SETsquared, the centre for innovative part run by the University of Bath, has been named as the top university business incubator in Europe and second best in the world.
In a ranking published this week by the University Business Incubator (UBI) Index, SETsquared, whose Bath base is at the Innovation Centre in Carpenter House, is placed among the world’s leading three incubators. 
Dhruv Bhatli, co-founder and director of research at UBI Index, said: “SETsquared did really well on our Global Benchmark and beat numerous business incubators based at top universities. They are one of the best incubation places in the world and certainly the best in Europe, as evidenced from their performance on our global benchmark.
“It is an outstanding business incubator that provides exceptional quality to its client companies and produces growth companies and high economic impact.”
The ranking put SETsquared ahead of SCUT Science Park at South China University of Technology and just behind number one, The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship at Rice University Houston.
SETsquared, which specialises in accelerating technology businesses, says its position reflects the impressive economic value of the client companies it has helped build since its launch 11 years ago. It has worked with more than 1,000 hi-tech start-ups that have raised investment worth £1bn-plus.
SETsquared success stories include companies that have developed swine flu detection kits, microchips that speed up connection to the internet, and security systems that protect against terrorism without impeding world trade.
SETsquared innovation director Simon Bond said: “It’s an honour and validates our focus and commitment to entrepreneurs and the businesses that they create.
“The high ranking also comes with responsibility – the UBI Index highlights that Europe’s university business incubators have to work more effectively in order to compete on the world stage. SETsquared must now reach out to like-minded organisations to form partnerships and collaborations that add value for our entrepreneurs and client businesses.
West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) chief executive Paul Wilson welcomed the ranking, saying: “Everyone that touches SETsquared’s business incubation in Bristol and Bath knows that it looks and feels great.
“Hi-tech and digital stars of the future emerge on a regular basis, with the likes of Blu Wireless Technologies, Secondsync, Ubiquisys to name just a few. This award demonstrates something that many of us have suspected for a long time, that SETSquared is the best university business incubator in Europe.
“This is welcome recognition of the ongoing, grounded and inspirational work that SETsquared delivers every day.”
UBI Index is the first global index to benchmark performance and best practices of University Business Incubators. Around 800 incubators in 60 countries were involved in the 2014 survey. The UBI Index ranked SETsquared as the fourth best globally. The other universities in the network are Bristol, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey.
