Micrima, the innovative Bristol firm developing technology that could revolutionise breast cancer detection, has been named as the region’s top disruptive business.
The health tech diagnostic imaging company secured the prestigious top spot on the unique DisruptSW 2018 index, which names the South West’s 25 most innovative businesses. 
Micrima’s MARIA system received European regulatory approval in 2015 and has since been trialled on more than 400 women in the UK with trials now taking place across Europe.
The DisruptSW index – now in its second year – was unveiled at an event staged at Klub Loco below Bristol’s Temple Meads railway station which featured an Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter’s tea party alongside inspiring talks from some of the region’s fast-growth companies and investors.
Judges compiled the list by ranking companies for their market disruption on three metrics – people, product and potential.
Powys-based Riversimple came second for designing the Rasa, a car which emits nothing but a tiny amount of water and will do the equivalent of 250 mpg.
Hyperlocal food sharing app Olio was the third top disruptor, a company connecting neighbours with each other and local shops and cafés so surplus food and other household items can be shared, not thrown away. It launched in Bristol just six months after starting up in London in July 2015.
Bristol-based Interactive Scientific, number four, has developed the Nano Simbox, an immersive scientific exploration product which helps people think and learn about science.
Sharing fifth place were Southampton-based Healios, a digital mental health platform that combines technology with qualified professionals, and Bristol-based Immersive Labs, which has developed a cloud-based platform for real-world cyber security lab exercises via a browser.
Disrupt South West was produced by Tällt Ventures, recruitment firm ADLIB and regional law firm Foot Anstey.
ADLIB managing director Nick Dean said: “The index is truly representative of the diverse business world…the pace at which businesses are being formed and coming to market is incredible.
Martin Cuell, head of technology and partner at Foot Anstey, said: “We’re hugely excited by the potential of the businesses in this year’s list. We’ll continue to support the Disrupt South West initiative by helping to develop the relationships and support collaboration in any way we can to continue the South West technology growth story.”
Matt Connolly, founder and CEO at Tällt Ventures, added: “The pace of innovation and level of local talent in the South West is brilliant – Disrupt South West gives us an opportunity to celebrate that. We’re excited to follow what these ventures get up to and see how they grow and disrupt their industries over the coming months.”
The 2018 event was sponsored by Bristol-based R&D tax credit consultancy ForrestBrown.
