Six high-tech start-up businesses supported by the University of Bristol were showcased at the 9th annual SETsquared Investment Showcase in London. The event, organised by the SETsquared Partnership, brought more than 140 venture capitalists, angel investors and high net-worth individuals together with 20 high-tech new businesses, which were pitching for investment of between £150,000 and £5 million. Several companies are expected to announce investments soon. 

The SETsquared Partnership – an enterprise collaboration between the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey – develops new businesses from university research and provides incubation support to more than 250 early-stage technology businesses. In the past eight years participants at its Investment Showcases have raised over £120 million in investment.

Professor Sir Steve Smith, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, University of Exeter hosted and spoke at the showcase, which was also attended by Matthew Hancock MP, Minister for Skills, and Rebecca Harris MP.

‘Through the SETsquared Partnership, five universities have the ability to incubate new ideas and turn them into practical businesses on the ground, which is vital to the prosperity of the UK,’ said Hancock at the event. ‘SETsquared is demonstrating the ability to turn ideas into jobs and I’m impressed with the companies I’ve met today.’

Among the Bristol businesses attending the showcase on 19 October were Hybrid Logic, a self-healing web hosting platform that will improve reliability for the cloud and web hosting industry, Paralant, which provides tools for high-performance and power efficient applications on smart-phones, tablets, desktops and cloud computers, and Bioinduction, which is developing neuromodulation devices for Parkinson’s disease and other chronic neurological disorders.