Combining technology, art, science and education to create powerful installations and performances has landed fast-growing digital business Interactive Scientific the coveted Bristol SETsquared Best Elevator Pitch award.
It beat nine other fledgling firms to win the accolade at Bristol SETsquared’s Annual Innovation Showcase, which gives members of the business incubator 60 seconds to explain their business. 
After hearing all 10 pitches, members of the audience – made up of investors, funders, executives and SETsquared supporters and mentors – were each given a vote to decide the winner.
Interactive Scientific managing director Becky Sage – who has a PhD in Chemistry from University of Bristol and has trained as an actor – wowed the audience by explaining how its Nano Simbox interactive science learning platform breaks the rules of the universe by making simulations in the molecular nano-world.
Interactive Scientific’s team is made up of scientists, artists, designers, programmers and performers. The firm has also worked with dancers in groundbreaking performances that fused 3D imaging with rigorous molecular physics. The dancers became energy fields, allowing them to influence the performance’s graphics and sound using their movement.
Becky said: “We are delighted to have been selected for the Best Elevator Pitch. We are currently fundraising, so the event has provided us with a great opportunity to raise awareness for our business.” 
Other pitches came from last year’s winner Yellow Dog, which offers crowdsourced 3D rendering for animators and was pitching for £1m funding, Gradient DM, which uses ‘big data’ to solve problems and has developed the GAPsquare tool for measuring the gender pay gap, and My Action Reply, which captures highlights from sporting events, instantly sending edited footage to social media channels and local TV.
A further 18 firms exhibited their innovations at the event, which was hosted by law firm Veale Wasbrough Vizards at its Narrow Quay head office and supported by Barclays and accountancy firm Smith & Williamson.
Among the exhibitors were VRGO, a chair designed for Virtual Reality gaming, and Motion Impossible, which has created remote camera dolly systems for TV and film firms.
The event was opened by Monika Radclyffe, who was appointed as SETsquared Bristol centre director in March. She called on the guests to ensure they remained active connectors and supporters so that Bristol’s digital cluster could continue to thrive.
Since last year’s showcase the 65 SETsquared ventures have raised £33m in funding and created 200 jobs – a 40% increase on the previous year.
Monika said: “We have 65 truly innovative businesses at SETsquared Bristol so I am glad we have had this opportunity to showcase some of them. I continue to be amazed by the technologies they create and we do everything we can to help them accelerate growth. It is an exciting time to be in Bristol and I hope next year we will see even more successes.”
University of Bristol registrar Robin Geller, who delivered closing remarks, added: “We are in fast-changing times and we must keep abreast of and support new technologies as well as new business methods.
“The university is fully committed to innovation. Thriving as a tech cluster would not be possible without strong linkages and collaboration between the city, the industry and the academia.”
Pictured, top: Becky Sage of Interactive Scientific with Veale Wasbrough Vizards partner Nathan Guest
Above right: SETsquared Bristol centre director Monika Radclyffe welcoming guests
Below: From left Nathan Guest, Veale Wasbrough Vizards partner; Smith & Williamson head of regional marketing Paul Waller; David Goodall, head of corporate and business banking at Barclays, with Becky Sag of Interactive Scientific. All photos by Andre Regini
