The West of England’s economy is forecast to grow faster over the next five years than any other part of the UK outside London, according to two new reports. The region, along with South Wales, will achieve economic expansion of 1.4% a year between now and 2029, according to...
Bristol-based specialist semiconductor maker Graphcore, the city’s first tech ‘unicorn’, is poised to take on the global giants of the industry after being acquired by Japanese investment group SoftBank. Graphcore, which launched in Bristol in 2016, said its head office would remain in the city and become a launchpad...
Bristol’s top tech talent has again won big at the West of England’s most prestigious awards scheme for the sector. Firms and individuals from the city triumphed in 12 of the 17 categories of The SPARKies, the annual awards that champion the best of the region’s tech and digital...
The new government’s pledge to devolve more powers from Whitehall to the West of England offers “a really exciting opportunity” for the region, according to the organisation behind Bristol Chamber of Commerce. Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, said the move could trigger more jobs, homes and infrastructure...
More than 6,000 jobs were created in Bristol and across the South West last year as investment by overseas firms in the region recovered to its strongest for six years. The South West attracted 43 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects in 2023 – a 23% increase on the previous...
Household appliance pioneer Dyson is being asked to give a “cast-iron guarantee” that its planned £100m research and development centre in Bristol will go ahead following the announcement that the group is axing 1,000 jobs in the UK. West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris has written to the...
Bristol’s burgeoning life sciences ecosystem is to be strengthened through a new partnership that brings together some of the major players in the sector across the region. South West Life Sciences has been set up and is being led by the University of Bristol’s Translational Research Hub. It aims...
Bristol’s status as a hotbed for innovation could be strengthened if the new Labour government sticks to commitments over support for research and development made ahead of the General Election, according to a city-based accountant. Sam Wood, pictured, a tax specialist at Albert Goodman, said Labour had pledged to...
Two Bristol-based tech firms working on developing self-driving vehicles have teamed up with Cranfield University to improve their safety by using 3D ultrasound. Calyo and Benedex Robotics have joined forces with Cranfield University in the new partnership, which aims to develop a functional safety sensing platform capable of operating...
Nearly half of South West businesses believe the General Election will lead to significant economic expansion in the region over the next six months, a new survey has revealed. Research commissioned by accountancy firm Monahans, which has seven offices in the region, shows 47% of business owners are confident...
The organisation behind Bristol Chamber of Commerce has called on the newly elected government to ensure the West of England’s potential is fully harnessed, including investing in its growth sectors such as green energy. Business West welcomed Labour’s commitment to an “enduring partnership” with business to deliver the economic...
Nearly seven in 10 West of England firms have struggled to recruit staff over the past three months, particularly for skilled manual/technical and professional/managerial roles, according to a major new survey. Despite this problem, 79% of firms are looking to take on full-time workers and just under half are offering...
Bristol has claimed second place in a table of leading UK towns and cities for its artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem. The ranking is based on a comprehensive analysis of 59 places across country in a pioneering research report carried out by BusinessFinanced.co.uk, a leading provider of financial insights and...
