A French tech company has opened a new hub in Birmingham city centre.

Paris-based Sidetrade specialises in artificial intelligence and has launched the new office in St Philip's Place.

It is part of a wider investment worth £30 million across the company including software innovation and training initiatives which it said would creare 70 new jobs.

The tech hub is the company's sixth office and is led by chief technology officer and Birmingham native Mark Sheldon.

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He said: "Our investment and job creation send a strong message that Sidetrade is set for rapid growth with a very capable and innovative team of data scientists, developers and engineers at the heart of what we do.

"We want to keep Sidetrade at the forefront of the tech industry and continue to grow in the UK as a global leader in AI."

Chief executive Olivier Novasque added: "The tech hub moves Sidetrade further ahead in our journey for the most innovative AI-powered solutions for business.

"This investment represents a leap ahead for Sidetrade, the UK tech community

and internationally.

"The Hub will equip Sidetrade to compete globally in business-to-business AI technology."

Julian David, chief executive of trade association TechUK, added: "The UK is a global leader in artificial intelligence.

"It is home to start-ups and scale-ups developing innovative AI applications across many sectors from healthcare to finance.

"The UK is also leading the way in working to find solutions to the challenges of bias and transparency in algorithmic decision making, as well as how we can use emerging technology to provide positive outcomes for our society and economy, and tackle major issues such as climate change.

"We are pleased to see Sidetrade will be joining us on this path.

"Its investment is a sure sign that the UK, and Birmingham in particular, is an attractive place for AI businesses who are ambitious to scale and make a difference to innovation, business, and jobs."