What West Midlands Growth Company does

West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC) is the official investment promotion agency and destination management organisation for England's West Midlands region, operating as a private limited company registered in England and Wales (company number 01631329) and headquartered in Birmingham. Founded in 2017 and led by Chief Executive Neil Rami with Matthew Hammond as Chair, WMGC is publicly funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority and works in coordination with all seven regional local authorities. Its core remit is to deliver sustainable, inclusive economic growth by attracting foreign direct investment, developing the visitor economy, supporting business events and major sporting events, and promoting the region internationally.

WMGC operates through five functional sub-brands: Invest West Midlands (FDI and capital investment promotion, showcased at UKREiiF and MIPIM), Visit Birmingham and the Tourism Hospitality Board (visitor economy, currently a £14.1 billion sector), Meetings, Conferences & Events (leveraging venues such as the International Convention Centre Birmingham), Major Sporting Events, and Production Central WM (a film and TV production office launched in November 2025). The organisation also recently launched the Regional Defence and Security Cluster (RDSC) in May 2026 to capture the region's £1.7 billion annual Ministry of Defence spend across its 23,500-person defence workforce. A multi-channel marketing approach includes the 'It Starts Here' destination campaign, digital platforms (wmgrowth.com, investwestmidlands.com, visitbirmingham.com), trade missions, and the Partners West Midlands membership programme.

WMGC is not a technology company and does not develop proprietary technology products. Its business model is primarily managed-services delivery funded by public-sector grants, supplemented by partnership programmes (Premier sponsorships for UKREiiF from E.ON, Lendlease, and Lovell) and membership fees via Partners West Midlands. Services are provided free at point of use to international investors, businesses, and tourism partners. Customer segments span international investors and developers, the tourism and hospitality industry, India-focused international businesses, the defence and security sector, and film/TV production companies, with no single commercial customer materially driving revenue.

Name

West Midlands Growth Company

Legal name

West Midlands Growth Company Ltd

Website

https://wmgrowth.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC) is the official investment promotion agency and destination management organisation for England's West Midlands, funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority. It attracts foreign direct investment, develops the visitor economy, supports business and sporting events, and promotes the region internationally to investors, businesses, and tourists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: WMGC is funded by UK government through the West Midlands Combined Authority and public sector partners to deliver economic development, investment promotion, and destination management services for the region.
2. Partnership Programs: The organization generates value through partnership programs including 'Partners West Midlands' which offers exclusive benefits to members, and sponsorships from private sector companies for events like UKREiiF.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC) is the official investment promotion agency and destination management organisation for the West Midlands region of England. It delivers inward investment promotion (FDI and capital investment), runs the region's visitor economy and tourism brand (Visit Birmingham, Tourism Hospitality Board, West Midlands Tourism Awards), manages major sporting events and meetings/conferences bids, and operates Production Central WM as the dedicated film/TV production office. Commercial income is generated through the Partners West Midlands membership scheme and event sponsorships, while core funding flows from the West Midlands Combined Authority and public-sector partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• It Starts Here: Destination promotion campaign for the West Midlands region unveiled during Birmingham Tech Week.
• Production Central WM
• Invest West Midlands
• Visit Birmingham
• Partners West Midlands

Products and services

• Inward Investment Promotion (Foreign Direct Investment) WMGC's flagship inward investment service for international and UK companies evaluating the West Midlands for FDI; provides market intelligence, site-finding, partner introductions and aftercare, and is the regional lead for international investor engagement supported by all seven local authorities.
• Capital Investment Showcase (UKREiiF and MIPIM) WMGC's capital-investment service curates and showcases £20bn+ of West Midlands regeneration, development and real-estate opportunities to institutional investors at industry forums such as UKREiiF and MIPIM; includes premier sponsorship programmes (E.ON, Lendlease, Lovell) and delegation/partner management.
• Meetings, Conferences & Events Bidding and Support WMGC's specialist MCE service bids for, supports and delivers regional conferences, meetings and major events, leveraging venues such as the International Convention Centre Birmingham and running SportAccord 2024 as a flagship event.
• Visit Birmingham — Visitor Economy & Tourism Promotion Under the Visit Birmingham brand, WMGC promotes the West Midlands as a leisure and business tourism destination to visitors, and runs the Tourism Hospitality Board and the West Midlands Tourism Awards to support local tourism operators.
• Major Sporting Events Support WMGC's dedicated Major Sporting Events team supports bidding for and delivery of major sporting events in the West Midlands, including hosting such as SportAccord 2024 and other regional and international events.
• Production Central WM — Film & TV Production Office WMGC's dedicated film and TV production office for the West Midlands, providing production support (location scouting, crew access, regulatory liaison) to filmmakers, content creators and established broadcast companies; operates as the regional partner to studios, broadcasters and streamers (e.g. BBC, Netflix/Banijay).
• Regional Defence and Security Cluster (RDSC) WMGC's specialist defence and security cluster — free to join — connects defence primes, SMEs, universities and the Ministry of Defence in the West Midlands to translate national defence strategy into regional delivery, including access to the £1.7bn annual MoD industry spend and a 23,500-strong regional defence workforce.
• Partners West Midlands — Membership Partnership Programme WMGC's commercial membership programme offering exclusive benefits and engagement rights to businesses and organisations that support the West Midlands economy; tiered partner/sponsor packages and sponsorships for events such as UKREiiF (premier partners E.ON, Lendlease, Lovell in 2026).
• International Trade & Mayoral Missions WMGC-orchestrated international trade missions (e.g. India, Ahmedabad–Mumbai–Bengaluru in Feb 2026) under the mayoral mandate to attract FDI, expand trade and partnerships following major trade agreements such as the UK-India FTA; includes UK-India Week events, the Gujarat–West Midlands Steering Committee, and partnership programmes with universities (Aston, Birmingham City).

