Bristol hosts sixth year for hugely successful annual awards
What does self-tinting greenhouse glass and 3D printing materials made from recycled fishing nets have in common? Well, both of them were among the innovations celebrated at this year’s Tech South West Awards 2024.
The event is now in its sixth year and organisers say it celebrates ‘the most innovative, impactful and forward-thinking organisations and individuals from across the region’s thriving tech ecosystem.’
The South West is home to more than 18,000 tech companies and the industry is estimated to generate more than £47 billion every year. Tech South West’s research shows the sector is set to grow by 26% by 2027.
‘The calibre of entries we received this year was truly outstanding,’ says Dan Pritchard, Founder of Tech South West.
‘The Tech South West community continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible with technology, making a positive impact across a range of industries including health research, aerospace, agriculture, artificial intelligence, finance, and more.’
Breaktime News is pleased to provide a full list of winners and runners-up (which can be found at the end of this article). So, without further ado, here is a summary of the winners from the event which was held last week.
‘The Tech South West community continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible with technology.’ Image: Gareth Williams Photography / Tech South West.
‘World-leading research, cutting edge tech’
Torbay-based QLM took home the coveted Innovation Award, sponsored by Ryan, for their development of advanced quantum lidar cameras to detect and measure greenhouse gas emissions.
ZeroUSV, a Plymouth initiative developing uncrewed surface vessels for a range of applications, was recognised as Tech Company of the Year, sponsored by SH&P.
Bristol firm Neuronostics emerged victorious in the HealthTech category, sponsored by FDB Health, as well as taking home the overall award of the night, THE Tech South West Award, sponsored by SWBC.
The latter was for their development of technology to speed up the diagnosis and prognosis of epilepsy and similar disorders.
The judges praised the company’s ‘world-leading research, cutting edge tech, great traction with solid investment potential and huge medical impact with potential to transform lives.’
‘Winning THE Tech South West Award is a huge testament to the hard work put in by the team,’ says John Terry, Managing Director at Neuronostics.
‘Given the amazing quality of other awards winners this year, it’s absolutely amazing to be recognised as the overall winner of the night. We feel privileged to be a part of the Tech South West community.’
‘Winning THE Tech South West Award is a huge testament to the hard work put in by the team,’ says John Terry, Managing Director at Neuronostics. Image: Gareth Williams Photography / Tech South West.
‘Growth and innovation in the South West’s tech sector is truly inspiring’
Bristol-based Albotherm took home the AgriTech Award, sponsored by South West AgriTech, for their greenhouse technology which is designed to increase crop yields.
In the Best Education Initiative category, sponsored by Train4Tomorrow, Tech Cornwall was recognised for its wide array of talent programmes.
Cornish firm Inyanga Marine took home the MarineTech Award, sponsored by PASD Freeport, for their global work in tidal energy.
Professor Tim Dodwell of digiLab was awarded the Tech Leadership Award, sponsored by RWK Goodman.
Top gong for the Best Startup category, sponsored by University of Exeter and SETsquared Exeter, went to Fishy Filaments, another Cornish company developing the world’s first 3D printer filament made from 100% recycled fishing gear.
Best Application of AI, sponsored by New Future Ventures, was scooped by Additive Catchments for their use of AI in water quality management, while Plymouth firm TRIO Technical Solutions won the CreaTech Award, sponsored by Pytch.
Image: Gareth Williams Photography / Tech South West.
‘The dynamic growth and innovation in the South West’s tech sector is truly inspiring, and we’re committed to championing its success,’ says Pippa Clarke, Chair and Head of Technology, Media and Telecoms at Headline Partner Bishop Fleming.
‘We extend our best wishes to all participants, celebrating their achievements, creativity, and the vibrant tech ecosystem of the region.’
‘An amazing amount of social impact’
Professional Apprenticeships won the Commitment to Diversity category, sponsored by Howde, for creating inclusive pathways in tech.
Future Space took home both the Commitment to Talent Award, sponsored by Evo Talent, and Supporting the Sector, sponsored by Business West.
