Innvotek said its landlocked location helped it to be innovative

An ocean-going robot designed in landlocked Birmingham is set to take on the inspection and cleaning of deep-sea offshore structures

Tyseley-based firm Innvotek, led by Shahid Mughal, developed Amphibian, a robot built to maintain offshore structures and reduce the need for human divers in hazardous conditions. 

Equipped with high-definition cameras, powerful lights, corrosion-mapping sensors and water jets, it inspects joints and remove debris such as barnacles and algae.

Innvotek is now working with Mayor Richard Parker’s Business Growth West Midlands service to secure funding and move the technology into production, supporting plans to create high-tech manufacturing jobs locally.

Mr Mughal said: “I was blown away by the level of innovation and support across the West Midlands. With six universities on our doorstep, it felt like a great place to develop our technology.

“We are now moving from research and development into commercialisation, raising investment to scale the business and create great jobs here.”

‘In a landlocked city we’ve had to think outside of the box’

Mr Mughal was speaking at an event during the West Midlands Business Festival, which runs until 13 February and has attracted nearly 5,000 bookings across 120 events.

He added: “Being based in a landlocked city has meant we’ve had to think outside of the box when testing Amphibian, combining our own makeshift facilities with specialist testing such as the Offshore and Renewable Energy Catapult in Blyth.

“But we’re now moving from R&D into commercialisation, with a focus on raising investment to scale the business and create some great jobs here in the West Midlands.”

Mayor Parker added: “This region has always backed innovators like Shahid and that’s not going to change. It’s their drive and determination that will get our economy firing on all cylinders, but they can’t do it alone.