Bristol’s strength in burgeoning sectors such as cleantech, fintech and AI (artificial intelligence) helped push up venture capital investment in the South West last year by 9%, outperforming the national picture. Firms in these sectors, along with manufacturers, attracted some of the largest investments out of the annual total of...
A record 45% of total funds raised by businesses at tech incubator SETsquared Bristol were led by women, according to its 2022 impact results. They raised £15m of the total £33m received by the 85 companies at the University of Bristol-led incubator – testament, say the incubator’s bosses, that...
PEEQUAL, the Bristol company behind the UK’s first women’s urinal, has won two major titles at the South West’s biggest competition for small businesses. The firm, set up by University of Bristol graduates Hazel McShane and Amber Probyn, won the Business and Product Innovation and Start Up categories at...
The West of England’s space industry could double in size over the next four years to employ around 2,000 people, with Bristol firms playing the lead role. Space West, the cluster of advanced manufacturing firms, specialised tech businesses and academic and research organisations making up the industry in the...
Soaring energy bills have sparked a 234% increase in inquiries received by Bristol-based solar energy installer from businesses considering on-site power generation. The firm, one of the UK’s oldest companies in the sector, said the increase was mostly driven by largescale energy users such as manufacturers and warehousing, distribution...
Leading figures from Bristol’s business community marked the start of the Chinese Year of the Rabbit by celebrating the burgeoning links between the city and China at a special banquet. Staged by the Bristol and West of England China Bureau, the annual showpiece for the Chinese New Year brings...
A Bristol firm making wearable technology and software to improve workplace safety has raised £1m from its first investment round to market its pioneering product. Spacebands, part of Bristol’s SETsquared tech incubator, is on a mission to improve workplace safety by using its technology to prevent accidents, injuries and...
Babbasa, the Bristol social enterprise that works to transform the lives of young people from ethnic minority and low-income backgrounds, has appointed six new board members to help drive its vision and mission. The individuals have been selected to assist with specific facets of operating a social enterprise as...
Business West is to mark International Women’s Day with an event celebrating the region’s female entrepreneurs and focusing on the importance of promoting gender equity in business. A panel of five inspirational women from the region will discuss a range of topics at the event on 8 March, such...
Precision measurement firm Third Dimension, which works with manufacturers such as Airbus and Rolls-Royce, is targeting further expansion as it prepares to relocate its Bristol base a matter of feet to a neighbouring unit. The move, which will keep it on the Brabazon Office Park in Filton, will allow...
Fast-growing recruitment agency Aligra has opened a branch in Bristol as it expands into the West of England for the first time. The group launched in 2007 with a single office in Swindon and has since expanded with branches in Andover, Didcot, Newbury and Hinckley, Leicestershire. Having achieved a...
Bristol businesses can benefit from free soft skills training following new research showing their importance in the modern workplace. Business West, the regional business group that runs Bristol Chamber of Commerce, has worked with the West of England Institute of Technology (WEIoT) to launch a new soft skills certificate with...
Twelve innovative tech start-ups have joined the acclaimed tech incubator SETsquared Bristol to accelerate their growth. The new cohort represents a range of sectors as well as creative uses of technology to help solve some of the world’s biggest problems – from improved access to healthcare and education to...
