When we talk about technology-based businesses, people often picture software and applications. However, across the portfolio of Future Planet Capital Regional (FPC Regional), technology is showing up in far more nuanced and applicable ways; from supporting financial inclusion and smart mobility, to audio-focused learning.
What unites these businesses is not just innovation, but technology applied with intent: solving real-world problems, improving lived experiences and scaling impact across both the West Midlands region and global markets.
AI to redefine financial support
Inicio AI wanted to create a finance-focused technology solution that wasn’t just about automating finance for its own sake; it was about applying the technology in a way to remove fear, shame and friction from a system that too often excludes the most vulnerable.
Inicio AI’s virtual agent enables consumers to complete affordability assessments independently and at their own pace, being guided through the assessment using artificial intelligence, while freeing human agents to focus on complex, high-value conversations.
Since FPC Regional and the West Midlands Co-Investment Fund led a £2.5m seed round in March 2025, Inicio AI has doubled its client base in under a year, grown its sales capability and is now helping thousands of people take control of their finances, proving that technology can be both efficient and have real purpose.
What began in the debt sector has now expanded into lending and soon wealth management, demonstrating how scalable, ethical technology can reshape financial services.
Supporting travel with smart technology
Technology increasingly features in how we travel; online booking, QR code tickets and live updates on public transport. However, when it came to major events, founders of You. Smart. Thing. (YST) identified a disconnect between transport systems and event experiences. Standard travel routes were often no longer in place, leading to confusion, congestion and negative overall event experiences.
YST is unifying transport and event systems; delivering personalised, event-specific travel plans, improving visitor experience whilst gathering valuable insight for organisers, venues and local authorities. Through the platform, YST is able to prioritise and encourage more sustainable travel choices and an increased use of public transport. Backed by FPC Regional, the company has been able to scale its platform into global markets and support events from Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games to major international events; showing how smart travel technology can create a smoother consumer experience and drive commercial value.
Upskilling while on the move
Assemble You was created after the founders recognised that professionals are overloaded, yet still expected to continuously focus on developing new skills. They took the ever-popular model of podcasts and developed a library that enables busy people to learn on the go. A by-product of utilising this format to deliver training is making training more accessible for others who have historically been excluded from traditional learning, such as deskless or neurodiverse workers.
Assemble You’s short, structured audio lessons are designed for learning but consumed like podcasts, resulting in accessible, scalable training that fits into modern life. With FPC Regional’s investment, Assemble You has expanded its content offering and accelerated innovation in how learning is delivered and accessed, with a particular focus on supporting AI adoption.
Technology serving people
All of these FPC Regional-backed businesses share a common philosophy that technology is most useful when it is purpose-driven; whether that’s across finance, transport or training. It’s about solving real-world problems with the application of technology in a useful and relevant way.
Just as importantly, these companies are building and scaling from the West Midlands; creating skilled jobs, exporting innovation globally and proving that regional businesses can compete on the world stage.
To find out more about the West Midlands Co-Investment Fund, or how FPC Regional could support your start-up in the region, get in touch via our Pitch for Investment page.