Bristol Technology Festival returns next week with more than 50 wide-ranging events highlighting the city’s technological innovation, talent and sense of community.
Each day of the festival, which is staged by information hub TechSPARK, will represent a different theme – Purpose, Protect, People, Play and Pioneer – through interactive seminars, workshops and activities in venues across the city. 
The five themes will span the depth and breadth of what Bristol’s technology and digital community has to offer, encompassing everything from harnessing green tech companies to tackle the climate crisis to using smart AI solutions for cyber security.
The festival was launched in 2019 by a small group of tech enablers, movers and shakers with the mission to stage a series of events over one week.
It was an immediate hit, attracting people from across the country and greatly enhancing Bristol’s reputation as a tech hub.
Disrupted caused by the pandemic meant it had to adapt to remote and hybrid models for the past two years but is now back to in-person events providing the all-important chance for attendees to make vital connections.
Events throughout the festival are crowdsourced from organisations across the city, including tech companies, public bodies, schools, community interest groups and charities and are open tech sector workers, business leaders, visitors wanting to know more about the region, and anyone wanting to know more about the city’s digital industries.
The five themes/days are:
- Purpose: Monday will focus on Technology for Good and the emerging business that are challenging the status quo. From MetTech to ClimaTech, this day will showcase powerful solutions and ideas to build a better world for the future.
- Protect: Tuesday’s aim is to highlight the importance of building resilience and protecting our communities. From developing new preventative health care to building ethical AI to understanding the value of our cyber sector, this day is about tech to help safeguard people.
- People: Wednesday explores one of the biggest challenges technology businesses in the city are facing – attracting, retaining and up-skilling world-class tech talent. We will hear about the strategies and tactics to better serve businesses in the city.
- Play: Thursday will be looking towards our exciting gaming and creative cluster, showcasing projects and technologies from the VR/AR/MR and Create-Tech industry. This day will focus on the convergence of technology, gaming and the creative sector.
- Pioneer: The last day of the festival focuses on some of the game-changing research, development and technologies coming out of the city. The aim is to promote the depth of original thinkers and businesses now competing on an international stage.
As part the Protect day, TechSPARK is hosting the Bristol & Bath Cyber Conference 2022, which is also returning for the first time since 2019.
The region’s largest cyber collective, the event is designed to support those working in the industry and celebrate the most innovative cyber start-ups with workshops, hackathons, panel debates and 15-plus industry leading speakers.
