Specialist UK semiconductor maker Graphcore, which has its roots in Bath, is poised to take on the global giants of the industry after being acquired by Japanese investment group SoftBank. The idea for Graphcore was born in 2012 when co-founder Nigel Toon and Simon Knowles met in Bath's Marlborough Tavern to discuss their next...
The new government’s pledge to devolve more powers from Whitehall to the West of England offers “a really exciting opportunity” for the region, according to the organisation behind Bath Chamber of Commerce. Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, said the move could trigger more jobs, homes and infrastructure as well as better transport...
More than 6,000 jobs were created across the South West last year as investment by overseas firms in the region recovered to its strongest for six years. The South West attracted 43 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects in 2023 – a 23% increase on the previous year and the highest total since 2017. According...
Bath’s burgeoning life sciences ecosystem is to be strengthened through a new partnership that brings together some of the major players in the sector across the region. South West Life Sciences aims to increase the visibility of a sector with huge growth potential and the ability to create high-skilled jobs as well as boosting the...
Nearly half of South West businesses believe the General Election will lead to significant economic expansion in the region over the next six months, a new survey has revealed. Research commissioned by accountancy firm Monahans, which has seven offices in the region, including in Bath, shows 47% of business owners are confident that market...
The organisation behind Bath Chamber of Commerce has called on the newly elected government to ensure the West of England’s potential is fully harnessed, including investing in its growth sectors such as green energy. Business West welcomed Labour’s commitment to an “enduring partnership” with business to deliver the economic growth and stability that the...
Bath and Bristol’s top tech pioneers and innovators will be recognised next week at the SPARKies, the awards that showcase the leading individuals, products and firms in the sector. Launched in 2012, the annual awards have grown to become the most-respected accolades of their kind in the region, attracting hundreds of entries from across the West...
Nearly seven in 10 West of England firms have struggled to recruit staff over the past three months, particularly for skilled manual/technical and professional/managerial roles, according to a major new survey. Despite this problem, 79% of firms are looking to take on full-time workers and just under half are offering permanent positions, the latest Quarterly...
Registered charity People against Poverty set up its business community – Business against Poverty (BaP) – more than15 years ago. It offers purpose-led donor organisations a network to link up with a vibrant and engaged community of like-minded businesses and impact positively on extreme poverty in six countries, including the UK. People against Poverty...
International healthcare group Alliance Pharma has said new product development and increased marketing will lead to growth in the medium term as it seeks to draw a line under a troubled period. Shares in the Chippenham-headquartered firm, which owns a portfolio of products ranging from anti-dandruff shampoo to stomach ulcer treatments, have fallen by...
