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Understanding inward investment support
in the Midlands

Map of the Midlands region

A guide to navigating the dynamic investment landscape of the Midlands

With an economy the size of Denmark’s and a population the same as Portugal, the Midlands region of England is a major market in which to start or grow a business. For the prospective investor or intermediary there are a number of support services and incentives available. This page provides you with an overview of the number of support services and incentives available for prospective investors and businesses to help you navigate opportunities in our exciting region.

Use the buttons below to learn more about our investor support services, incentives, and other economic zoning initiatives.

Business & Investor Support Services
  Department for Business and Trade  
  Meet our Investment Promotion Agencies

Zones and Spatial Incentives

  Freeports
  Investment Zones

Soft Landing and Concierge Services

  The West Midlands Global Growth Programme
  Invest in UK University R&D
  Key Account Management Programme (DBT)
Other Spatial Zones
  Science & Innovation Parks
  Life Science Opportunity Zones
  Food Enterprise Zones
  Enterprise Zones

The Department for Business and Trade provides further guidance on the support available to businesses looking to invest in the UK here.

Business & Investor Support Services

IPAs

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IPAs in the Midlands

Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs)

These are organisations dedicated to attracting and facilitating investment into a specific location (usually a city/county or region). IPAs often work on behalf of local authorities or are departments/teams within a local authority focusing on economic growth and enhancing the area’s competitiveness.

Investment Promotion Agencies are usually responsible for the marketing and promotion of an area to investors and supporting businesses with relocation plans and strategies. IPAs provide investors with detailed information about their location’s economic environment, sector opportunities, current workforce and any available incentives for businesses, offering continuous support to existing investors to help them expand locally and resolve any issues that arrive ensuring long-term investment sustainability.

The Midlands consists of 65 local authorities, two combined authorities (West Midlands Combined Authority and East Midlands Combined County Authority) many of which utilise IPAs to facilitate and attract investment. A list of the IPAs in the Midlands can be found below:

Investment Incentives

Freeports and Investment Zones are designed to drive economic growth by creating “hotbeds of innovation” and promote regeneration  in communities that need it most. Together, they support high-quality, skilled job creation and help reduce regional inequalities. By combining incentives and streamlined regulations, these zones attract foreign investment and promote regeneration, fuelling economic development across the country.

Freeports

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what is a freeport?

Freeports

The Freeports will drive the economy across the region they are based in. They bring together local government, the private sector, and other key partners, with long-term backing from central government, to deliver a shared economic vision.

Freeports offer a range of benefits for businesses, including tax reliefs on specific sites, an ambitious programme of public investment, and dedicated support for innovation and international trade. We are already seeing how attractive Freeports are for international investors: in just two years, they have already generated £2.9 billion in investment, which will in turn create 6,000 jobs.

A Freeport is a partnership between the public and private sectors. Freeports are run by a board made up of businesses and local councils, who play the key role of ensuring democratic accountability, transparency, and inclusivity.

Learn more
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Freeports in the Midlands

There are two freeports which operate in the Midlands:

East Midlands Freeport
As the only UK inland freeport, East Midlands Freeport is creating a national, world-leading hub for global trade and investment. They will be a hotbed for innovation and low carbon energy production, boost skills and encourage sustainable job creation, in the heart of England with unrivalled connectivity by rail, road and air.

Humber Freeport
As the UK’s Energy Estuary, the Humber specialises in offshore wind and renewable energy, with significant strengths, capabilities and assets in advanced manufacturing, advanced chemicals processing, maritime services, and logistics. Humber Freeport inspires transformative change, driving innovation, and sustainability to boost global trade and investment. By championing the UK’s net zero agenda, it will create jobs and foster prosperity both regionally and globally.

 

Investment Zones

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what is an investment zone?

Investment Zones

Investment Zones are located in areas with existing local strengths and significant untapped potential. They will deploy a range of interventions – including tax reliefs, planning mechanisms and innovation, skills and business support – to unlock opportunities for business and address barriers to private sector growth, creating more high-quality jobs for communities across the country.

