The West Midlands is staking its claim as the UK’s “North Star” for inclusive innovation with the launch of the Inclusive Innovation Catalyst, a new venture studio aiming to unlock £30 million in co‑investment, support more than 50 startups, and generate over £40 million in portfolio revenues within three years.
Backed by the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Co‑Investment Fund, and led by TIN Ventures in collaboration with Future Planet Capital Regional, Greater Things, The 51% Club, The Black Business Collective, The Open University, and the Innovation Alliance for the West Midlands, the Catalyst is designed to broaden access to investment for underrepresented entrepreneurs, particularly women and Black founders, who often struggle to secure early‑stage funding.
The initiative’s “Think, Learn, Do” model combines venture building, leadership education, and coordinated co‑investment to create a steady pipeline of investor‑ready startups. “The launch of this venture studio marks a turning point. We’re proving that inclusive innovation can deliver both equity and strong commercial outcomes for the West Midlands,” says Alex Cole, Black Business Collective.
Each founding partner brings a unique perspective. Tara Attfield‑Tomes leads The 51% Club, which supports women‑led businesses from inception through policy influence. Alex Cole runs The Black Business Collective and TIN Ventures, building networks that connect diverse founders with capital and strategic partners. Jof Walters, through Greater Things, focuses on turning early‑stage concepts into scalable products.
The Catalyst’s approach builds on national momentum toward more inclusive growth and aligns with policy efforts such as the Dormant Assets Scheme, the British Business Bank’s Diverse Fund Managers Package, and Innovate UK’s Diverse Investor Partners Initiative. Its goal is to demonstrate that supporting diverse entrepreneurship delivers both social impact and commercial success.
Looking ahead, the next phase will focus on attracting institutional and corporate investors to the region’s ecosystem, positioning the West Midlands as a leader in inclusive innovation. “A venture studio’s power is in turning bold ideas into investable realities. By embedding inclusive innovation into every proof of concept, we de-risk ventures for investors while opening doors for underrepresented founders,” concludes Jof Walters of Greater Things.
