Birmingham & the West Midlands

AI and automation agency in Birmingham

Up-Stride is a Birmingham-based AI and automation consultancy. We help small and medium-sized businesses across the West Midlands run leaner and grow faster: we map how you work, then build the AI systems around it.
  • Save time on operations
  • Save money on tools and suppliers
  • Grow with smarter systems

Based in Birmingham

Working across the Midlands and the UK

  • Sterling Network Groups
  • HYP
  • Saracen Fire Protection
  • ALT-Group
  • CostCutters UK
  • Seated Furniture
  • Buddy Bag Foundation
  • Touchwood
  • Fabric Design Group
  • ORS
  • Nottingham Office Equipment
  • Bermuda Sloop Foundation

What we build for West Midlands businesses

Operations.Sales.Marketing.

A business, AI and automation consultancy in Birmingham. We build the apps and systems that run your business, and help your team put AI to work.

Our work

Real results from real businesses.

View all work

Who we help

We help businesses that are:

A good fit if you are

  • AI-curious, unsure where to start
  • On stretched budgets, with lean teams
  • No in-house technical or AI expertise
  • Wary of AI or complex tools
  • Ready for AI but need a clear plan

Industries we have worked in

  • Construction
  • Engineering
  • Fire protection
  • Building materials
  • Trade supply
  • Renewable energy
  • Solar
  • Insurance
  • Finance
  • Legal
  • HR
  • Consultancies
  • Design agencies
  • Creative services
  • Retail
  • Shopping centres
  • Office furniture
  • Charities

What clients say

Trusted by growing UK businesses.

gain in process efficiency
80%+
a week handed back from manual work
20+ hrs
cheaper than agency content rates
94%
  • Sterling Network Groups
  • HYP
  • Saracen Fire Protection
  • ALT-Group
  • CostCutters UK
  • Seated Furniture
  • Buddy Bag Foundation
  • Touchwood
  • Fabric Design Group
  • ORS
  • Nottingham Office Equipment
  • Bermuda Sloop Foundation

“When I read the emails, it was like I had written them myself, only 10 times better and personalised to everyone.”

Jenni HendersonOperations & Strategy Director, Sterling Networks
01 / 03

FAQs

Questions from Birmingham businesses

Is Up-Stride based in Birmingham?

Yes. Up-Stride is based in Birmingham and works with businesses across the West Midlands, including Solihull, Sutton Coldfield, Wolverhampton, Coventry, as well as clients elsewhere in the UK.

Which AI consulting firms operate in Birmingham?

Up-Stride is a Birmingham-based AI consultancy for SMEs. We start with process mapping and AI strategy, then plan and build the systems behind it: AI automation, AI agents, CRM, ERP and business operating systems, reporting dashboards and sales systems. Founder Mark Blake has 25 years building, scaling and advising businesses at C-suite and MD level.

Are there AI automation specialists in the West Midlands?

Yes. Up-Stride is an AI automation agency based in Birmingham, working with businesses across the West Midlands, including Solihull, Sutton Coldfield, Wolverhampton, Coventry. We automate repetitive admin, document handling, approvals and data transfer between the tools you already use.

Which areas around Birmingham do you cover?

We work across Birmingham and the Midlands, including Solihull, Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Coventry, Nottingham, Derby, Burton, as well as clients elsewhere in the UK.

What does an AI and automation agency do for a small business?

We start with how your business actually runs, find where you lose time and money, then design and build the systems that fix it: ERP and internal tools, sales systems, automated workflows, AI agents, reporting and on-brand content.

Do you only build AI?

No. Business first, AI second. Many projects are business operating systems, CRM and ERP, with AI added where it earns its place.

How do we get started?

With a free, no-obligation consultation. We map how you work, identify the highest-return moves and give you a clear written plan before anything is built.

How quickly can you deliver?

We start small and prove it works. A focused first project ships in weeks, not quarters; our own SDR cockpit took five days to build.

Free consultation

Discover your AI potential.Book a free consultation.

A free session to map where AI can take your business, and the plan to get there.

You leave with:

A taste of how we work: meet us, see how we approach your business, and leave with something to consider.

  • A chance to meet Mark and Tom
  • AI insights for your business
  • A phased AI roadmap
  • A short written report to take away
  • A strategic business proposal
  • Your AI questions answered
  • Pick it up again whenever you're ready
Book free consultation

No obligation. The only cost is your time.

  • Mark BlakeMark Blake · Strategy and systems
  • Thomas McElroyThomas McElroy · Creative and AI
Your project leads
Email us