
Dr James Wilkie, CEO of Alta Innovations, the technology transfer company for the University of Birmingham, said: “We will be touching upon a vibrant and diverse sampling from the two spin-out portfolios. Many of the companies have disruptive technologies and all address areas of high unmet need in their respective sectors. They also benefit from the guidance and support provided by the experienced technology transfer teams at the two universities.”