Birmingham Knowledge Quarter
Pioneer next-generation Digital and Health technologies
The Birmingham Knowledge Quarter (B-KQ) is a world-leading city-centre innovation ecosystem designated as a state-of-the-art R&D cluster for cutting-edge companies specialising in advanced digital technologies, engineering and HealthTech research. Researchers and companies can operate side-by-side, combining resources to develop, test and scale next-generation technologies.
Take advantage of locating in B-KQ:
- Collaborate with world-class Universities
- Home to the UK’s fastest-growing tech sector, worth £15bn
- Faster-than-average mobile connectivity; delivering better performance than 150 cities globally
- 92.3% gigabit broadband availability – the highest of all UK combined authority areas
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or get in touch
If you’re exploring the idea of expanding or relocating your business, we’ve got two easy ways to take your next step.
Download our full brochure to discover everything you need to know about the B‑KQ tech cluster – from available sites and infrastructure to talent, innovation, and connectivity.
Ready to talk? Reach out to one of our local experts to explore how we can support your company’s move, growth, and long-term success in the West Midlands.
Whether you’re gathering information or ready to start a conversation, we’re here to help – and your next chapter in the B‑KQ starts here.
Birmingham Knowledge Quarter Brochure
Send an email to Karolina
Firms locating within the B-KQ have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a presence in the £117bn West Midlands economy, benefitting from cutting-edge academic research combined with state-of-the-art office and laboratory space.
Located within the fastest-growing tech ecosystem in the UK, it offers both ambitious start-ups and established businesses a fertile environment to access, create and nurture new tech-based markets.
A Trusted Heartland of R&D Excellence
- 5PRING
- Advanced Services Group (ASG)
- Sir Peter Rigby Digital Futures Institute
- Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence
- Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies
- Birmingham Children’s Hospital
- Birmingham Health Innovation Campus*
- Centre for Regulatory Science & Innovation
- Curzon Wharf
- Digbeth Creative Quarter
- Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute
- Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology
- HS2 Curzon Street Terminus
- ICentrum
- IOT 4WIN
- Medical Devices Testing & Evaluation Centre*
- National Centre for the Decarbonisation of Heat*
- Precision Health Technologies Accelerator*
- Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Digital Broadcast
- Smithfield
- SPARK The Midlands
- STEAMhouse
- Woodcock Street
*in Edgbaston
Develop your product with world-class R&D partners
From National Centres of Excellence to cutting-edge public-private sector partnerships, the West Midlands is the UK’s heartland of R&D excellence.
Within the Birmingham Knowledge Quarter alone, you can access collaborative opportunities with a raft of industry-leading firms, from WM5G, who are pioneering unprecedented uses of 5G technology, to the Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence, a first-of-its-kind research institute combining world-leading research in membrane technology with polymer chemistry.
Not to mention, the wider network of over 100+ tech accelerators, incubators and R&D assets easily accessible across the West Midlands region.
A super-connected innovation corridor with London
HS2 is the UK’s new high-speed railway. It will halve journey times between London and Birmingham to just 49 minutes. Its British-built bullet trains will provide zero-carbon journeys between the UK’s two largest cities on dedicated high-speed tracks.
The Curzon Street station, HS2’s main terminal in the region, sits adjacent to the Birmingham Knowledge Quarter. This connects the capital city with an asset-rich area, in which the region’s universities play a unique role in bringing together industry and academia to solve real-world problems.
World-Leading Academic Excellence
Reap the benefits of locating along world-leading academic excellence. With a mindset for disruption that is powering unparalleled levels of cutting-edge innovation, the globally renowned universities present within the Birmingham Knowledge Quarter can provide the state-of-the-art facilities and industry-leading talent your business needs to pioneer next-generation products and services.
Both Aston University and Birmingham City University – based in the Birmingham Knowledge Quarter – actively collaborate with local businesses through Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, applying cutting-edge research and specialist expertise to drive commercial innovation and solve real-world challenges.
Across the West Midlands beyond B-KQ, industry is powered by a network of world-class universities pushing the boundaries of innovation. From the University of Birmingham and the University of Warwick to the University of Wolverhampton, these institutions form a tightly connected ecosystem of academic excellence – fuelling the research, talent, and breakthroughs driving tomorrow’s industries.
Aston University
Supporting Industry & Innovation
Aston University has a strong track record in applying its globally recognised research and innovation capabilities to bring together industry, businesses and academia to solve real-world problems and drive innovation within medical, health and digital technologies.
The university has established a range of technology innovation accelerators for the West Midlands, partnering with Stanford University on SPARK (a global preclinical accelerator). It is a key delivery partner in the West Midlands CleanTech Accelerator and HealthTech Innovation Accelerator. The university continues to forge research and innovation partnerships with the NHS via its core membership of Birmingham Health Partners.
Aston actively engages with industry partners through it’s Knowledge Transfer Partnerships.
Birmingham City University
Supporting Industry and Innovation
Birmingham City University (BCU) is a dynamic, practice-led and research-inspired anchor institution that has an established international profile for its work on STEAM – an interdisciplinary way of thinking that combines Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. It’s aimed at finding the most innovative solutions to today’s challenges. BCU directly supports the pipeline of technical skills in key sectors through initiatives such as the Institute of Technology, ensuring seamless progression to academic, technical or vocational pathways to high-level skills.
In 2021, the university secured the Investor in Innovation standard from the Institute for Innovation and Knowledge Exchange in recognition of its work with businesses and partners to drive innovation and growth – just the second university in the country to be handed the accreditation.
STEAMhouse
The £70m STEAMhouse campus is a community of business experts, SMEs, large organisations and corporate firms, who are collaborating to drive business growth and overcome commercial and societal challenges through innovation.
Catalysing innovation through specialist facilities, the campus offers a product development service to design, prototype, test and launch new ideas; a dedicated incubator providing workspace; and business support and R&D expertise.
There is also an AR/VR Discovery service enabling businesses to explore the application of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality technology to accelerate innovation.
Life-Changing Science
The West Midlands is innovating the future of life sciences. The Precisions Health Technologies Accelerator is one of many ways we’re cultivating the next generation of health technology in the region.
Gino Martini, professor and chief executive of the PHTA, spoke about the 700+ MedTech companies driving innovation here.
Birmingham Knowledge Quarter Brochure
How we support you
All companies within the West Midlands Investment Zone can apply to access funded assistance and advice for skills development and supply chain support, with equity funding available for start ups.
Your business will have access to a total package of support, with a dedicated sector specialist for every step of the way, helping with targeted introductions and links into the local ecosystem.
- One-to-one business sales and support
- Immigration support and DIT working VISA connection
- Support for key employees and their families moving to the area including familiarisation visits
- Commercial property search and assistance including viewings
- Free PR support to amplify your brand with our global press contacts, maximising press attraction
- Supply chain introductions and external support programmes
- Business network introductions and speaking opportunities
- Detailed local economy data reports
- Links to local and national government via the West Midlands Growth Company
- Recruitment assistance and salary insights
- Free skills hub recruitment support
- R&D opportunities via funded university projects or regional challenges
- Ongoing quarterly account management
- Invites to regional relevant sector activities and networking events
- Our commercial network can introduce you to more than 100 leading companies who can help you to establish smoothly and maximise the benefits of your investment
Karolina Kuszowska the West Midlands Growth Company’s sector expert responsible for working with investors interested in the Birmingham Knowledge Quarter.
