Final call: why late-stage digital tech founders should apply for Future Fifty today
4 min read
South West
Discover events, stories and useful resources in your local tech cluster
- Read Vicky’s Q&A
- Email: vickyhunter@technation.io
- Connect: Twitter – LinkedIn
Our Entrepreneur Engagement Managers (EEMs) are helping to build a national network of ambitious tech entrepreneurs.
I’m Vicky Hunter, your EEM on the ground in the South West.
Having helped foster tech startup communities on a global scale, I’m really excited to dive deep into all the incredible initiatives here in the South West, build valuable connections and see where I can help.
This page is your directory to help you find the best resources available in the region. Contact me for help with plugging into our UK-wide entrepreneur network, applying for Tech Nation’s growth programmes, and everything inbetween.
South West in stats
For all the latest data and insights from the South West, check out Data Commons, here.
2.44Digital tech turnover (£bn)
13,465Digital tech business count
78,000Employment in digital tech
87Digital tech productivity per worker (£000s)
Also check out: Scotland | North East | North West | Northern Ireland | Midlands | Wales | East of England | South West | South East | London
Latest insights from the region
In the press
- The South West’s top five surprising tech hubs
- Tech Nation announces its Future Fifty cohorts for 2019
- 20 scaleups join Tech Nation’s cyber security growth programme
- Tech businesses are generating £605million in Exeter, Plymouth, Truro and Redruth
- Plymouth’s brightest young business brains have big plans
- These 30 top tech firms are the ones to watch for 2019
Community voices
Hear from ecosystem leaders
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Opportunities in Bristol & Bath?
There are emerging clusters around quantum, fintech, healthtech, AI and robotics which we are geared up to support. In addition, there is the growing global attraction of the region as a technical hub, pulling in investment from around the world as well as entrepreneurs to base their business here.
Challenges?
Availability of finance and space to grow have been challenges, but a lot of work has been put in collectively to overcome these, and they are largely resolved. There are other growing pains, however, such as the availability of affordable housing and slick transport. Additionally, we still need more local angel investment activity to seed early-stage innovation.
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Opportunities in Bournemouth?
THAT Group is a London-based company but Bournemouth has become the heart of our business. The town is home to a real creative and artistic energy which suits our way of collaborative working. The coastline, sandy beaches, innovative companies, a University town and a proactive Council are just some of the factors that we feel set Bournemouth apart and will continue to be attractive to people when deciding where to build their business.
Challenges?
Like all coastal towns, our location can prove a challenge with a limited catchment area and a relatively higher cost of living. It is vital that dynamic talent is retained and that requires many stakeholders in the town, our company included, to work together to find creative ways of encouraging companies and workforces to the area. Bournemouth should be on the relocation radar – it is a wonderful town with a real buzz and energy.
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Opportunities in Plymouth?
Plymouth provides a unique combination of a highly skilled graduate workforce, a buoyant community of innovators and entrepreneurs and availability of affordable office/laboratory/manufacturing space. All of the above is supported by a rich research ecosystem, especially in marine.
Challenges?
A key challenge to the city is to ensure our early-stage companies, and those that are established and poised for scaling up, can access a skilled workforce. Investment in our people is the key to driving productivity and enabling high-growth companies to become investor-ready.
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Opportunities in Exeter?
Startups and tech companies in Exeter can access a real-world city test bed to kickstart their innovations and solutions that have the potential to bring about positive social impact, not only in Exeter but scalable for cities across the UK and beyond.
Challenges?
On the 2nd of April 2019 the European Climate Foundation (ECF) launched a city-wide campaign, called ‘Everyone’s Exeter’, focusing on one of the 12 Goals each month over the next year. The campaign will encourage the participation of individuals and businesses in Exeter through small sustainability pledges to help transform the city and address 12 goals including. They include congestion; air pollution; affordable housing; renewable energy and low-carbon travel.
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Opportunities in Cornwall?
Development of specialist tech solutions in areas including ehealth, spacetech, aerospace, agritech and energy tech are supported in Cornwall through funded support programmes, which is really helping to grow niche tech organisations here in the county.
Challenges?
One of our key challenges is building a diversity of people, skills and jobs within our community, which Software Cornwall is proactively working on through our education programmes. At the same time, we’re aiming to attract global talent to locate here in Cornwall where there is a great work/life balance.
Case studies
These companies are championing the region
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Tumelo is an impact investment platform helping retail investors build stock market portfolios aligned with their values, such as environmentalism, gender equality and innovation.
Opportunities in Bristol & Bath?
Bristol is an amazing place to found and run a tech startup, especially if you’re in the business of making a positive impact. There is a bustling tech hub by the station; a tonne of accelerators and incubators offering support; and a vibrant community of friendly tech founders.
National and international focus
We certainly have national aspirations within year one and expect to be scaling internationally by year three at the latest. Our audience is united by a passion to make a positive change on an issue they care about. We’ve found that most people care deeply about something – climate change, plastic, feminism, technology – and passion obviously isn’t restricted to the UK, so our ambitions are global!
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Immersive Labs are cyber skills experts. They are transforming the way people learn by engaging their curiosity and unleashing their potential with constantly updated content informed by real-world events and threats.
Opportunities in Bristol & Bath?
Bristol is an ideal base for us; the ever-expanding and closely-knit local tech community is something that’s really important to us and we love being a part of. There are also several large universities nearby as well as an impressive talent pool that can accommodate our rapidly growing business – without the London overheads.
Challenges?
The biggest challenge now – and it’s a nice challenge to have – is sustaining our current rate of growth. Talent and office space have historically been issues in Bristol (and the wider SW) as the local economy is growing so quickly. So far we’ve managed to rapidly attract world-class talent and still have a seat for everyone in the office; however, we always have to keep the logistics of expansion at the forefront of our minds!