Quantifiable outcome

• 130 FDI projects with 5,821 jobs created in 2024/25, capturing nearly 10% of UK total FDI
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and premier.

• Gujarat GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Government of Gujarat partnered during UK-India Week. Principal Secretary and Commissioners participated in discussions on advanced manufacturing, clean energy, life sciences, and education.
• UK Telecoms Lab (UKTL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2026UKTL hosted the launch of the West Midlands Regional Defence and Security Cluster. UKTL is a cyber security and resilience lab based in the West Midlands, responsible for bolstering the security of telecoms critical national infrastructure.
• NMS UKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2026NMS UK is a leading manufacturer of Military Protected 4x4 vehicles, bringing over 40 years of engineering expertise in service of the British Army and UK defence exports. Key industry partner in the RDSC.
• Ministry of Defence (MOD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2026The MOD is a key backer of the RDSC. The West Midlands has an annual MoD industry spend of £1.7 billion, and the cluster supports translating national defence strategies into regional delivery.
• Manufacturing Technology CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2026Key research institution partner in the RDSC, bringing advanced manufacturing capabilities to the defence and security sector collaboration.
• University of BirminghamcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2026World-class university partner in the RDSC, contributing academic excellence and research capabilities to defence innovation.
• University of WarwickcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2026Key university partner in the RDSC and host of Smarter Regions Forum during UK-India Week. Innovation district and research partnerships with Indian companies.
• E.ONpremierGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026Premier partner for UKREiiF 2026, supporting the West Midlands delegation and investment showcase.
• LendleasepremierGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026Premier partner for UKREiiF 2026, supporting the West Midlands delegation and investment showcase.
• LovellpremierGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026Premier partner for UKREiiF 2026, supporting the West Midlands delegation and investment showcase.
• India Global ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Co-organiser of West Midlands trade mission to India and UK-India Week events. Established Gujarat-West Midlands Steering Committee.
• Greater Birmingham Chambers of CommercecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2026Partner in organizing trade mission events and meetings with Indian businesses during the Mayoral Mission to India.
• Aston UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Official trade mission sponsor with new partnerships formed with Indian academic institutions (All India Management Association, Xavier School of Management) during UK-India Week.
• Birmingham City UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Official trade mission sponsor. Prof. David Mba, Vice-Chancellor, joined the delegation to India.
• GEDU Global EducationpremierGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2026Official trade mission sponsor for West Midlands Mayoral Mission to India 2026.
• GIFT CitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026India's first operational International Financial Services Centre hosted West Midlands mayoral delegation to advance India-UK collaboration in financial services, innovation, and institutional partnerships.
• Create CentralcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Strategic partner for Production Central WM film production office. Executive Lead at Create Central led the launch project. Also partnered on BBC expansion MOU.
• VisitBritain/VisitEnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational tourism agency with Birmingham hub. WMGC Chief Executive Neil Rami sits on the British Tourist Authority board. West Midlands is pilot region for Destination Development Partnership.
• West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWMCA funds and collaborates with WMGC on major initiatives including Production Central WM, film production support, and creative industries growth.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• London & Partners: London's official investment promotion agency and DMO, directly comparable to WMGC in operating model (publicly funded, FDI attraction + destination marketing + events), but operating at much larger scale and competing with WMGC for the same FDI pool, particularly Indian outbound capital.
• Manchester Growth Company: Manchester's regional economic development and investment promotion body - the closest geographic and structural peer to WMGC, also publicly funded, also competing for UK regional FDI share, and similarly active at UKREiiF/MIPIM with comparable events and partnership programmes.
• Scottish Development International: Scotland's national investment promotion agency, jointly funded by Scottish Government and private sector - operates an essentially identical model to WMGC across FDI attraction, trade missions and international marketing, and is a direct competitor for India and US-sourced FDI into the UK.
• Invest Northern Ireland: Northern Ireland's regional economic development and FDI agency - structurally identical to WMGC in mission (jobs, investment, growth) and funding model (government-backed), competing for similar FDI flows from the US and emerging markets.
• Marketing Manchester: Manchester's destination marketing and convention bureau - the most direct DMO peer to WMGC's Visit Birmingham brand, also publicly funded, also running major-events strategies (Commonwealth Games legacy) and tourism promotion campaigns targeting similar UK and international visitor segments.

Broad incumbents

• Brand USA: The US national destination marketing organisation - analogous to WMGC at the national rather than regional scale, with a comparable public-private partnership model and 'It Starts Here'-style national brand campaigns; instructive as a benchmark for how WMGC's destination brand could scale.
• VisitBritain / VisitEngland: The UK's national tourism agency - directly comparable in tourism promotion remit, and an actual partner of WMGC (WMGC CEO Neil Rami sits on the British Tourist Authority board; Birmingham was selected as VisitBritain's new HQ from April 2024).
• Enterprise Singapore: Singapore's government agency for economic development and investment promotion - operates the same playbook as WMGC (FDI targeting, industry cluster development, partnerships) but at sovereign scale; a relevant peer for cluster-building playbooks (RDSC-style defence cluster).

Regional players

• Business France: France's national investment promotion agency - structurally identical to WMGC in mission and operating model, but operating in a different geographic market; useful as a benchmark for FDI conversion and trade mission cadence outside the UK context.

Emerging players

• Create Central: West Midlands' creative industries cluster body - directly partnered with WMGC on Production Central WM and the BBC MOU; a niche peer with overlapping remit in film/TV production support, representing WMGC's emerging creative-economy vertical.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WMGrowth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/westmidlandsgrowthcompany

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about West Midlands Growth Company