Bill Gates could headline Europe's biggest technology festival in the heart of the West Midlands
West Midlands mayor Andy Street is hoping internet billionaire Bill Gates could headline a huge technology festival in the region.
Mr Street was outlining his plans to host Europe's biggest technology fair during a visit to the Jaguar Land Rover engine plant near Pendeford.
The mayor pledged to host a multi-million-pound tech fair in the region next year if he is re-elected on May 2.
Mr Street said sites across the Black Country could host events at the proposed Future Fest, which he hoped would be the biggest event of its kind in Europe.
Mr Street said the West Midlands had the fastest-growing technology sector in the UK, and cited it as one of the biggest potential drivers of future growth in the region.
He said the West Midlands had been the birthplace of the first Industrial Revolution, and it was crucial that it put itself at the forefront of the technological revolution which was now taking place.
