Three of Bristol’s top emerging tech firms have been showcased by the city office of transatlantic law firm Womble Bond Dickinson as part of its International Innovation Week.
The office staged a number of events to discuss the initiatives happening across the region and what Bristol – as the UK’s number one smart city and a major legal hub – can do to keep ahead of the curve. 
A key message to emerge was the sense of real collaboration that takes place in the city, with ideas commonly shared and a strong support network of advisers and mentors.
One event brought together micro-networking firm Yena, innovative Messenger marketing company Pillar AI and Tickitto, the UK’s first AI event-bot – all based in Bristol – with NatWest to discuss what businesses can do to ensure Bristol continue as a hub for innovation.
Another event focused on the topic of social media and how it can be used to build businesses and communities.
In total 20 events took place across Womble Bond Dickinson’s 27 UK and US offices, looking at how innovative technology is transforming the legal industry and other sectors, how businesses challenge themselves to develop more efficient processes, and the new ways of engaging with clients to embed a culture of innovation.
The events included open-invitation webinars, workshops, roundtable events and discussions that encouraged participants to listen, learn, debate and create.
Among issues discussed were cryptocurrency and Blockchain technology, Artificial Intelligence and innovation in the legal sector.
It was the second year running the firm had organised the week but the first since UK firm Bond Dickinson and US firm Womble Carlyle merged last November to form Womble Bond Dickinson, a Global Top 100 firm by annual revenue ($410m/£340m).
Partner and head of Womble Bond Dickinson’s Bristol Office, Julian Kinsey, said: “Innovation Week has been the perfect opportunity for our firm to find out more about the exciting and nimble start-ups in Bristol and what larger corporates are doing in order to support them and open up more opportunities.
“It was encouraging to hear from all our speakers how Bristol is more than just a hive for innovation, but is also a centre for collaboration, where small and large enterprises share best practice with one another to help diffuse innovative ideas, concepts and solutions more effectively.
“Events like Innovation Week are crucial to our firm to keep up to date with innovative new dynamics and continue to develop a culture of innovation to help us drive our business forward and have a mind-set that reflects our clients’.”
Womble Bond Dickinson UK head of innovation Nigel Emmerson added: “We have learnt a huge amount through collaboration with our US colleagues in the last 12 months, but we know we need to keep exploring and embracing change together in order to remain competitive, relevant and progressive.
“Our innovation group works with our lawyers and clients to help identify potential innovation opportunities and coordinate initiatives and projects across the firm. Innovation Week provides a spotlight for these projects and this way of working that will be hugely beneficial to both firms.”
Womble Bond Dickinson’s Bristol office is its second largest in the UK, employing more than 250 staff.
