Dan Pritchard, co-founder of Tech South West, introduces the South West Tech Analysis Report 2022.
The most comprehensive research project ever conducted into the South West tech sector, the report reveals challenges, opportunities and key developments across the ecosystem.
Get your free copy at techsouthwest.co.uk
Can anything really be greater than the sum of its parts? With tech in the South West, the resounding answer is yes.
Welcome to the South West Tech Analysis Report 2022. When you put it all together, the innovation and acceleration happening across the South West of England is startling.
Globally and nationally recognised hubs and an array of tech specialisms spanning GreenTech, MarineTech and AgriTech, to HealthTech and Life Sciences, Creative, FinTech, Deep Tech and Robotics. This report is a wakeup call to people everywhere who are passionate about doing great tech that has a positive impact for people and planet. It is also a showcase of just a fraction of what is happening around the region.
Solving the talent and funding challenges are the two biggest take outs from this report. If we don’t, the full potential of the sector will not be realised.
The South West Tech Analysis 2022 Report emerged from discussions within the South West Clusters Group. Thank you to everyone who has been part of that forum. It was the ‘acorn’ from which Tech South West has grown, to span business programmes, funding groups, annual awards, a tech news site, the regional Tech Leadership Forum, peer groups and more.
We can be proud of the progress and contribution tech is making to the economy and society, and in tackling the greatest challenges of our age, not least climate change and the environment – a subject that so many people across the South West, including the tech community, are resolutely committed to playing their part.
Bristol is fast becoming one of the world’s most dynamic and exciting tech hubs. The first spacecrafts to take off from the UK will launch from Cornwall’s spaceport in 2022. Devon has twin science parks and universities, with globally recognised expertise in MarineTech, Environmental and Climate Science. Somerset is the UK’s leading Nuclear technology hub. Bournemouth and Dorset have strengths in Digital and AgriTech, Wiltshire in Life Sciences and Defence and Gloucestershire is world-renowned for its Cybersecurity capability. There is tech prowess across the board.
We hope this report will help others, within and beyond the South West, to realise exactly what we’re on to – creating the most exciting, vibrant, and forward-thinking tech cluster, built on community and collaboration, with an absolute focus on tackling the world’s biggest problems.
There are challenges, not least in finding the talent and making sure people have the right skills to truly take advantage of the projected growth that this research has evidenced. We are looking at sector growth surging from £11bn to £19.2bn in just five years, creating over 125,000 new jobs. That is a huge opportunity, but one that will require concerted effort from central and local government, investors and funding organisations, universities, colleges, schools, tech hubs, accelerators, tech firms and many others to work together and get things done.
Headline Sponsor Deloitte, and the University of Exeter, Natwest, Censornet, CoreBlue and Astley Media have all been active partners, feeding in knowledge and practical help. Thank you for your positivity and support.
Particular thanks to the team at Whitecap Consulting for the depth and breadth of their work.
I know we couldn’t cover everything – and that’s good. As a sector, we’re too big, too diverse, and too dynamic to squeeze us all into one report.
But our aim was to gather data, understand our strengths, recognise the challenges and create a report that is part guide, part showcase and part ‘useful tool’ to politely point out to government, business, investors, entrepreneurs, founders, funders, marketeers, supporters,
collaborators, commentators, and all the other essential components a thriving UK tech scene needs, and that the South West’s tech from the cutting edge is truly delivering meaningful change, opportunity and growth, three vital components we need in every region to move forward together.
Enjoy the report.
Download your free copy of the South West Tech Analysis Report 2022 at techsouthwest.co.uk