The SPARKies is BACK in 6 weeks time! This year, we’re bringing our iconic awards festival to Green Park Station in Bath on the 17th of July 2024. You can get your tickets here now to connect with the brightest minds in the South West tech community.
Each year we have a special SPARKie that is chosen by you our community. The winner of the People’s Choice Award is completely selected through your nominations and voting power. So we’re announcing this longlist separately to the other 17 categories (which you can check out here) because we need your help in this step of the journey.
There will be FOUR organisations taken through to the shortlist for The SPARKies People’s Choice Award, where our attendees will cast their final votes live on the evening to decide who takes home the prize. Who do you think should be crowned the winner? Get voting here to take your favourite through to the final round!
Voting has now closed! The shortlist will be revealed on June 13th 2025
illumo digital is a software development company that uses smart technology to solve complex business challenges. We tailor innovative solutions that unlock the hidden value of information within organisations – so teams can make better decisions and get more done, every day.
“Illumo Digital is exactly the kind of company the South West should be proud of. Based in Bristol, they’re quietly building some of the most exciting products in the region, blending creative software design with purpose-driven values for organisations such as the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the NHS. At their core, Illumo Digital is a digital product studio that actually listens. They work with startups, scaleups, charities and public sector organisations to build platforms that solve real problems – not just flashy tech for the sake of it. Whatever the brief their team shows up with care, skill and impact.“
IngeniumAI addresses delayed diagnosis for uncommon but deadly diseases, often caused by generic symptoms resembling common conditions and a growing shortage of specialist radiological expertise (40% shortfall by 2027).
“IngeniumAI are developing products for early detection of deadly diseases, with the potential to save thousands of lives and reduce strain on healthcare systems. Delayed diagnosis of uncommon but deadly diseases is a major global health challenge, often with vast regional disparities in diagnosis rates. Pulmonary hypertension (PH), for example, is a serious cardio-respiratory disease that often goes undetected for over two years, by which time patient outcomes are significantly worsened – including many unncessary deaths. IngeniumAI was founded to tackle this problem head-on.
IngeniumAI are developing products which make use of AI and routinely collected CT imaging to detect these diseases earlier, bringing specialist-level diagnostics into general radiology clinics. Our flagship product, PHAST, automatically detects signs of PH and aims to cut the diagnosis time from years to weeks, equalising care across the NHS, and preventing thousands of unnecessary deaths. PHAST is able to outperform expert radiologists in disease detection, enabling medics to refer at-risk patients immediately – a game-changer in an era where radiology shortages (40% by 2027) are projected to exacerbate diagnostic delays.
The company raised over £300k in non-dilutive Innovate UK funding and spun out from the University of Bath and Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Trust with deep clinical and technical expertise. The team are now working towards ISO13485 certification and CE marking, aiming to bring PHAST to market and impact patients’ lives. This nomination is a chance to shine a light on a solution that could save £250m annually in the UK alone whilst preventing over 300,000 unnecessary deaths worldwide per year, and set a new standard for AI-driven disease detection.“
Loqbox is a wellbeing business focused on financial health. Every person on the planet interacts with money, but only a few enjoy a happy, healthy relationship with it. Most do not. Our mission at Loqbox is to give everyone access to a richer life.
“When money worries are the biggest cause of stress in the UK, having someone on your side matters. From its home in Bristol, Loqbox is helping millions of people across the country take control of their financial futures.
Since 2017, Loqbox has supported more than one million people to save, build their credit and open the door to better financial opportunities. It is not just about improving numbers on a credit file. It is about helping people feel confident, secure and hopeful again. Behind every number is a story. One of the thousands of people Loqbox has helped is Dr Nicola Harding. At 28, Nicola left a financially abusive relationship with no bank account and a damaged credit score. Determined to rebuild her life, she turned to Loqbox.
Through small, regular payments, she improved her credit score without taking on new debt, reclaiming her financial independence. Today, Nicola leads a security consultancy, advises the UK government on financial crime and offers hope to others facing hardship. Her journey shows that with the right support, financial setbacks do not have to define anyone’s future.
Loqbox is proud to support people who are often excluded by traditional finance. Its members include young adults building their first financial profiles, families recovering from debt, and newcomers trying to build stability. The impact is clear, Loqbox members have collectively saved more than £160 million. More than 80% feel more confident managing their money and 9/10 of those tracking their credit scores have seen improvements. Loqbox also holds over 18,500 five-star Trustpilot reviews, showing the real trust it has earned. Loqbox shows how a South West company can change lives across the UK. That is why it deserves to be the People’s Choice for 2025.”
Pawpass are a pet health company on a mission to make pet care as easy as possible by providing secure, digital access to verified medical, health, and vaccine records. By simplifying the way pet owners, vets, and service providers interact, they reduce administrative burdens, tampering, loss of information and improve the overall well-being of pets. Their goal is to build a trusted platform that empowers pet owners with control and transparency, ensuring the best care for their animals.