Intelligent AI, an insurtech firm based in Exeter and Cornwall, won the FinTech category, sponsored by Access to Finance SW.
The Growth Award, sponsored by Ashfords, went to Graphic PLC. It also scooped the Space & Aviation Award, sponsored by Cornwall Space Cluster.
The Devon-based firm was recognised by judges as ‘an important local employer and hidden regional gem.’
Craig Newman, founder of Get Out Get Love, won the Spotlight Award, sponsored by Bishop Fleming, for what the judges called ‘an amazing amount of social impact.’
Toby Osbourne, assistant head at Bournemouth School for Girls, took home the TeachTech Award, sponsored by Digital Somerset.
Rav Bumbra, founder of Cajigo, took home the Women in Tech Award, sponsored by Pragma Holis. Tech for Good, sponsored by Countex, went to Exeter-based South West Grid for Learning Trust for their work against online intimate image abuse.
‘What better way to shout about what the South West has to offer?’
The Sustainability Award, sponsored by Michelmores, went to Bristol-based WASE for their work turning wastewater into energy, with Illumo Digital winning Workplace Culture, sponsored by Angel Investors Bristol.
The popular People’s Choice Award, sponsored by Program and chosen on the night by the audience, was presented to Sophie Mortimer, manager of the Revenge Porn Helpline, which supports and advises victims of online intimate image abuse.
Outstanding entries from across the region were celebrated with the Cluster Awards, sponsored by Headforwards, which went to: iO Academy in Somerset, Cognition Creative Learning in Cornwall, Ben Franklin of BIT Group in Plymouth, Dr Connie Wilson of BAE Systems in Dorset, ExCode in Exeter, Unlock Cyber in Bristol, QLM in Torbay, and Digital Wonderlab in Wiltshire.
Barry Tottle, director of Digital Somerset and a judge at this year’s awards, said of the event: ‘What better way to shout about what the South West has to offer?’
Image: Gareth Williams Photography / Tech South West.
The full list of finalists (with winners in bold)
AgriTech
Sponsored by South West AgriTech
Albotherm (Bristol), Farm Carbon Toolkit (Devon), LettUs Grow (Bristol), Oxi-Tech Solutions (Cornwall). Best Application of AI
Additive Catchments (Devon), Cineon (Devon), Hertzian (Cornwall), Neural Edge (Somerset), Weaving Change (Bristol)
Sponsored by Train4Tomorrow
Cognition Creative Learning (Cornwall), ExCode (Devon), iO Academy (Somerset), South West Grid for Learning Trust (Devon), Tech Cornwall (Cornwall), Unlock Cyber (Bristol).
Sponsored by University of Exeter & SETsquared Exeter
Additive Catchments (Devon), Fishy Filaments (Cornwall), Good With (Cornwall), Intelligent AI (Devon), Pollen Careers (Dorset), TRIO Technical Solutions Ltd (Devon)
Sponsored by Howden
Binit (Devon), Cognition Creative Learning (Cornwall), Ghyston (Bristol), iO Academy (Bath), Professional Apprenticeships (Bristol), Unlock Cyber (Bristol)
Sponsored by Evo Talent
Adopstar (Devon), BIT Training (Devon), Bluefruit Software (Cornwall), Future Space (Bristol), Hiyield (Cornwall), Timewade (Devon)
CreaTech
Sponsored by Pytch
Jam Up (Devon), Nautoguide (Devon), Sanders Studios (Cornwall), SEIKK (Wiltshire)
Spark (Somerset), TRIO Technical Solutions (Devon)
