> WEST OF ENGLAND COMBINED AUTHORITY
Welcome to Bristol & Bath
Welcome to Bristol & Bath
The West of England is a place where creative, digital and high tech meet traditional industry. Our region is highly collaborative, with research and development (R&D), academia, industry and the public sector working together across multiple sectors – an approach which has made us the home to the UK’s most productive tech cluster.
Bristol Robotics Lab
We’re proud of our internationally recognised centres of excellence and academic institutions, and the pioneering businesses that start-up, scale up and succeed here – including two unicorns: AI chip designer Graphcore and clean energy provider OVO Energy. Business start-ups and spin-outs are growing rapidly thanks to some of the best incubator support in the world.
A dedicated regional network including Future Space, Engine Shed and the Bristol & Bath Science Park provides the space, expertise and support to accelerate companies’ innovation and growth. We’re home to SETsquared Bristol and Bath, the world’s number 1 university business accelerator, while smaller centres such as the NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator Programme and Bath based Rocketmakers work alongside specialist facilities like Unit DX, the Health Tech Hub and Bristol Robotics Laboratory to catapult businesses into the future.
With a population of over 1.1 million, the West of England is a place where highly-skilled people live, ideas flourish, and businesses grow.
OUR STRATEGY: MAKING A GLOBAL IMPACT
The West of England is finding new ways of doing things that are more efficient, more sustainable and more productive.
The West of England’s Local Industrial Strategy, led by the West of England Combined Authority, highlights our strengths as a region of innovation and opportunity. We understand that diversity breeds creativity, and the benefits of a strategic approach to fuel sector development. Our strategy focuses on innovation that crosses sectors and communities, to tackle global, systemic challenges that are relevant to the region, such as climate and biodiversity emergencies, healthy living, mobility, digital transformation and inclusivity.
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought into sharp focus the need to innovate and adapt the way we live and do business. The West of England’s Recovery Plan recognises the crisis also presents opportunities to find new ways of doing things and increase resilience – particularly through digital transformation. Innovation will bring productivity gains to a wide range of sectors, create new skills and employment opportunities for our residents, and help the shift towards a low-carbon economy.
Our region is accelerating innovation, with a clear focus on sustainability, inclusivity and cross-sectoral collaboration. This approach will ensure our region remains a thriving, successful place for the future where the environment is protected for future generations.
CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY
Innovation from our region plays a key role in the shift to a low carbon economy globally. In the West of England, we’re already leading the way; carbon emissions have reduced 35% since 2005, and we’re home to a thriving low carbon sector. With our strong capabilities in R&D across aerospace and advanced engineering, digital and tech, our expertise, coupled with our dynamic and collaborative ecosystems, means that we are a place that is creating and leading the global industrial transition to clean energy and clean economic growth.
Achieving net zero will require a sustained whole system approach, and our focus is on bringing together key private, public, and civic organisations to address systemic challenges. We are investing significantly to accelerate innovation that will reduce carbon emissions and create the sustainable products and processes of the future, including:
Providing last-mile transport options to connect more people to public transport, it will combine journey-planning and ticketing in a convenient mobile application to make it easier to use and pay for public transport. From e-scooters to e-cargo bikes and a transportation data hub, the FTZ will create seamless journeys from A to B.
Artist’s impression of IAAPS
CROSS SECTORAL COLLABORATION
Across the West of England, there are a host of incredible, collaborative initiatives which form the bedrock of our innovation ecosystem. We focus on creating cross-sectoral collaboration, uniting people from diverse backgrounds and drawing on different areas of expertise. With R&D, academia, industry and the public sector working together, our approach has led to collaborative networks such as:
DETI will lead to shorter product development times, faster routes to market and through-life product sustainability for some of the most complex products in the world.
DETI brings together leading companies, technology disruptors and universities to push the boundaries of digitally enabled engineering to address global challenges. DETI is delivered by the National Composites Centre (NCC), a world-class research facility innovating through composite materials research and cutting-edge light weighting technology to reduce environmental burden and increase overall industrial efficiencies.
DETI is a two-year strategic programme from the West of England Combined Authority, delivered by the NCC in partnership with the Centre for Modelling & Simulation (CFMS), Digital Catapult, the University of the West of England (UWE), the University of Bristol, and the University of Bath.
West of England 5G Smart Tourism trials
5G Smart Tourism trials in the West of England brought together 21 organisations and smart network partners to demonstrate 5G capability, establishing the West of England as a world-leader in the development of advanced fixed and mobile communication systems.
As part of the project, visitors took part in a variety of interactive pursuits ranging from virtual reality and augmented reality to 360° video and locative media, allowing them to sample a wide range of the future applications of 5G technology and its potential to transform tourism and commercial activity in the West of England, as well as supporting the emergency services and managing safety at events. Our successful 5G trials hold the key to a more connected, more advanced and sustainable future.
Boomsatsuma
TALENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY
Bristol & Bath is home to the most skilled workforce of any English city region. The region has a highly skilled workforce, with 10,000 graduates from our four top universities joining the talent pool each year. Our region also attracts diverse, highly motivated people across sectors including: digital, creative, health, engineering, legal and financial services each year
The West of England Combined Authority is investing in the region’s skills pipeline to create greater inclusion. We are investing in apprenticeships, digital skills and adult education to ensure that our home-grown talent has the opportunity and expertise to join our vibrant economy, to enable all residents to reach their potential through programmes such as:
Workforce for the Future also connects businesses with training and education providers to help shape the West of England’s talent pool, ensuring our region is equipped to meet the needs of tomorrow.
THE FUTURE OF…
This edition of INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath explores how our region is innovating across different areas of industry and society.
Each chapter of INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath illustrates how we’re shaping the future, spanning developments in housing and commercial space, to flight, transportation and digital infrastructure.
Bristol Port courtesy of Bristol Port Company
THE BRISTOL & BATH INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
The region’s engines for growth are our seven Enterprise Zones and Areas (EZ/EA).
Each one has a unique set of businesses thriving within:
The West of England’s enterprise zones and areas are the engines of our success; built on innovation, creativity and inclusivity.
AVONMOUTH/SEVERNSIDE ENTERPRISE AREA
BATH AND SOMER VALLEY ENTERPRISE ZONE
Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone
BRISTOL TEMPLE QUARTER ENTERPRISE ZONE
EMERSONS GREEN ENTERPRISE AREA
Filton Enterprise Zone
FILTON ENTERPRISE ZONE
Bristol & Bath Science Park, Emersons Green Enterprise Area
JUNCTION 21 ENTERPRISE AREA
FoodWorkssw at Junction 21 EA
HOW INVEST BRISTOL & BATH CAN HELP YOU
In order to get the most out of our region, to understand and play an active role in shaping the future of the West of England, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Invest Bristol & Bath.
Invest Bristol & Bath is the inward investment agency for the West of England Combined Authority. We support businesses who are seeking to enter the region to grow, innovate and collaborate.
Our team is experienced, knowledgeable and well connected.
Through a tailored account management service, we provide the following
free services:
We’d love to learn more about your business and how we can provide the right support for you. For further information and to speak to a member of the team, please contact us at:
WEST OF ENGLAND COMBINED AUTHORITY