techSPARK

techSPARK is a not-for-profit organization that assists tech start-ups, scaleups and innovators in the Bristol and Bath area. There is no membership programme or fee for being a part of techSPARK, but the organization welcomes sponsorship from local businesses.

The primary goals of techSPARK are to connect their community with businesses and investors, so guiding and supporting the community through hosting networking events, accelerator programmes and through supporting local tech events such as ‘Cyber Con’, the ‘Bath Digital Festival’ and the ‘Bristol Technology Festival’.

One of the key benefits of techSPARK is the assistance they provide for accessing funding and investment.

techSPARK holds an annual ‘Investor Showcase’ (Silicon Gorge), which is a pitching competition culminating in an ‘Investor Showcase’. techSPARK has seen many success stories emerge from these showcases.

They also hold regular ‘PitchMe!’ events where start-up founders can pitch their business to a panel of experienced business leaders. Following the pitches, the founders receive feedback and advice.

techSPARK partners, such as Government Digital & Data, Sony Interactive Entertainment and SH&P help businesses grow their profile through events, sharing knowledge and creating opportunities.

Popular networking events include the ‘Southwest Founders’ event in Bristol, ‘Third Thursday’ event in Bath, ‘Byte Sized Cyber’ event in Bristol, and the ‘Bristol & Bath AI Meetup’ in Bristol. These events provide an ideal environment to allow members of the techSPARK community to position their brand to the right audience. Sponsoring the events also allows businesses to raise their profile.

techSPARK also has an annual tech awards ceremony called ‘The SPARKies’. This celebrates the best tech companies in the South West and is the largest tech awards ceremony outside of London.  Categories include ‘Mentor of the Year’, ‘Startup of the Year’, ‘Best Place to Work’ and ‘Best use of AI’.

Potential investors can access an annual report on South West Equity Investment, collated by techSPARK, covering trends, deals and key investors in the region’s tech sector.

Via the techSPARK website, businesses can access a ‘Bristol and Bath Cluster Map’, which is a database of all the tech companies in the Bristol and Bath region. This facilitates connections to be made and job seeking opportunities.

techSPARK’s website also showcases a range of informative, thought-provoking and inspiring content, ensuring the community keeps up-to-date with the latest news and insights from across the tech sector. It also features job opportunities within the tech sector.

SH&P is a proud supporter of techSPARK. SH&P’s IP Systems and Business Development Director, Bob Barnes, works closely with the organisation. You will undoubtedly see Bob at various techSPARK events over the course of the year!

Intellectual property should be a vital consideration for any start-up business and as such Bob ensures the techSPARK community has the opportunity to receive practical intellectual property guidance, which is provided by our team of experienced patent and trade mark attorneys. This includes tailored patent, design and trade mark information, resources and advice to help them navigate the (often-confusing) world of intellectual property with confidence.

For more information about techSPARK, you can visit their website here