Sponsored by Access to Finance SW
Good With (Cornwall), InfraFund (Devon), Intelligent AI (Devon),Joiin (Devon), Propflo (Bristol)
Growth
Sponsored by Ashfords
Adopstar (Devon), Graphic PLC (Devon), IT Champion (Devon), Nebula IT Services (Bristol), Neuronostics (Bristol), HealthTech, FDB Health, Cineon (Devon), Digital Wonderlab (Wiltshire), EarSwitch (Bristol), Ferryx Ltd (Bristol), Lutra Health (Devon), Neuronostics (Bristol), SpatialCortex (Wiltshire)
Sponsored by Ryan
Additive.earth (Devon), CALMFLOOR (Devon), Oort Energy (Bristol), QLM (Devon), SpatialCortex (Wiltshire), WASE (Bristol), ZeroUSV (Devon)
Sponsored by Plymouth and South Devon Freeport
Actisense (Dorset), Additive Catchments (Devon), Inyanga Marine (Cornwall), Kilo Solutions (Devon), ZeroUSV (Devon)
Sponsored by Cornwall Space Cluster
G&H (Devon), Graphic PLC (Devon), Sora Aviation (Bristol), Virtual Tour Experts (Devon)
Spotlight
Sponsored by Bishop Fleming
Craig Newman, Get Out Get Love (Devon), Ellen O’Rourke, TouchByte (Cornwall)
Gordon Fong, X-Net (Dorset), Jules Love, Spark (Somerset), Rob Passmore, Additive.earth (Devon), Ryan Pullen, Stripe OLT (Bristol)
Sponsored by Business West
Bright Evolve (Bristol), Exeter Innovation Accelerator (Devon), Future Space (Bristol), Michelmores (Devon), Silicon South (Dorset), Tech Cornwall (Cornwall)
Sponsored by Michelmores
BluGreens (Devon), Oort Energy (Bristol), Our Rainwater (Devon), QLM (Devon), SMARTech Energy (Wiltshire), WASE (Bristol)
Sponsored by Digital Somerset
Ben Franklin, BIT Group (Devon), Gary Futcher, Real Ideas (Devon), John Bradford, DigiLocal (Bristol), Toby Osbourne, Bournemouth School for Girls (Dorset)
Sponsored by SH&P
A2Z Cloud (Wiltshire), digiLab (Devon), Ghyston (Bristol), Hertzian (Cornwall), Zapmap (Bristol), ZeroUSV (Devon)
Sponsored by Countex
Additive.earth (Devon), Get Out Get Love (Devon), South West Grid for Learning Trust (Devon), SpatialCortex (Wiltshire), Thought Quarter (Cornwall)
Sponsored by RWK Goodman
David Burnet, Invidar (Dorset), Nathan Baranowski, Digital Wonderlab (Wiltshire), Niki Davies & Holly Patton, Tech Cornwall (Cornwall), Prof Tim Dodwell, digiLab (Devon), Thanh Quan-Nicholls, Future Space (Bristol), Tom Robbins, Stripe OLT (Bristol)
Sponsored by Pragma Holis
Claire Oatway, Neon Juno (Devon), Daisy Baker, Kilo (Cornwall), Dr Connie Wilson, BAE Systems (Dorset), Helen Cocks, University of Exeter (Devon), Rav Bumbra, Cajigo (Bristol), Zara Powell, AND Digital (Bristol)
Sponsored by Angel Investors Bristol
Boo Consulting (Cornwall), Hiyield (Cornwall), Illumo Digital (Bristol), Signable (Bristol), Unfold (Bristol)
People’s Choice
Sponsored by Program
Craig Newman, Get Out Get Love, Georg Finch, Falmouth University, Harry Alexander, QantX, Jake Shaw, Obsolete, Nick Matthews, G&H, Rosie Bennett, Bristol Innovations, Sophie Mortimer, SWGfL, Weronika Stelmach, Weaving Change
Cluster Awards
Sponsored by Headforwards
Plymouth: Ben Franklin, BIT Group, Somerset: iO Academy, Dorset: Dr Connie Wilson, BAE Systems, Cornwall: Cognition Creative Learning, Exeter: ExCode, Bristol: Unlock Cyber, Torbay: QLM, Wiltshire: Digital Wonderlab
THE Tech South West Award
Sponsored by South West Business Council
Neuronostics (Bristol)