Welcome to my weekly South West Tech News roundup, where you can get all the headlines from the past week in one place.
What has our busy tech and digital community been up to this week? From award wins and innovative breakthroughs to unmissable events and capital raised, take a moment to reflect on the hive of daily activity taking place in our region.
If you have a story to share, wizz it over to beno@techspark.co – I look forward to hearing from you!
Bath Digital Festival returns for 2025
Bath Digital Festival is set to return from 13th to 15th May 2025, transforming Bath into a vibrant hub of innovation, creativity, and cutting-edge technology. More than just a local event, this curated festival aims to provide a platform for the entire South West region to explore, learn, and celebrate advancements in the digital and tech industries.
This year’s festival is built around three transformative themes:
- Space: Beyond the Horizon
- Sustain: Enabling the Future
- Being: The Human and Beyond
“We’re thrilled to bring Bath Digital Festival back for 2025,” said Lucy Paine, Bath Digital Festival Curator. “This year, our mission is to amplify the creativity and ingenuity of the entire South West region. The festival is a platform for everyone—from tech enthusiasts to professionals—showcasing the incredible talent and innovation we have right here.”
Whether you’re a digital innovator, a curious learner, or someone with a bold idea, Bath Digital Festival 2025 welcomes you to join the conversation. Save the dates — 13th to 15th May — and stay tuned for programme updates and ticket information.
For more information, visit the festival website, or contact our partnerships team.
SETsquared Partnership universities and QantX announce new £300m investment vehicle
The SETsquared Partnership universities and leading regional investment firm QantX have announced plans for a new £300m spin-out focused investment vehicle to catalyse the creation and growth of science and technology companies addressing global challenges. The initiative was announced by Sir Richard Olver, Chair of QantX, at Bristol City Hall on 11 October at the Regional Investment and Health & Life Sciences Summit, which Science Minister Lord Patrick Vallance and MP Darren Jones also attended.
This new investment vehicle will drive a much needed step change in early-stage patient capital, expertise, and support available to University spin-outs and start-up companies in the region that are working in areas of true global impact – such as sustainability, clean energy, and transformative healthcare.
Combined, the SETsquared Partnership of six universities – Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Southampton, and Surrey – has a research portfolio of over £600m and has produced over 230 spin-out companies through collaboration across vibrant regional innovation ecosystems. Despite this success, the potential impact of R&D to power regional growth and productivity is being held back due to significant imbalances in equity funding across the UK. Startups in the region raise, on average, five times less at early stages than in the Golden Triangle.
Open Bionics secures £600,000 funding for overseas expansion
Open Bionics, a Bristol-based prosthetics manufacturer, is revolutionising accessibility to advanced bionic arms for people with limb differences. With a £600,000 intellectual property-backed loan from NatWest, the company plans to open six additional clinics in the US, making its life-changing Hero Arm more accessible to the 70% of amputees currently underserved by traditional care systems. The Hero Arm, controlled by EMG sensors, enables below-elbow amputees to perform everyday tasks like gripping objects or brushing teeth. By employing innovative 3D scanning and printing techniques, Open Bionics creates custom-fit prosthetics, including the waterproof Hero Flex and the 3D-printed Hero Gauntlet, empowering users of all ages to regain independence and confidence.
NatWest’s unique lending model, which accepts intellectual property (IP) as collateral, is enabling scale-ups like Open Bionics to secure funding for expansion without relying on fixed assets. This initiative reflects the bank’s commitment to supporting innovation-driven industries that contribute significantly to the UK economy. Open Bionics Co-Founder Samantha Payne expressed excitement about using the funding to enhance patient access in the US. NatWest Relationship Director Louis Spencer highlighted the transformative potential of IP-backed financing, while Martin Brassell, CEO of IP valuation firm Inngot, emphasised the untapped value of intellectual property in scaling life-changing technologies. Recognised for its groundbreaking prosthetics, Open Bionics is demonstrating how turning disabilities into superpowers can inspire global change.
Foresight announce new £50M fund for South West
Private equity fund Foresight Group is to open an office in Bristol as it launches a £50 million fund to support growing firms in the South West.
The fund will target smaller equity investments in established, promising companies with growth potential across all sectors and transaction types – including buy-outs and equity release – in Bristol, Somerset and Wiltshire.
The fund – cornerstoned by Devon Pension Fund – is designed to be evergreen, providing a permanent pool of capital around which SMEs can make long term plans.
Eight UWE Bristol alum secure funding through the Entrepreneurial Futures Award
Eight University of the West of England alum successfully pitched and secured funding between £5,000 to £15,000 through the Entrepreneurial Futures Award which will allow them to develop their enterprises.
Successful pitchers included MachD Trading, a platform that trains people to trade cryptocurrency, drum and bass record label Invicta Audio, and sustainable knitwear company Noon, are just some of the graduate businesses to have received funding through UWE Bristol’s Entrepreneurial Futures Award to kickstart their business.
Nick Sturge MBE joins Light Trace Board
Light Trace Photonics have announced that Nick Sturge has officially joined their board as a non-executive director.
Over the last year, Nick has played a pivotal role as a business advisor and mentor at Light Trace, helping to establish a strong foundation for growth, guiding our commercial strategy, and championing their mission across the broader ecosystem.
On the recent appointment, Nick says,“I’m honoured to be joining the board of Light Trace Photonics, at such an important time – with their first investment and at the cusp of a revolution in computing and communications that will benefit from the integrated photonics technology that the Light Trace team is pioneering”.
Tech entrepreneurs invited to Discover SETsquared Open Event
Calling all early-stage tech founders and aspiring entrepreneurs in the UK. SETsquared Bristol’s acclaimed incubator is opening its doors on 30th January, 11am – 12pm.
Book to attend to find out how its bespoke business support programme can help you grow your business and make an impact in the world. Includes talks from Director, Kimberley Brook, Entrepreneur in Residence, Anna-Lisa Wesley and Sarah Bolt, CEO and Co-founder of alumni company Forth.