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People Matter is on a mission to eradicate workplace burn out. They combine cutting-edge behavioural science and AI, delivered through Okina – an engaging, private and personal wellness app – to enhance the human experience of work.
Why Bournemouth?
First and foremost Bournemouth is an amazing place to live and work, fitting perfectly with our culture of work-life balance. There is also a diverse population in the town, access to strong technical skills and an amazing University on our doorstep.
National and international focus
We are currently focussed on establishing People Matter in the emerging UK marketplace for mental health technology solutions. We are looking at US expansion at the end of next year as well as moves to into the B2C market.
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3 Sided Cube believes that technology can be used for good. They help clients have a positive social impact using digital products (mobile apps, website, voice, IoT, wearables and other platforms).
Why Bournemouth?
Ever since the first Tech Nation report was published there has been a huge focus by all the digital businesses, the council, universities and incubators to push even further and that’s reflected in Bournemouth and Poole becoming one of the biggest digital hubs outside of London. The future looks promising with the universities producing high quality, ambitious talent pools, and experienced professionals are coming to the area for opportunities for a better work-life balance while making the most of the coastal culture.
National & international focus
We’ve worked hard to make our location a strength, and the nature of our digital means we are able to build relationships wherever people are based. From our Bournemouth studio, we work with organisations in over 200 countries including The International Federation of The Red Cross and Red Crescent, Lush, Global Forest Watch, RSPB and more.
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Expert insights is a leading research platform focused on cybersecurity. With a team made up of industry experts, we meticulously research, rate and review cybersecurity products and services.
Why Plymouth?
Plymouth is a great place for a growing business like Expert Insights to expand, being able to work with talented students and graduates from local universities. In particular, the computer science department from Plymouth University has been key in our growth for establishing our research.
National and international focus?
We are very much an internationally-focused company. There are two parts to our business; firstly, we have our readership audience. They are typically mid-market companies who are researching cybersecurity solutions or they are companies who resell cyber security solutions and are investigating new potential suppliers.
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Domoredesign.com is an online design platform that creates affordable design assets for UK-wide small businesses and startups.
Why Plymouth?
Plymouth has a wealth of talent, with Plymouth University and Plymouth College of Art. It is comparatively a very cost-effective city to create a startup. There is also a growing underlying startup ethos, which means lots of support from peers, groups and purposely created support organisations.
National and international focus?
While our current target market is small businesses and startups throughout the UK, we do have aims to take the business into other nations in the near future. Thankfully, our business is digital which allows for convenient pivots when the timing and opportunity presents.
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Predina is a deep technology startup founded in December of 2016. They use AI to dynamically predict road collision risks and high-risk areas based on historical collisions and contextual data (such as weather, time of day, traffic flow, etc).
Why Exeter?
Exeter provides many exciting prospects for us being the headquarters of some organisations which offer services that would greatly help us achieve the goals we’ve set for ourselves. Weather is one of the main factors our algorithm pulls from, so being close by to The Met Office is desirable.
What are you working on?
We recently completed the Exeter Velocities programme which was great; their mentorship workshops really helped us gained new insights from experienced industry professionals. At the moment we’re working with Impact Lab to help us enhance our software architecture.
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Art and Energy CIC is a collective of artists and energy experts who bring together their knowledge and skills to reimagine the way solar panels are made.
Why Exter?
Many things! First, the Exeter City Futures Velocities programme. The startup support programme brings expert advice, coaching, structure, encouragement, space to work and a really useful network of people together to support small companies working towards making the city better for the future. Without heir support, Art and Energy might still be a great idea waiting to happen.
National and international focus
We think that we could change the face of renewables, and the heart of renewables too. Our work opens a door to the imagination, allowing people to imagine a more beautiful and exciting future, and also to get hands-on in making it. We know that there is an interest and an appetite for our work, we just need to find ways to scale it now.
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Glas Data is an agricultural technology startup tackling the issue of data fragmentation.
Why Cornwall?
Cornwall, like all places, has its pros and cons; however, we have been fortunate to have had a huge amount of both business and community support at an early stage which has helped us grow. Cornwall’s technology infrastructure makes it possible to deliver international digital products while mostly remaining in the county. Cornwall’s heritage is also tightly tied to agriculture which has made it the perfect test bed for our product.
National and international focus?
We are already working with an international farm management company to automate their data collection process and bring a deeper depth of understanding to the data they collect. We plan to start to make the product international from next year.
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Packet Ship is a 14-year-old software product company specialising in real-time video streaming, TV user interface, and audio-visual software.
Why Cornwall?
I am from Cornwall originally and wanted to create an ambitious software business that was compatible with our location. Cornwall gives our workforce a great lifestyle which means they stick around for the long term. The Cornish Tech community – centred around Software Cornwall – provides great support and a feeling of common purpose which you don’t find in other areas.
National and international focus?
Our products are installed in over 60 countries, and all our main system integrator customers are in the EU, the largest being in the Netherlands and Norway. Our new AV products will be primarily cloud-based and the intention is to sell worldwide.
Meetups & networks
Research shows that collaborative tech ecosystems with thriving meetup scenes are more likely to succeed.
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Coworking space
Coworking is a more flexible alternative to working out of traditional office space and brings the benefits of being part of a community.
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Skills support
Helping your team brush up on its digital and soft skills can be financially rewarding while reducing reliance on others.
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Finance & investment
Securing finance and raising investment can be vital when it comes to taking your startup to the next level.
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Latest insights and reports
Our programmes
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