What is the Global Growth Programme?
The Global Growth Programme is a unique, fully funded UK market entry solution.
It is meticulously crafted to facilitate rapid investment, establishment, and scaling in the UK market.
The West Midlands is a prime destination for groundbreaking companies. The Global Growth Programme helps you set up a UK HQ and gives specialist support to thrive once you’re here.
We give free support to de-risk and develop your innovation strategy. Through the programme, you can quickly immerse yourself in the West Midlands business ecosystem to form partnerships and engage in unprecedented R&D projects that can elevate your service.
Market entry support makes UK investment easier
Local economies can differ greatly, even within the same country, and looking to establish a company overseas exacerbates the differences. The Global Growth Programme gives you local, expert support from people who understand the region and the professional networks that operate there.
We’ll connect your business with the West Midlands’ world-class R&D ecosystem and industry supply chains, giving you the best opportunity to build a high-quality commercial pipeline.
Advanced support to enter the UK market
Every business is different, with its own unique set of challenges and requirements. The Global Growth Programme’s suite of support is designed to meet a range of needs specific to your business size or sector.
The West Midlands Global Growth Programme provides the following features, depending on the size and needs of your company:
- Specialist legal and tax advice for setting up a UK company entity or moving existing headquarters to the UK
- Support with relocation and adapting to living and working in the UK
- Introductions to a peer group community of other international tech businesses and UK/West Midlands business networks
- Introductions between corporates and entrepreneurial companies with innovative products and services
- Help to define how you will commercialise your technology and validate the market for your products and services in the UK
- Access to intellectual property specialists to advise on patents and copyright, both in the UK and internationally
- Help preparing to raise initial funding and series A+ funding
- Access to leading UK facilities to accelerate the development, testing and demonstration of your products
- Direct links to world class universities and research institutes in the region
- Access to specialists in regulation to assist you in securing UK accreditation
- Access to leading hospitals, clinicians and the NHS
- Connections to specialist headhunting and recruitment firms
- Connections to placements and graduate recruitment in the local universities
- Amplification of your company communications in the West Midlands and broader UK market
- Three desks for nine months for up to three employees within a choice of Innovation Districts across the West Midlands
The Global Growth Programme Brochure
Apply for the Global Growth Programme
What are the advantages of entering the UK market?
Home to the world’s third largest tech sector, a globally renowned legal system and a reputation for world-class R&D, the UK’s proven track record of driving growth and success is highly attractive for innovative international companies.
Combined with our highly accessible language, state-of-the-art digital infrastructure and unrivalled accessibility, pioneering international firms have everything they need to successfully launch and scale in a thriving UK market of over 60 million people.
Add to that our internationally recognised education system, which includes four of the world’s top ten universities, and you can see how the UK can help you realise your business ambitions.
Innovation is in our DNA
We are an innovative country. UK companies are constantly pushing the limit of what is achievable. The UK was ranked 4th on the Global Innovation Index 2023.
By working in the West Midlands, you will have nine world-class universities on your doorstep, enabling you to form academic-industry partnerships that can elevate your R&D efforts above your competitors’.
Furthermore, the Global Growth Programme will award members with desk space for three employees in one of five innovative hubs across the West Midlands. Here, you’ll work alongside and develop partnerships with other innovative companies.
The West Midlands is the UK’s heart of entrepreneurialism, experimentation and next-generation thinking. It is where the future of tech is defined, and operating amid the electric atmosphere will generate exciting opportunities for your company.
Build a team of talented people
The UK has a very educated population. The country is one of the top ten for tertiary education rates across its population according to the OECD.
We have some of the best universities in the world, producing students adept in all fields. 350,000 STEM students graduate each year in the UK, with 25,000 graduating within the West Midlands Combined Authority.
Working in the UK means having access to a constant flow of talented graduates and your pick from the pool of professionals with experience working in our areas of economic expertise.
Whether you would benefit most from migrating workers to the UK to run your business operations, hiring the incredible talent already here, or a mixture of both, you can build a talented team you can trust to lead you to success.
World-leading Digital Infrastructure
The UK, and the West Midlands especially, specialise in tech development. Companies operating in the UK tech sector benefit from certain advantages.
The UK has fantastic digital infrastructure, being one of the top locations in Europe for broadband coverage. Wider investment into digital connectivity has impacted the West Midlands, where we lead the way in the 5G revolution.
Better options for connectivity mean you can provide a better service, invent new products and adapt your current offerings that take advantage of the West Midlands’ stellar connectivity.
Corporation tax in the UK
As of April 2023, the UK corporate tax rate is 25% if your company earns over £250,000 in the UK market, and 19% if your company earns over £50,000.
This clear tax rate is the lowest of the G7 countries.
In addition, multiple tax reliefs and incentives are available to investing individuals and companies.
The support we’ve received is phenomenal. They’ve helped us register the company in the UK, understand taxes, and they’ve connected us to mentors and other businesses who can help us grow.
How successful applicants benefit from the Global Growth Programme
The features of the Global Growth Programme have been tailored specifically to benefit companies establishing in the UK market for the first time.
As a member of the Programme you can:
- Reinvest the money you save from benefiting from our free nine-months desk space into developing your product and service, getting you market-ready quickly.
- Avoid the stress of navigating the challenges of setting up in the UK, thanks to our expert assistance and support.
- Easily identify the most effective approach to market with our sector specialist guidance, as well as gain expert advice on tailoring an effective, UK market entry plan.
- Quickly immerse yourself in the West Midlands business ecosystem, building the critical relationships you need to give your business the best possible start.
- Develop direct relationships to globally renowned universities and institutes, enabling opportunities to engage in unprecedented R&D projects, collaborating together on pioneering research.
- Protect your IP with access to specialist advice on patents and copy, both in the UK and internationally.
The support we’ve received from the West Midlands Global Growth Programme started before we even incorporated in the UK. Having done that, they’ve been very proactive in helping us network with other companies and in the West Midlands arena itself. I think they’ve delivered on everything.
Space to succeed
Securing dedicated office space is one of the biggest problems faced by companies looking to enter the UK market. Members of the Global Growth Programme will get access to nine months of free commercial office space at one of five world-class innovation hubs across the West Midlands.
These campuses can provide your company with a solid platform for growth, introducing you to other firms with which you can form strategic partnerships. The West Midlands is a known hub for science and technology mould-breakers, and joining this network can generate opportunities for your growth.
Rely on local expertise from the West Midlands Growth Company
In addition, all Global Growth Programme members will receive the standard bespoke support offered by the West Midlands Growth Company. Our sector experts are specialists in the local economy and have offered many companies help to set up in the UK. They provide:
- In-depth West Midlands research and tailored insights
- Consultative support throughout business case creation
- Comprehensive, impartial property search
- Tailored launch communications and PR support
- Facilitated access to universities for companies to explore R&D and graduate talent
- Access to private and public finance through sign-posting and support
- Make introductions to 100+ commercial partners
Our sector experts help companies make the most of the many advantages of moving a business abroad to the UK.
By introducing you to our network of partners you can develop connections that elevate your business, by connecting with our universities you can better serve your customers by accessing R&D resources to upgrade your product, and by getting support with finance schemes you can set up your company with less risk and begin trading from a more financially secure position.
Gain the benefits of the Global Growth Programme
If you’re interested in joining the Global Growth Programme, follow the link below to find out if you are eligible and how to apply.
