Numerous gaming and immersive technology companies based in the West Midlands will benefit from new funding streams during 2026 and beyond.
The region has become a hotbed for technological innovation in recent years, with local educational establishments at the heart of the transformation.
Many local people have embarked on new careers in gaming, particularly in the development of Bitcoin table games and other digital creations.
The latest round of funding will support eight regional projects including a new extended reality (XR) health and wellbeing bub.
The hub will link gaming and entertainment technology creatives with key healthcare stakeholders to creative virtual worlds which deliver a wide range of therapies.
These include mental health, neurological conditions and rehabilitation, each of which cost the region thousands of lost working hours each year.
The Midlands region has traditionally been at the cutting-edge of medical breakthroughs, from the first X-ray to the invention of the pacemaker.
A new generation of technology trailblazers from Digbeth’s creative quarter to Warwickshire’s ‘Silicon Spa’ will now take that legacy to the next level.
The gaming and entertainment technologies that engage millions of people around the world are now being used to break down barriers to the health and prosperity of citizens in the Midlands.
New VR products will support therapy and education
The new hub will help to significantly cut waiting times in overstretched medical facilities and should significantly boost clinical capacity across the region.
There are currently almost fifty XR and immersive tech businesses operating in the West Midlands, employing more than 3,000 people.
They are worth almost £200 million per year to the regional economy, and that figure is guaranteed to increase once the new hub is fully operational.
One of the companies which will benefit from the new funding already supports numerous healthcare initiatives in the Midlands region.
Their immersive technology helps to train medical professionals and social workers. It is also used to help people understand the dangers of social media and knife crime.
The firm is currently developing new Virtual Reality (VR) products for therapeutic and educational purposes, which will support people who have autism and ADHD.
They have spent the last ten years creating immersive experiences that help young people, and the adults who work with them, tackle tough societal issues such as exploitation.
The technology teaches them how to navigate real-world challenges in a safe and meaningful way.
Being part of a pilot programme for the new XR health and wellbeing hub is a superb opportunity for the company.
Their autism and ADHD assessment hub provides private assessments and they plan to develop new VR content to support therapy and education.
This will give neurodiverse young people practical and engaging tools that make a real difference to their overall health and wellbeing.
Other projects being supported by the new funding include an exchange scheme at a local university designed to unlock international growth opportunities for creative and digital businesses.
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