Climatetech innovators develop solution to combat wildfires

Optect's fire-extinguishing robo-dog zapping flames with sound waves

Wildfires pose significant threats worldwide, impacting ecosystems and communities and exacerbating climate change. The combination of climate change, dry conditions and human actions has led to more frequent and intense fire seasons, with 2024 seeing wildfires spread across Southern Europe, the US and South America. To address this challenge, our alumnus, fire detection company Optect,…

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iCOMAT raises $22.5m to automate advanced composite manufacturing for sustainable transport

A scientist in the lab wearing white coat with iCOMAT logo, and engineering device

iCOMAT, a SETsquared Bristol alumnus and University of Bristol spinout, has closed its Series A funding round, securing $22.5m (£17.6m) to deliver lighter transport solutions faster and at a lower cost. The demand for faster, cleaner and more sustainable transport solutions has never been greater. iCOMAT is one of the leading manufacturers of advanced composite structures…

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Wave Photonics secures £4.5m to deploy light-based chips for quantum technologies

Wave Photonics team, a diverse group of eleven people outside wearing Wave branded t-shirts

Our alumnus, Wave Photonics, has received £4.5m funding to develop a new range of on-chip photonics designs for quantum technologies, sensors and datacentre applications. Since 2021, the Cambridge-based startup has been working to reimagine the photonics product development cycle. Integrated photonics share the same scalable process as semiconductor electronic chips, however, the journey of taking…

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Quantum business competition winners join SETsquared Bristol

Quantum business competition winners join SETsquared Bristol

Five quantum scientists have each been awarded 12 months of incubation support at SETsquared Bristol, plus financial support totalling £100,000 thanks to EPSRC skills funding awarded to the University of Bristol’s Quantum Engineering Centre for Doctoral Training.   The scientists took part in Compass, an intensive training course delivered by SETsquared Bristol, to assess the…

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New innovation skills & technology programme for financial services sector

Three people in a meeting with laptop and green Future Finance graphic overlay

From the rise of AI to ongoing changes in financial regulation, equitable access to financial services, to the opening of access to personal financial data, the financial services sector currently faces many challenges and opportunities.  That’s why a team of four leading universities (University of Bristol, West of England, Glasgow and Glasgow Caledonian) are collaborating…

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SETsquared Bristol companies create a record 300 new jobs

Fourteen people in Actuation Lab team outside in front of building with Actuation Lab logo

We are pleased to announce that our member companies created a record 300 new jobs in 2023. They also generated over £45 million in revenues and raised a combined £50 million in funding. The sectors with the highest number of jobs created were fintech, healthtech and engineering. Seventeen of the new jobs were created by…

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Winners announced – Innovate UK Unlocking Potential Award

Two of the women founders of Eleria standing together smiling in front of foliage

Four SETsquared Bristol companies have secured funding from Innovate UK’s Unlocking Potential: Build Award to accelerate their innovations into development. Eleria, Inclued AI, MyCoPilot.ai and SpatialCortex Technology have each received a £50k grant and access to tailored mentorship and support programmes. The Innovate UK competition is investing a combined £6.2m into innovative projects with the…

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Bristol startups pitch at SETsquared’s 20th annual investment event

Kailash Manohara Selvan from SpatialCortex with Jack Jordan Connelly at SETsquared Investment Futures event

Six of our companies were selected to present their startups at SETsquared’s Investment Futures 24 showcase in London this November. Investment Futures is an annual high-profile occasion that over its 19-year history has showcased hundreds of the best UK technology, science and innovation-led startups across six SETsquared centres, helping them raise more than £160m. SETsquared…

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A record 45% of funding raises led by women

A record 45% of total funds raised by our companies were led by women in 2022. Women raised £15 million of the total £33 million raised by 85 of our companies. This is testament to our long-term focus for inclusivity within the tech sector which includes our programmes, Enterprising Women and Breakthrough Bursary. Our new…

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