“Pawpass, based in Bath, is building the first-ever digital ID for pets. The secure platform centralises all essential pet data – including medical records, vaccination histories, and travel documentation – into a single, instantly verifiable digital passport so pet owners can share documents and data via a QR code.
Unlike current paper-based systems, which are fragmented, susceptible to fraud, and operationally inefficient, Pawpass leverages blockchain technology and AI to ensure that documentation remains secure, transparent, and tamper-proof. This mitigates fraud risks, improves data portability, and provides instant data verifiability.
A Pawpass ID can be used to register with a new vet, access out-of-hours veterinary services, engage with pet businesses such as sitters, groomers, and boarding services, manage insurance claims, and help pet owners to travel, among others. Discussions are underway with major retailers to integrate the Pawpass ID in-store and with a leading airline to enable seamless pet travel. To further support travel, Pawpass is about to launch an AI-powered trip planner, making it easier for owners to organise pet-friendly journeys across borders.
Pawpass has raised $300,000 in pre-seed funding, securing investment from Block Dojo, the UK’s leading blockchain incubator, and earning a place in the highly competitive Techstars Accelerator, where acceptance rates are below 1%. It recently secured six-figure backing from Berachain, a major blockchain infrastructure provider. Pawpass has also been awarded two Innovate UK grants, including one to explore applications for farming through a partnership with the Agri-tech Centre.
The company is now a few weeks from public launch, following a successful closed Beta. Over 3K people have already signed up to its waitlist, signalling strong early demand for a simpler, smarter, and more secure approach to managing pet identities. The company was founded by Julia Kemp, a solo founder who grew up in Bath and chose to build her startup in the city, recognising it as an ideal base for innovation and growth.“
At Neuronostics they are reimagining the way neurological conditions are diagnosed, treated, and monitored. They use the power of mathematical modelling to develop novel biomarkers that create faster paths to diagnosis and effective treatment.
“Neuronostics exemplifies innovation with purpose in the South West, transforming epilepsy diagnosis through mathematical modelling and AI. Their BioEP platform analyses routine EEG data to reveal the risk of seizures from the 70-80% of EEGs that are currently considered clinically inconclusive.
With 1 in 100 people living with epilepsy (that’s over 65 million people globally) the chances are you know someone affected by this condition—though you might not realise it. The stigma surrounding epilepsy forces many to hide their diagnosis, adding emotional burden to an already challenging medical journey. Neuronostics is working to change this reality by accelerating diagnosis and reducing uncertainty and stigma, enabling people to receive appropriate treatment sooner and reclaim control of their lives.
Founded by Professor John Terry and Dr Wessel Woldman, Neuronostics are driving clinical impact at pace. In the past year alone, they’ve secured UKCA marking as a regulated medical device, achieved ISO13485 certification, established commercial pilots with multiple NHS trusts and received a contract of almost £700k to develop BioEP for children.
International expansion has followed, achieving market authorisation in the UAE and winning the prestigious 2024 Epilepsy Foundation Shark Tank Competition in the USA, securing a prize of $125,000 that will support their application for FDA approval. While growing their presence beyond the Southwest to international markets, Neuronostics maintains strong regional roots. Their success demonstrates how West Country innovation can address global healthcare challenges that might be affecting someone close to you right now.”
Phasecraft are a team of world leading quantum scientists and engineers, tackling ambitious problems by accelerating the practical application of quantum computing. They believe in a world where breakthrough scientific discoveries are commonplace, enabling innovators to more urgently address the world’s most vital challenges.
“Quantum computing may be complex, but Phasecraft makes it human. From their base in Bristol, they’re not just developing world-leading quantum algorithms — they’re building a community of future quantum leaders through one of the most thoughtful and impactful internship programmes in UK tech.
The Phasecraft Internship Programme isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about placing PhD students and early-career researchers inside a company that fuses academic excellence with real-world innovation. Interns come from around the globe to Bristol and London to work side-by-side with a world-class team tackling real challenges in materials, chemistry and energy — with tangible outcomes.
This work is backed by collaborations with Google, IBM, Johnson Matthey and National Grid ESO, and recently recognised through Phasecraft’s selection for Phase 2 of the Wellcome Leap Quantum for Bio programme — placing them in the top 8 teams globally using quantum to tackle urgent health challenges like drug discovery for myotonic dystrophy.
They’re also active thought leaders, advocating for smart policy, responsible regulation, and sustained investment in the UK quantum ecosystem — all while remaining an inspiring, inclusive workplace where collaboration thrives. Quantum computing might be global, but Phasecraft’s heart is right here in the South West. They are proof that this region can lead the next tech revolution and bring people with them.”
Voting closed on 10th June 2025
