“There is not a sufficiently robust angel finance network in the region”: an interview with Marcel Fowler

Launched by Tech South West but with an independent role, the SW Tech Advisory Board helps to influence and guide the strategic direction of the technology sector in the South West of England.

We sat down with Marcel Fowler, a member of the SW Tech Advisory Board and Chief Innovation and Sustainability Officer at New Motion Labs, to get his insights on the region’s tech ecosystem and opportunities for growth.

Marcel, the South West tech sector has seen significant growth in recent years. What do you believe are the two or three most exciting opportunities for the region’s tech ecosystem over the next two years?

Firstly, the establishment of startup hubs. I’m incredibly excited about the creation of new regional hubs for startups at existing workspaces to provide support for early stage businesses looking to expand and grow.

Secondly, existing business relocation. There’s an opportunity to stimulate growth by relocating existing startups and companies to the South West. 

The South West Investment Fund by British Business Bank can be a huge draw in this regard, while exciting out-of-work experiences that workforces can exploit in their free time continues to set this region apart.

What makes the South West great?

We’re lucky to have an amazing startup culture in the South West, where being self-employed or running your own business is normal and not seen as outlandishly risky endeavour.

The beautiful scenery goes without saying, and I think people here have a unique combination of being relaxed but also highly ambitious.

There are few places in the country where you can run an extremely demanding startup as an entrepreneur throughout the week, then grab your surfboard and head to the beach on a Friday afternoon.

What specific policy interventions would you like to see prioritised to accelerate the growth of the South West’s tech sector?

I’d love to see the development of hubs in existing city workspaces to provide amplified support for businesses.

In addition, I think the sector is crying out for a greater connection between education centres and local businesses, so that students can see what local businesses are doing and what is possible to do in the South West.

There’s a huge number of “unknown unknowns” among young people here in the region. We need to demonstrate that you don’t need to go to London to find a rewarding job in tech – the opportunities right here in the South West are multiplying year-on-year.

Speaking of jobs and education, the skills gap remains a critical challenge across the UK tech sector. How can the South West differentiate itself in addressing this challenge, and what role should the government play?

The government needs to support local businesses in training, inspiring and informing people about the jobs available as the people are there but they do not have the skills or knowledge.

Upskilling existing teams and providing guidance for people looking to switch careers is absolutely essential. 

Wellington is said to have requested a unit of longbowmen after the Battle of Waterloo, but was told it would require a generation to train them. Here in the South West, we’ve got the human capital – but we need to implement robust training strategies to make the most of it. And the best time to do that is yesterday.

What motivated you to join the Tech South West Advisory Board, and how do you see your specific expertise contributing to the region’s tech ecosystem?

I believe that the South West has the potential to be a leading startup centre as it has an entrepreneurial spirit and amazing weather and off work activities that are unmatched anywhere else in the UK.

As both a leader of a small business from idea to product and a qualified science teacher and academic researcher, I have seen viewpoints from the perspective of small business, education and universities which means I know what will help small businesses grow and what will not and also how to engage pupils into filling the tech gap.

How do you envision Tech South West’s role evolving to better serve the region’s tech community, particularly in light of rapid technological change?

One of the big disadvantages of the South West is that it is very large with relatively poor transport infrastructure. This means it is hard for connections to form that are critical for business growth.

I see Tech South West’s role as breaching these gaps and bringing people, students and businesses together to solve the challenges the region faces.

Looking at the broader technology landscape, which emerging technologies do you believe will have the most significant impact on the South West’s economy, and why?

It will be generative AI, no doubt in my mind. Soon we’ll have one experienced coder doing the job of four skilled software developers. This might help to address the skills gap from a business perspective, but it will create a raft of new problems we must face and overcome as a community.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the South West tech sector that isn’t getting enough attention from policymakers or industry leaders?

There is an inadequate level of startup funding for businesses just getting started. 

All existing funds only get involved once a business reaches a certain stage, and there is not a sufficiently robust angel finance network in the region for early stage startups.

It’s great to see Tech South West working to address this via the Angel Investor Programme.

As AI tools become increasingly prevalent, which one has impressed you the most, and how are you using it to enhance your work or decision-making?

I have been using AI tools for market research as it is much better than I am at finding the specific market data answers I need – and also much quicker.

Finally, what piece of technology has had the most profound impact on your work or daily life in the past year, and what makes it stand out?

I love listening to music, but I’m also averse to getting run over. 

Blitzmax conduction headphones enable me to listen to music whilst being able to listen out for other things.

Game changer.

Connect with Marcel on LinkedIn by clicking here, and follow the work of the SW Tech Advisory Board at https://www.techsouthwest.co.uk/sw-tech-advisory-board/