Since its launch in 2019, Birmingham Tech Week has evolved into a premier event in the UK’s tech scene, celebrating innovation, collaboration, and entrepreneurship. Founded by Yiannis Maos to highlight Birmingham’s tech potential, the event draws tech leaders, startups, and investors to exchange ideas and showcase the region’s growing tech ecosystem. Through the years, Birmingham Tech Week has expanded from a local event to an international platform, with themes ranging from digital transformation and sustainability to diversity and emerging technologies. As the city cements its role in the UK’s tech future, the event continues to foster growth, investment, and collaboration.
Since its inception, Birmingham Tech Week has grown to become one of the UK’s most significant events celebrating technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Held annually in the heart of the Midlands, it provides a platform for tech leaders, startups, investors, and industry experts to come together, exchange ideas, and showcase the region’s thriving tech ecosystem. From humble beginnings to its role as a key player in the UK tech landscape, Birmingham Tech Week is a testament to the city’s commitment to digital transformation, collaboration, and the future of technology.
The Beginnings: Recognising Birmingham’s Tech Potential (2019)
The story of Birmingham Tech Week began in 2019 when tech entrepreneur Yiannis Maos recognised a gap in the city’s representation within the wider UK technology scene. Despite being home to a growing number of tech companies, digital startups, and innovative minds, Birmingham wasn’t receiving the attention or recognition that London and other major cities like Manchester or Leeds were commanding in the tech sector.
Maos, passionate about putting Birmingham on the map as a leading tech hub, launched Birmingham Tech Week to bring together the city’s talent, foster collaboration, and showcase its strengths. His vision was to create an event that wasn’t just a conference, but a festival of innovation—one that would involve multiple organisations, businesses, and venues across the city, celebrating the diverse tech industries Birmingham was home to.
The first edition of Birmingham Tech Week, held in October 2019, exceeded expectations. It drew over 5,000 attendees and featured more than 50 events, spanning topics from artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity to fintech and digital marketing. It became clear that Birmingham had an appetite for a larger platform where tech entrepreneurs and innovators could engage with each other and the wider UK tech scene.
A Platform for Collaboration and Growth
From its inception, collaboration has been at the heart of Birmingham Tech Week. The organisers understood that the strength of the city’s tech ecosystem lies in its diversity and the willingness of its participants to work together. As a result, Birmingham Tech Week has always been structured as an open and inclusive event, encouraging businesses, startups, educational institutions, and government bodies to take part in shaping the programme.
Key partners in the early years included organisations like the Innovation Alliance for the West Midlands (IAWM), Tech Nation, and the West Midlands Growth Company. The involvement of local universities such as Aston, Birmingham City University, and the University of Birmingham played a significant role in connecting tech students and graduates with opportunities, while also showcasing academic research and innovation in emerging technologies.
Birmingham Tech Week also helped connect regional businesses with investors and venture capitalists. The events facilitated networking and matchmaking between startups looking for funding and investors keen on discovering new tech-driven opportunities in the region. By 2020, Birmingham had firmly established itself as a tech-friendly city with a focus on fintech, edtech, cybersecurity, and data science, in part thanks to the visibility generated by Tech Week.
Navigating Challenges and Growth: The COVID-19 Era
2020 presented an unforeseen challenge for Birmingham Tech Week. Like many events worldwide, it had to contend with the global COVID-19 pandemic, which led to widespread disruptions. However, rather than cancelling the event, the organisers pivoted to a virtual format, ensuring the event’s momentum didn’t falter.
The 2020 edition of Birmingham Tech Week became a fully online experience, yet it retained its core principles of collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and networking. This digital transformation allowed the event to reach an even wider audience, with participants joining from outside the Midlands and across the UK. The pandemic highlighted the importance of technology in keeping businesses and communities connected, and Birmingham Tech Week showcased how the tech community could adapt and thrive in times of crisis.
The virtual edition included webinars, panel discussions, and virtual networking events focused on the role of tech in navigating the pandemic’s challenges, as well as exploring how industries such as healthcare, education, and retail were leveraging technology to remain resilient.
The Rise of a Global Stage
By 2021, Birmingham Tech Week had grown from a regional event to one with a national and international profile. The West Midlands’ reputation as a tech hub continued to rise, particularly with initiatives like 5PRING, the UK’s first 5G accelerator, which made Birmingham a focal point for 5G innovation. With this and other tech initiatives emerging in the region, Birmingham Tech Week became the key platform for these innovations to be demonstrated and discussed.
In 2022, Birmingham Tech Week returned to its hybrid model—offering both in-person and virtual events. The growing importance of sustainability, diversity, and inclusion in tech was reflected in the themes that dominated the discussions. Sessions on green tech, ethical AI, and digital inclusivity were popular, reflecting the tech industry’s shift toward purpose-driven innovation. The West Midlands’ strength in automotive technology and transport innovation was also a focus, with Birmingham’s role in electric vehicles and smart cities taking centre stage.
Birmingham Tech Week Today: A Regional Powerhouse with Global Reach
Today, Birmingham Tech Week is a major annual event in the UK’s tech calendar, attracting thousands of attendees from across the world. Its influence has expanded far beyond the boundaries of the Midlands, drawing international attention to the region’s vibrant tech ecosystem. The event is now seen as a symbol of Birmingham’s tech prowess and its role in shaping the future of innovation, not only in the UK but globally.
As the tech sector continues to grow and evolve, Birmingham Tech Week remains focused on several key themes:
- Digital Transformation: How industries across the West Midlands are leveraging digital technologies to innovate and compete globally.
- Sustainability and Green Tech: A growing focus on how the tech sector can contribute to sustainability goals, reduce environmental impacts, and promote a circular economy.
- Diversity and Inclusion: Continuing efforts to make the tech industry more diverse and inclusive, particularly by increasing opportunities for underrepresented groups in tech.
- Emerging Technologies: Exploring the latest in AI, quantum computing, cybersecurity, fintech, and other cutting-edge tech fields.
The Future of Birmingham Tech Week
As Birmingham Tech Week looks to the future, it continues to build on its legacy of fostering collaboration, nurturing talent, and showcasing innovation. The event has proven to be more than just a celebration of technology—it’s a catalyst for real change, driving investment, partnerships, and growth in the region’s tech ecosystem.
With Birmingham Tech Week 2024 on the horizon, the focus will remain on solidifying the city’s position as a leader in tech innovation and providing a platform for the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators, and disruptors. As tech becomes more integral to every aspect of society, Birmingham is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping its future, and Birmingham Tech Week will be there to lead the charge.