Made Smarter (West Midlands)

Made Smarter West Midlands, promoted by Business Growth West Midlands and delivered in collaboration with the region's two High Value Manufacturing Catapults (WMG at the University of Warwick and the Manufacturing Technology Centre), supports SME manufacturers across Greater Birmingham and Solihull, the Black Country, Coventry and Warwickshire, the Marches, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire, and Worcestershire. Each applicant is assessed individually by a regional Digital Transformation Specialist, who works with the business to understand its challenges, goals and aspirations. Together with WMG and MTC, the specialist produces a tailored digital roadmap and provides access to 50% match-funded grants of up to £20,000 to help implement recommendations and purchase new digital technologies. The programme also provides operational workforce development and training support to help manage the change process, plus the opportunity to take on a fully funded digital intern for 12 weeks, giving businesses the skills and expertise to sustain digital transformation and future innovation.

Available to SME manufacturers across Greater Birmingham and Solihull, the Black Country, Coventry and Warwickshire, the Marches, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire, and Worcestershire; each applicant is individually assessed by a regional digital transformation specialist.