Business Growth Consultant joins acceleration hub

The Advanced Engineering Business Acceleration Hub welcomes Sean Devane as a Entrepreneur in Residence at SETsquared Bath. Sean has over 25 years of experience in Product Development and Innovation, working internationally with start-ups, SMEs and global companies.

The Advanced Engineering Business Acceleration Hub (AEBAH) is a three year programme which provides bespoke business support to startups and SMEs who have a connection with the West of England. The programme is funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and offers 12 hours of business support which could lead onto research opportunities with expert academics through the University of Bath.

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New Business Innovation Fund - now open

SME funding and support to bring new products and services to market

Research, development and innovation can help your business adapt for the future and get ahead of the competition, create new products, processes and services to reach new customers, and improve sustainability.

The West of England Combined Authority’s Business Innovation Fund provides SMEs with tailored support to bring new products, services and processes to market.

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Job opportunities with Tumelo in Bristol

SETsquared Bath Alumni members, Tumelo, have three full-time vacancies available in central Bristol.

Tumelo was established at Cambridge University, where the founders campaigned for the sustainable investment of their university’s £6 billion fund.

They recognised a global problem: Millions of ordinary people contribute to the investment system through ISAs, workplace pensions, and other investments yet have no visibility over where their money is going and no voice at the companies they own through those investments. The result? A society that is disengaged and an investment system that is broken.

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COVID - 19 | Policy Announcement #5

Please ensure you have read July’s Coronavirus policy announcement from the SETsquared Bath Innovation Centre.

  • Continue to work from home where possible

  • Observe social distancing and risk assessments if you must visit the centre

  • Further information will be released once we have it from the University of Bath.

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DBAH Case Study of Kinderly | EdTech Startup

Bath based member of the SETsquared Bath Innovation Centre edTech company, Kinderly, is an award winning online subscription platform that offers support for early years professionals (EYP’S) and childcare settings providing help with the foundation for children’s learning.

Kinderly's mission is to give every child a great start in life, no matter what their social or economic circumstances.

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SWCTN Data Prototype Funding Call is now open

The South West Creative Technology Network (SWCTN) are aiming to fund ideas for prototypes in the field of Data that are brave and distinctive, that open up the field to new voices and challenge the status quo.

SWCTN are interested in collaborative working practices, and in alternative business models. They want to grow creative businesses across the South West.

SWCTN anticipate awarding grants of between £10k and £40k, and would encourage applications of all sizes between these limits.

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Proposal for city centre innovation centre gets £300k boost

Last week’s announcement of the approval of outline proposals for a new facility, designated I-START, to be located on Bath College’s City Centre campus is welcome, exciting and timely news indeed in these challenging days. The facility heralds a new, collaborative and progressive approach between the two Universities of Bath and Bath Spa, Bath College, Bath & North East Somerset Council and the West of England Combined Authority (WECA). WECA is providing a £300,000 boost to the next stage of the design and development effort.

The ambitious plan is to create a radical new incubation space to include the SETsquared Innovation Centre, the Institute of Coding and spaces for research and knowledge exchange and is a clear statement of intent, designed to enhance the future prospects of the City. It will provide flexible support for startups, collaborations, skills development and attract inward investment in the digital and creative economy, robotics, social science and the arts. Bring. It. On.

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MSDUK Innovation Challenge 2020 - application deadline extended

If you are a business led by an ethnic minority founder or entrepreneur, this is your chance to showcase your innovation and pitch to global brands and investors.

For successful applicants, the competition includes pitch preparation, judged rounds where you pitch directly to a panel of global brands, investors and entrepreneurs, receiving valuable feedback.Get your ideas in front of global brands and investors. Apply for the MSDUK Innovation Challenge today to bring your ideas to the front, get noticed by industry and the business world and win exciting prizes that will help you bring your ideas to life. Previous prize winners have been offered scholarships to attend Ivy League Business School, corporate mentoring and product introductions.

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Impressive ICURe graduates pitch for investment

Last week saw the launch of a brand-new SETsquared Investment Showcase. NextGen Invest gave graduates of our ICURe, Innovation to Commercialisation of University Research Programme, a platform to pitch for investment for their pre spin out commercial ventures.

Two SETsquared Bath members, Mesmerix and SMDR Ltd, pitched at NextGen invest for funding and support for their businesses.

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Podcast | COVID-19 Startup Survival

With a focus on attitude and thinking beyond and behind the immediate, the series covers:

Mindset, Resilience, Building Trust, Effective Communications, Making Sales, Inspirational Leadership, Managing Money, Effective Teamwork and International Perspectives.

Ultimately the final episode asks the question: What does Startup Success really mean?

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DBAH Case Study of T-cup | Helping people thrive

T-cup was founded in early 2019 by Tech Entrepreneur, Edwyn van Rooyen who has previously set up and run a number of very successful organisations. Ed applied for the fully funded business support available through the Digital Innovation Business Acceleration Hub (DBAH) to provide business consultancy support to help identify strategic growth plans for the business. The DBAH is a programme funded through the ERDF to provide bespoke, sector specific business support for startups and SMEs.

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Innovative start up with a product or service that can help Transport for Wales?

If you’re an entrepreneur, start-up, or scale-up with a; product or early-stage product that can be developed to improve the Transport for Wales Rail passenger experience, then we think you’d be a great fit for the programme.

It’s your chance to accelerate your start-up. Refine and develop your product, network with rail industry leaders and secure a contract of work with Transport for Wales Rail to help grow your business.

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Member News | Tickitto close $700k pre-seed round

Tickitto, a U.K. travel tech company that aims to help travel retailers access tickets to events and travel-related experiences through one single connection, has closed a $700 K pre-seed round led by Seedcamp.

The events and experiences category now represents the third-largest travel segment worldwide and is growing faster than the overall travel market. Despite that, the space is highly fragmented and composed of suppliers or reservation platforms that often focus their efforts on specific genres and/or geographies.

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COVID-19 Business Impact Survey findings report

The objective of the survey was to provide a means to understand the financial health, customer impact and morale of our members and ecosystem under the ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic and gauge the effectiveness of the early response.

The survey was carried out between 22 April and 6 May 2020 and questions were also designed to help us assess the optimum mix of support that will need to be provided over the remainder of the lockdown and as we emerge into a new, changed operating environment.

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COVID - 19 | Residential Members at the Innovation Centre now eligible for support

Small businesses in shared offices or flexible workspace

The government has set up a discretionary fund to be administered by local authorities.

Government has requested that one of the business types to be prioritised for the fund are small businesses that have exclusive use of a unit within a shared/flexible workspace, but do not have their own business rates assessment. Examples include units in offices, industrial parks, science parks and incubators. This is specifically for those that are outside the scope of the present business grant funds scheme set out by Government.

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Graduate Enterprise | Graduates zoom to success at online investment showcase

From reducing the queue for ladies’ loos, shaping up international shipping to developing smarter prosthetics, 17 early stage ventures, all started by students or recent graduates from the SETsquared partner universities of Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey, virtually pitched their innovative ideas at this year’s Grad Invest.

Five of the seventeen start-ups to pitch were from the University of Bath and we’re looking forward to sharing and supporting their entrepreneurial journey! Pictured is Nav Sawhney, University of Bath graduate and founder of The Washing Machine Project.

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