The globally acclaimed University of Bristol-supported business incubator SETsquared has bolstered the UK economy by £15.7bn since its launch 20 years ago, according to an independent report. SETsquared was set up in 2002 by a small group of research-intensive universities in the South of England, including Bath, with a...
Confidence levels among South West firms about their prospects and those of the UK economy have unexpectedly increased, according to a new survey – although optimism remains far lower than it did just months ago. While confidence fell by four percentage points during October to minus 4%, last month it picked...
Clean waste plastics can be a valuable source of revenue for businesses but are often overlooked as an earner. Plastics have become so ever-present in our lives that it’s hard to believe that they have only been around for the past 70 years. Of course, the strength and durability...
Bristol firms can ensure they are fit for the future by taking advantage of free support on offer under a Workforce for the Future programme. Staged by Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, Workforce for the Future provides fully funded, tailored and in-depth support for firms with fewer...
An ambitious plan to tackle poverty and close the inequality ethnic gap in Bristol was officially launched this week with a plea to businesses to get involved and end what it calls a “divided city”. OurCity2030 aims to get young people from low-income households, starting from inner-city Bristol, into...
Bristol-based precision measurement firm Third Dimension, which works with manufacturers such as Airbus and Rolls-Royce to help them reach the highest quality and safety standards, has created a new team to deepen its technical capabilities. The application engineering team will also strengthen the firm’s customer support resource and widen its...
Nine mid-sized Bristol firms, ranging from a pioneer of hand-tracking software to a medical simulator manufacturer, are being championed as regional success stories in a new UK-wide programme. They are among 16 South West businesses chosen by specialist consulting firm WIRED that typify its vision of trailblazing enterprises –...
The growth path for businesses and the UK economy may be “long, rocky, and protracted”, the region’s largest business group fears following the Autumn Statement. Matt Griffith, pictured below, director of policy at Business West – the organisation that runs Bristol Chamber of Commerce – described the statement as...
The Autumn Statement has piled more pressure on the UK’s 5.5m small businesses, their employees and customers, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s measures were “high on stealth-creation and low on wealth-creation”, FSB national chair of Martin McTague said. “While tackling inflation is essential,...
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has presented his Autumn Statement. The main points were: Chancellor said priorities were stability, growth and public services and high inflation is the enemy. But he confirmed UK was in recession. GDP is forecast to shrink by 1.4% next year, before returning to growth in 2024. ...
Science Creates Ventures, the Bristol-headquartered specialist early-stage investor, has been awarded up to £15m to invest in some of the South West’s most promising deep tech innovations. The commitment from British Business Investments will allow Science Creates Ventures (SCV) to invest in pioneering companies at the pre-seed, seed and...
The way we think about and treat our waste has changed dramatically in recent years. Whereas once we threw it out with barely a second thought, today we are increasingly seeing waste as a valuable commodity that can help save money, boost environmental credentials and be good for the planet...
Confidence among small business in the South West has fallen to a record low as fears grow about rising costs – with the region now the most pessimistic of any part of the country. The gloomy outlook comes from the latest survey by the FSB (Federation of Small Businesses),...
