Cluster will give health tech sector single voice
A new body is calling for health technology businesses and organisations to collaborate and create a collective voice to attract funding into the West Midlands industry.
The health technologies sector has been under the spotlight since the start of the pandemic with many firms across the region rising to the challenge of providing products and solutions to the challenges brought about by Covid-19.
The West Midlands Health Technologies Cluster (WMHTC), which has been set up with a view to growing the industry in the region, started operating today.
The ambition is to build collaborative relationships with the region’s businesses, universities and health providers, to help promote businesses in health technologies and the life sciences sectors at a local, national and international level.
Executive chairman for WMHTC, David Kidney, the former Stafford Labour MP, said: “We want businesses who are working in health technologies to become cluster members and in return our aim is to help them succeed.
“This is a great opportunity to network, meet buyers and commissioners of services. The WMHTC will provide a forum for members to share their experiences and to create solutions to some of the challenges you may experience as a business owner.
“As a cluster we will share our news, bring more coherence to support systems and we will be a powerful advocate for our sector.
“The task is to make this a success and for us this means helping to grow businesses and create jobs.”
Inclusive
Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP), the West Midlands Academic Health Science Network and Bruntwood SciTech provided funding to set up the WMHTC.
Tim Pile, chairman of GBSLEP said: “The West Midlands Health Technologies Cluster will enable businesses of all sizes to come together to share best practise and collaborate.
"We have 400 life sciences businesses across the West Midlands region, employing 11,000 people and together they generate a GVA of £4 billion.
“This is a great opportunity to create a collective voice for the sector.
“GBSLEP works with our partners in the public, private and academic sectors to create inclusive economic growth and we see life sciences, and in particular health and medical technologies, as high growth areas which can contribute to economic recovery.”
A formal launch for the cluster will be held later in the year once Covid-19 pandemic restrictions have been lifted.
The cluster will be offering members and supporters a full programme of virtual events for the first few months.