Each Investment Zone is focussed on supporting the growth of at least 1 of the following 5 priority sectors:

  • Advanced manufacturing
  • Creative industries
  • Digital and tech
  • Green industries
  • Life sciences
Learn more
Greenpower Park - Coventry

Investment Zones in the Midlands

Investment Zone areas will be provided with up to £160 million over 10 years to use on a range of interventions designed to attract investment, boost innovation and create jobs.

Established:
West Midlands Investment Zone

This zone builds on the region’s historic strengths in advanced manufacturing and will drive growth in battery, digital and sustainable construction technologies across 3 core sites: Birmingham City Centre, Coventry-Warwick Gigapark and Green Innovation Corridor.

Developing:
East Midlands Investment Zone

This zone will focus on the advanced manufacturing and green industries sectors across Derby, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire.

WGGG Programme

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Soft Landing and Concierge Services

Soft landing packages and concierge services providing tailored support for businesses entering a new markets. Designed to help ease the transition and accelerate new connections for expansion, investment and innovation.

Freeports

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West Midlands Global Growth Programme

West Midlands Global Growth Programme

Fully funded support for international companies to enter and scale in the UK market.

The West Midlands is the UK’s leading region for Foreign Direct Investment, providing international companies access to world-class research institutions, specialist talent, and funded business support. Benefit from fast connections to London with lower business overheads.
Work with our team of experts who are deeply connected within the West Midlands and the wider UK market. Easily relocate with our fully sponsored office space and become part of the fastest-growing tech cluster in the UK.

Learn more
Global Growth Programme

The Global Growth Programme

The Global Growth Programme offers specialist assistance to set up a UK presence and implement your market entry plan.

As a member of the programme, you’ll benefit from your own account manager, receive bespoke support, and get sponsored office space for up to three staff for nine months.
You’ll get introduced to local commercial contacts in your industry sector.

The Global Growth Programme is your entry point to a vibrant economic ecosystem that will help your company establish and scale rapidly.

The Global Growth Programme incorporates the DIATOMIC International CleanTech hub funded by Innovate UK and the Connected Places Catapult, as part of the DIATOMIC Innovation Accelerator Programme.

Freeports

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UK R&D-v2

Invest in UK University R&D – Midlands Campaign

The UK’s first University Investment Concierge Service to help potential investors navigate opportunities across Midlands institutions, A prospectus has also been produced: the offer to international companies, capital and equity seeking to forge: innovation in the Midlands.

So if you want to access…

  • outstanding talent and expertise – to recruit, to inspire, to collaborate
  • our world-class R&D facilities and campus co-location offer
  • our innovation-centred development capital investment opportunities
  • equity investment opportunities for some of the UK’s most exciting spinouts
  • the thriving Midlands innovation eco-system and established supply-chains.
  • the UK’s extensive package of incentives and financial support for R&D investors.

…then come and forge: innovation by investing in a partnership with a university in the Midlands

Learn more
Invest in UK University R&D

View the University Investment Prospectus

The Midlands economy is not only the biggest regional economy in the UK – it is one of the largest in Western Europe. Second only to London, it is worth £277 billion in GVA a year from more than 800,000 businesses generating 4.6 million jobs.

Growth is driven by our world-leading strengths in agritech, creative and digital industries, health and life sciences, transport technologies, and zero carbon energy – and Midlands firms across these sectors are significantly more “innovation active” than the national average, investing £4.2bn annually (15.6% of the UK’s private sector R&D investment).

