Expanding Global Reach: How WMGC supported Xeeed.IO to land and grow in the West Midlands

Xeeed.IO are a global industrial AI company supporting enterprises within the energy and manufacturing sectors to unlock growth and value through cutting-edge hardware, digital transformation and smarter operations.

In 2024, Hyderabad-based AI firm Xeeed.IO had reached a pivotal stage in its growth journey. With an established presence in India and active partnerships across Europe, the US and the Middle East, rising global demand for AI-driven transformation and innovative IoT solutions created a motivation for international expansion.

To support its ambitions as a scaling technology business, Xeeed.IO and CEO, Kanishka Shah, required a strategic location that could ensure key investment objectives could be achieved.

They needed to:

• Locate inside a dynamic manufacturing hub with clear strengths in technology and energy.
• Leverage cutting-edge R&D assets to provide full-scale product development and innovation.
• Gain access to relevant support packages and funding to accelerate growth.
• Establish partnership opportunities with leading universities to support collaboration and fuel recruitment.

After setting its sights on the UK and exploring several possible regional investment destinations including the South-East, Newcastle and Manchester, the West Midlands’ combination of a strong industrial heritage, a world-significant cluster of R&D and fully funded support available through the West Midlands Global Growth Programme, convinced Xeeed.IO that the region was the obvious choice for the next phase of its UK growth journey.

The West Midlands has been continuously ranked as one of the UK’s leading regions for attracting Foreign Direct Investment. Driven by an internationally significant economy and a thriving tech ecosystem, which is underpinned by the UK’s youngest and most diverse population, it’s a region where startups find the right R&D, skills, and talent to develop and launch innovations.

Upon successfully joining the West Midlands Global Growth Programme, the West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC) provided Xeeed.IO with sector-focused support designed to help refine and shape its international growth strategy. The introductions and momentum generated through the programme were a key driver in Xeeed.IO finding a home at the University of Warwick Science Park – taking space at The Venture Centre, a purpose-built hub for fast-growing tech companies looking for sustainable expansion.

• Direct collaborations with the University of Warwick: The close connection with one of the UK’s leading universities means Xeeed.IO can directly leverage the institution’s reputation for innovation and its well-established links with business and industry.
• Strategic access to world-leading R&D facilities: With over 50 research centres and institutes specialising in STEM disciplines, Xeeed.IO have direct access to best-in-class R&D facilities that support faster product development cycles.
• Partnership opportunities: Home to over 130 tech-led businesses, Warwick’s Science Park provides a highly collaborative environment alongside a range of tailored business support services. This ecosystem enables Xeeed.IO’s R&D to be translated more effectively into real-world industrial applications.
• Access to first-class talent: Xeeed.IO is strategically positioned to tap into the University of Warwick’s strong pipeline of STEM graduates. As a result, the company has already strengthened its capabilities by recruiting a University of Warwick graduate into its advanced ML development team.

Since establishing at the Venture Centre, Xeeed.IO and WMGC have kept a close strategic partnership, with WMGC providing Xeeed.IO with valuable introductions to companies within its target sectors, enabling the organisation to validate the effectiveness of its solutions and test a range of industrial use cases. Notably, the programme was a key driver in introducing Xeeed.IO to consultancy firm Henham Strategy, who connected the firm with industrial clients, supporting its continued growth trajectory.

WMGC additionally fostered links to Warwick Manufacturing Group , opening avenues of research collaboration and product commercialisation.  This then led to one of Xeeed.IO’s most significant innovation successes to date: a solution leveraging augmented realist to predict failure on solar farms.

Situated in the heart of the UK, international organisations like Xeeed.IO have long taken advantage of the West Midlands’ strategic position.

Home to multiple industry giants like Tata Motors, Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin, the West Midlands’ industrial and manufacturing heritage is underpinning the region’s exciting future in Tech and AI-led innovations.

With well-established infrastructure supporting both national and international connectivity, the region is at the epicentre of Europe’s largest infrastructure project, HS2, the country’s new high-speed rail network, which is transforming the region’s connectivity and economic landscape. For Xeeed.IO, it brings opportunities to form strategic partnerships, leading to collaborations across the UK’s diverse sectors.

As a member of the Global Growth Programme, Xeeed.IO will continue to work with WMGC, who will help the tech firm realise its UK and international growth ambitions.

With the aim to expand their team by 10 software and hardware development employees over the next three years, Xeeed.IO are well equipped to take advantage of emerging opportunities from the West Midlands.

Looking ahead, Xeeed.IO are confident that its home at the University of Warwick Science Park will provide the ideal environment to spark future breakthroughs as it grows its team in the West Midlands.