Digital Catapult builds on the South West of England and Wales’ deep tech potential with new office
Digital Catapult, the deep tech innovation organisation, has today announced the opening of a new office for South Gloucestershire, Bristol and Bath, strengthening its long-term commitment to working in partnership across the South West of England and Wales. To deliver shared economic and skills ambitions, Digital Catapult is primed to deliver in-demand innovation services to local startups and businesses, including technological consultancy, accelerator programmes, and access to Digital Catapult’s network of labs to enable deep tech startups to scale.
Located on the Bristol & Bath Science Park, the new permanent base will strengthen Digital Catapult’s regional presence, building on its place-based approach to innovation that has established successful partnerships with local academic institutions, government authorities, industry leaders, and startups. This includes delivering the £30million MyWorld programme in collaboration with the University of Bristol, the University of Bath and the University of the West of England (UWE), catalysing nearly £28.3m of investment raised by South West based SMEs, and working with the University of Bristol to accelerate the commercial deployment of future 6G technologies through the REASON and JOINER projects.
The investment reflects Digital Catapult’s commitment to mobilising regional innovation, and the new centre will act as a convening hub, strengthening local capabilities and extending the organisation’s impact across its national network of centres. Capitalising on the skills, talent and expertise in the South West and Wales, new jobs and partnerships will be created to ensure that Digital Catapult’s initiatives align directly with ambitions outlined in the UK government’s Modern Industrial Strategy as well as local and regional growth plans.
Critical to Digital Catapult’s continued success are collaborations with other local partners, and the recently announced strategic partnership with the Centre for Modelling and Simulation (CFMS) is one example of how local collaboration is creating nationwide benefits, leveraging CFMS’s modelling and simulation capabilities in tandem with Digital Catapult’s deep tech expertise and its UK Digital Twin Centre. Digital Catapult is committed to partnering with other businesses and organisations in the region to accelerate the practical application of deep tech in industry and to equip the UK to be future ready.
Susan Bowen, CEO of Digital Catapult, said: “The South West of England and Wales represent a significant opportunity for the UK economy with huge potential as centres of deep tech innovation and commercial growth. The early adoption and practical application of deep tech innovation will be critical to supporting local industries such as the West of England’s aerospace cluster, the world-class Createch talent stretching through the innovation corridor from South Wales and into Exeter and Falmouth, realising the ambitions of Wales’ two AI Growth Zones and strengthening regional energy security. We have been active in the region for almost ten years and our new office doubles down on our commitment to play a vital role in unlocking this potential, connecting people, geographies and technologies and bridging the gap between local government, industry, entrepreneurs and academia to ensure the UK is future ready.”
Councillor Ian Boulton, Cabinet Lead for Economic Development and Adam Monk, Cabinet Lead for Corporate Resources at South Gloucestershire Council said: “Digital Catapult’s investment in a new office and the creation of high-value jobs strengthens the Bristol & Bath Science Park’s position as a centre for innovation and collaboration. It closely aligns with South Gloucestershire Council’s ambition to support science and technology businesses, drive economic growth and develop future skills in the region. It will also help to attract new investment, foster collaboration between industry and academia and create high-value opportunities for people and businesses across the region.”
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said: “Digital Catapult establishing a permanent base here is great news for the West of England. Our regional Growth Strategy and the government’s Industrial Strategy recognise our strengths in aerospace, the creative industries, and energy, as well as our potential to lead the adoption and deployment of advanced digital technologies including an AI Supercluster. This new office will build on those strengths, supporting and creating high-value jobs, and strengthening collaboration between industry, academics, and innovators in our region. I’m excited to work with Digital Catapult in the years ahead to help ensure that innovation delivers real economic and social benefits for communities across the West.”
Any organisation in the South West and Wales that would like to learn more about Digital Catapult’s new office and opportunities to get involved in programmes can find out more here.