Freeports

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DBT KAM Programme

Department for Business and Trade – KAM Programme

The Department for Business & Trade’s Key Account Management programme aims to implement a strategic account management capability across the Midlands Engine region to:

  • Build local capacity to carry out account management support effectively
  • Identify foreign investors without existing account management
  • Supporting growth and additional investment in foreign-owned companies
  • Identify challenges affecting foreign investors to inform government policy
  • Support foreign investment focused on job creation and safeguarding jobs, the UK’s Net Zero goals, R&D and supporting the UK’s status as a science and technology ‘superpower’
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KAM Eligibility

  • Companies must be foreign owned (e.g. they must have a minimum 10% foreign ownership by one single stakeholder)
  • Companies must be existing investors who are already established in the UK
  • Companies should not normally have an existing account management relationship with the Department for Business & Trade network
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Other Special Zones

Science Parks

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what is a life science opportunity zone?

Science & Innovation Parks

A Science & Innovation Park is a specialized hub that fosters the development of cutting-edge research, technology, and business innovation.

Typically affiliated with universities, research institutions, or technology companies, these parks provide a collaborative environment where startups, established firms, and academic researchers can work together.

Science & Innovation Parks will often benefit from:

  • State-of-the-art laboratories
  • Office space for co-location
  • Incubator space to support commercialisation
  • Access to funding and resources
Learn more
Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park

Science & Innovation Parks in the Midlands

The Midlands is home to a thriving network of science parks, which offer businesses access to a skilled workforce, cutting-edge research facilities, and a supportive ecosystem. If you’re looking to grow your business, a science park in the Midlands is the perfect place to do it.

From Warwick to Nottingham, Birmingham to Lincoln, universities in the Midlands are world-renowned for their strengths in science, research and innovation across five key sectors: Agritech, Creative & Digital, Health & Life Sciences, Transport Technology, and Zero Carbon Energy.

LSOZ

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what is a life science opportunity zone?

Life Science Opportunity Zones

Life Science Opportunity Zones (LSOZs) are a prestigious status awarded by the UK Government to highlight and promote life science parks and specific opportunity areas at a national and international level to potential investors.

They benefit from engagement with government ministers and officials from the Department for Business & Trade and the Office for Life Sciences.

Learn more

FEZ

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Food Enterprise Zones

Food Enterprise Zones

Food Enterprise Zones (FEZs) were created to unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of the countryside and food producers. The zones aim to free up food and farming businesses, making it simpler and easier for them to grow, and attract new businesses. Local communities benefit from new jobs and the opportunity to develop local produce, boosting their economies. Grants of up to £50,000 were initially available to set up the FEZs, with support for simplifying the planning process for food and farming businesses that want to expand.

As well as attracting investment, the Food Enterprise Zones encourage closer ties between food and farming businesses to boost the domestic food and farming sector, allowing for more local decision making on planning and development issues involving food and farming businesses.

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Food automation

Food Enterprise Zones in the Midlands

There are eleven Food Enterprise Zones in the UK, with over 45% of these (five) being located in the Midlands.

FEZs in the Midlands:

  • Lincolnshire (3 Food Enterprise Zones)
  • Worcestershire
  • Leicestershire

EZ

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What is an enterprise zone?

Enterprise Zones

Enterprise Zones were part of the UK Government’s wider Industrial Strategy to support businesses and enable local economic growth. The first group of zones were launched in 2012, with further zones announced in 2016 and 2017.

Government-backed benefits for Enterprise Zones came to an end in 2021 and 2022.

Learn more
MIRA Technology Park

Enterprise Zones in the Midlands

Some local authorities continued offering local incentives for businesses as part of the Enterprise Zone after the Government funding came to an end.

Business can still locate and occupy space within Enterprise Zones but will not be able to claim any Government incentives and may not be able to claim any local incentives.

Enterprise Zones in Midlands:
– Ceramic Valley Enterprise Zone, Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire
– Nottingham & Derby Enterprise Zone
– Hereford Enterprise Zone (Skylon Park)
– Humber Enterprise Zone
– Loughborough & Leicester Science & Innovation Enterprise Zone
– MIRA Technology Park
– Birmingham Enterprise Zone
– Black Country Enterprise Zone