techUK, the technology trade association, has signed the first strategic agreement for the trade body with TechWM.
The agreement, announced during the West Midlands Tech Review in Wolverhampton during UKTech Week, marks an important step in strengthening the region’s technological expertise and fostering the growth of tech-driven enterprises.
By formalising their partnership, techUK and TechWM are poised to synergise efforts towards amplifying the West Midlands’ tech sector while collaboratively addressing key challenges such as funding, skills acquisition, and digital integration.
This strategic alignment not only empowers the local tech industry but also provides it with a direct pathway to join techUK, securing a robust national platform for advocacy, innovation, and market access, all while remaining deeply engaged with the regional ecosystem through TechWM.
techUK’s Local Digital Index noted that the West Midlands has significant strengths in the tech sector, particularly in digital infrastructure, with the region seeing a ‘Digital GVA’ score of £2,055 per head in the region, above the UK median.
“techUK is committed to ensuring the strength of tech companies – large and small – from across the UK’s nations and regions are at the heart of our work and national policy decision making,” said Julian David, techUK CEO.
“In our pursuit of this goal, we recognise the significance of empowering our members with a robust national platform and network, while fostering close collaborations with influential voices and initiatives, particularly in dynamic hubs like the West Midlands, which boasts the fastest-growing tech sector in the UK.
“Formalising our partnership with TechWM is a pivotal step towards unlocking the full potential of this region, nurturing its tech ecosystem, and amplifying its impact on the broader tech landscape.”
Founder and CEO of TechWM, Yiannis Maos, said: “At TechWM, our goal has always been to give businesses the tools they need to reach their goals and support their ambitions. Partnering with an incredible organisation like techUK is exactly the kind of steps we need to be taking to further empower businesses across the region.
“Despite encouraging growth, there’s still a number of hurdles facing the frontier of tech innovation. From funding to skills acquisition to digital integration, this strategic alignment is designed to create a pathway from our regional support network to join the likes of techUK providing a national platform for advocacy, innovation, and access.
“It’s incredibly exciting to be able to work alongside people who share our long-term vision and feel the same excitement we do around the potential of tech businesses in the West Midlands, and we can’t wait to see what a milestone partnership like this yields for the fantastic businesses flourishing across the region.”
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