The British Midlands
Business sectors within the region
ict
The British Midlands is an established and fast-developing base for high-tech businesses in the IT sector. The number of ICT companies in the region has increased by 20% in recent years, and global leaders like IBM, Oracle, Epson, HP, CSC and AT&T are amongst the businesses that have chosen to locate here.
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The industry is made up of many types of businesses, from large global companies, to small and medium-sized software companies specialising in the provision of bespoke software solutions to the industry’s major players. With so many companies based in the region, and so much investment taking place, the British Midlands is the ideal location for ICT-related businesses. As a world leader in research and development, |
the UK attracts hundreds of global companies who have international research and development centres or have formed strategic partnerships with universities or contract research teams.
The UK’s software sector is one of the most vibrant and fastest growing areas in the economy. As one of the most innovative and advanced locations within the software sector, the UK has a proven track record as the leading European country in terms of attracting foreign direct investment from software companies (Source: Oxford Intelligence Investment Strategies and Location Benchmarking Study 2005). This makes it one of the best countries in which to locate business operations for software companies.
The software and services sector is characterised by extremely rapid technological change,
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with many highly competitive companies involved in cutting-edge technologies (Source: UK Trade & Investment). In the British Midlands, software gaming is a key strength, with companies such as Free Radical Design, creators of the Timesplitters series and more recently Second Sight; and Eurocom, licensed developer of several world-class games including Harry Potter, James Bond, Robots and Batman Begins. This means that businesses choosing to locate in the region have a wealth of expertise, plus potential collaborators, on their doorstep. |
Leading-edge research and development in the British Midlands’ 17 outstanding universities and research institutions ensures the region will remain at the forefront of global information technologies for years to come. The Universities of Warwick, Nottingham, Birmingham and Aston were all awardedthe highest possible rating for computer sciences researchby the UK's Higher Education Funding Council, while Staffordshire University's School of Computing is the third largest in Europe and one of the best-equipped computer centres in the country. It awards more computing degrees than any other UK institution and has forged links with leading software companies such as Sun Microsystems, Cisco and Oracle.
Science and technology parks provide a fertile environment for young companies, while incubators turn innovative ideas into world-class business opportunities. Home to the the ICT Centre in Birmingham – the UK's first incubator centre dedicated exclusively to the high-technology sector – the region offers a whole host of business opportunities and world-class development facilities.