Welcome to our 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.
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Brazen unveils first speaker line-up
Brazen has revealed the first speakers for its inaugural five-day programme, bringing technology, creativity and culture to venues across Bristol from 9 to 13 November 2026. Produced by techSPARK in partnership with Bristol BID, Bristol Creative Industries and MyWorld, the city-wide festival will feature leading founders, innovators, creatives, campaigners and community voices.
The first wave of confirmed speakers spans technology, business, sustainability and culture. It includes Google Cloud’s Caelum Rosenkranz; Founder of Riverford Guy Singh-Watson; Street artist Inkie; Comedian Jayde Adams; Author & entrepreneur Margaret Heffernan; Open Bionics ambassador Tilly Lockey; and Activist & author Satish Kumar.
Across the five days, audiences can expect bold keynotes and panel discussions, cutting-edge technology showcases, immersive performances, live music and future-facing learning. Events will take place at venues ranging from St Nicholas Church to smaller, surprising spaces across the city.
Bristol Innovations Zone welcomes first members as Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus opens
The Bristol Innovations Zone (BI Zone), based at the University of Bristol’s new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus (TQEC), has announced its first eight member companies. The campus, backed by £35 million from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, opened on 7 September and will eventually house 4,600 students, 650 staff, and up to 300 industry partners across two floors of the Sloane Robinson Building next to Bristol Temple Meads station.
The founding members span sensor tech, AI, health tech, IP, and education consultancy: JOINER (telecoms R&D) and digiLab (AI/machine learning) have taken offices on the fourth and first floors respectively, while getUBetter (MSK health tech), Escentral (higher education consultancy), and Elver AI (bespoke AI systems) share fourth-floor flexible workspace. Rolls-Royce joins as the Zone’s first Associate Member, and professional services firms Wynne-Jones IP and QantX (venture capital) round out the initial cohort.
University and local leaders framed the launch as a milestone for the region’s innovation ecosystem. Marty Reid (University of Bristol) highlighted the ambition to connect industry with research and talent, while getUBetter’s CEO Carey McClellan and digiLab’s Helen Spalding praised the collaborative environment. Mayor Helen Godwin noted the campus has already supported 1,200 construction jobs, with nearly 1,000 more expected as the site develops. Membership options range from free networking access to dedicated desks, labs, and private offices.
Full story here.
New £4.5m production fund to boost region’s competitive edge as a production hub
The Mayor of the West of England yesterday launched a new £4.5 million production fund aimed at increasing the quantity, range and scale of film and TV productions made in the region. The Greenlight West fund marks the biggest boost to regional production in over a decade, building on a sector that’s already the third largest hub of its kind in the UK. It’s forecast to generate £20.7 million in production spend and support more than 230 jobs, while backing freelancers, local suppliers, and the wider screen supply chain.
Grants of £50,000 to £500,000 (varying by production route) will be available to ambitious, commercially viable screen productions that can show meaningful impact on local spend, employment, and skills development. Eligible applicants include incoming productions filming in the region, regionally based production companies, and projects doing significant post-production work locally — and crucially, unlike many other UK incentives, the funding is non-recoupable, which should give the West of England a real edge as a filming destination.
Read the full announcement here.
