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 shona@techspark.co – I look forward to hearing from you!
Seaweed packaging innovator Kelpi secures £4.35 million in new funding
Kelpi, a firm that uses seaweed to create sustainable packaging, has taken a step closer to market after securing major new funding.
Co-founded by Professor Chris Chuck from the University of Bath’s Department of Chemical Engineering, the firm recently secured £4.35 million in investment to launching its pioneering biomaterial technology in the food and drink and cosmetics and personal care sectors.
Soil power: UK startup Bactery is generating sustainable energy from the earth
A new startup company is leading the charge to a new form of sustainable power, by creating a battery that recharges itself when placed in soil.
Bactery, a University of Bath spinout company, has developed bacteria-powered batteries – or ‘Bacteries’ – which harvest green energy from soil by taking advantage of natural processes that occur in microorganisms within it.
The company’s CEO, Dr Jakub Dziegielowski, who undertook a PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University before setting up the company, says: “Our initial goal is to leverage the unique Bactery technology to accelerate the shift toward digitalisation within the agriculture sector.”
We've partnered with NVIDIA to bring you a Generative AI Meetup at the end of June!
Generative AI is transforming the future by enabling machines to create original and compelling content. From artwork and music to digital avatars and voice assistants, generative AI is pushing the boundaries of human creativity and ushering in a new era of innovation.
We are inviting all the innovators who strive to apply and enhance these breakthroughs to join our generative AI Meetups to become part of a community of startups, researchers, practitioners, and investors.
Join this meetup on June 25 to navigate this rapidly changing landscape of generative AI.
Join iO Academy's Full Stack Track Coding Bootcamp for FREE
iO Academy has secured funding allowing them to offer a limited number of FREE places on its upcoming Full Stack Track cohort. Apply now to begin the course on 1st July 2024. Eligible individuals based in the West of England can now apply to join the flagship coding bootcamp, fully funded by the West of England Combined Authority.
Truespeed extends full fibre footprint to connect over 21,000 customers to its ultrafast broadband
Truespeed, the Bath-based full-fibre broadband provider has expanded its footprint to now deliver ultrafast broadband to over 100,000 homes and business across the region. The company has also seen a rapid take-up of its services and has connected more than 21,000 customers to its network.
Truespeed’s customer growth has been driven by the company’s investment in full-fibre infrastructure in rural villages and market towns. The challenger brand’s singular focus on delivering excellent customer service has seen it’s Trustpilot reviews soar, achieving an ‘Excellent’ 4.8 rating recently.
Cavendish advises on £5.5m funding round for cyber security business, OnSecurity
Cavendish, the leading investment bank for high-growth companies, has advised Bristol-based cybersecurity company, OnSecurity, on a £5.5mn deal.
OnSecurity, a cybersecurity services business providing independent third-party penetration testing (“pentest”) services, has secured its £5.5m investment from Gresham House Ventures, a growth equity investor specialising in software and digitally driven businesses in the consumer, healthcare and service sectors.
Bristol One Health Tech Hub relaunches next week!
On June 19, the OHT Bristol Relaunch Networking Extravaganza will be taking place! It’s not just your ordinary after-work event – they’re bringing together structured networking, chill vibes, and plenty of pizza to mark this special occasion. All welcome!
Join OHT for a friendly and accessible event to bring together voices from across Bristol’s health tech and innovation community who might not otherwise meet. This is your chance to shape the future of One HealthTech Bristol while kicking back with like-minded people.
