Aston University Launches AI-Powered Business Hub For Birmingham Entrepreneurs

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06 February 2026

Aston University has opened a new million-pound AI-powered business hub in Birmingham as part of a major investment in the city’s innovation and enterprise ecosystem, supporting entrepreneurs, start-ups and scale-ups with access to expert support, talent and collaborative workspace.

At the centre of the Aston Business Hub is the AI growth engine, designed to help businesses move beyond ideas to sustainable growth. Those basing themselves in the new hub will be able to benefit from the growth engine which includes structured business diagnostics, expert guidance and hands-on support. This means founders and leadership teams will be able to identify opportunities, prioritise investment and develop clear, AI-enabled road maps to help scale-up their businesses.

Located on Woodcock Street, the Aston Business Hub offers modern, adaptable workspaces including hot desks, meeting rooms, and collaborative spaces. The facilities are designed to meet the needs of start-ups and growing businesses, providing an environment that supports innovation, and collaborative growth.

Companies basing themselves in the new hub will also be able to work with academic researchers and doctoral students through the PhD+ Programme and academic research projects - giving access to advanced expertise and fresh perspectives that can help businesses grow.

Businesses will also be able to tap into a pool of industry-ready students and graduates looking for placements, internships and employment opportunities.

The Aston Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (ACEE) Grow team, is dedicated to externally facing business support, delivering high-impact growth programmes for SMEs. These initiatives are grounded in research and designed for practical application. This includes the “Help to Grow: Management” course, co-developed by Aston Business School. Nationally, it has supported over 10,000 UK SME leaders with 92% of programme alumni reported that the course helped them improve their leadership and management skills.

Yiannis Maos MBE is the Hub’s Entrepreneur in Residence, combining strategic insight with hands-on expertise to accelerate AI-driven growth. He has successfully scaled multiple tech ventures – including an AI startup that exited for £55 million – and helped position the West Midlands as the UK’s fastest-growing tech region, valued at £16 billion.

The opening of the new premises is a key part of the city’s next chapter with the Birmingham Innovation Precinct which brings together leading research, enterprise, and knowledge exchange across the Midlands.

Professor Gurpreet Singh Jagpal OBE, Chief Commercial Officer at Aston University said: “The new business hub marks a significant investment by Aston University in the city of Birmingham, and we’re delighted to be playing a leading role in supporting the city’s innovation and enterprise ecosystem.

“At Aston, we want to help support entrepreneurs, start-ups and scale-ups by offering access to expert support, talent and collaborative workspace. Innovation has always been at the heart of Birmingham, and we’re excited to see the new hub open its doors to help write the next chapter for entrepreneurs and start-ups in the city. We’re really excited to be partnering with Yiannis Maos as we know he will be bringing expert knowledge to the hub including special consultations and monthly drop-in sessions.”

Yiannis said: “The world of business is changing rapidly, and AI is at the heart of that transition. I’m really excited about the Aston business hub because right now we are facing challenges but also exciting opportunities as well.

“The business hub represents a great place to work from but most importantly the business support that will allow those businesses to grow and scale. I’m delighted to have been chosen as the AI entrepreneur in residence for the business hub and I’m excited to help play a vital role in supporting entrepreneurs and start-ups in Birmingham.”

Picture: An image of Yiannis Maos MBE (left) and Professor Gurpreet Singh Jagpal OBE (right) at the Aston Business Hub.

Article written by Dave Mapps | Published 06 February 2026

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