Innovation Birmingham has launched its application process for its upcoming Serendip Smart Cities Incubator programme.
The programme will be housed in the new £8 million iCentrum building which opens later this month.
Serendip will co-locate promising start-up businesses with large commercial partners.
Within these incubators, the commercial partners will help to mentor qualifying early stage tech companies and could in turn become customers or distribution channels for the start-ups.
There will be at least four sector-specific Serendip 'quarters' related to digital heath, intelligent mobility, internet of things and an additional incubator.
This final one will be delivered by Innovation Birmingham in collaboration with the West Midlands Academic Health Science Network, Centro and the Transport Systems Catapult, RWE npower and Barclays.
The idea behind the space is to encourage the translation of ideas, relevant to the so-called Smart City agenda, into new products and services.
Successful applicants for the Serendip Smart Cities Incubator will be based at iCentrum from April 1 and will be supported by Innovation Birmingham's mentorship programmes.
This enables them to work directly with commercial partners to market-test and refine products and services.
Chief executive of Innovation Birmingham David Hardman said: "We are thrilled to be working with these corporate partners to deliver the Serendip Smart Cities Incubator, so creating a unique facility in the UK.
"Working with these partners is very exciting for the region and will help us to further drive the city's reputation as a national centre for digital excellence, as well as helping to create many new high value jobs in high-growth businesses which will have fantastic economic benefits for Birmingham."
