Welcome to our weekly South West Tech News roundup, where you can get all the headlines from the past week in one place.
What has our busy tech and digital community been up to this week? From award wins and innovative breakthroughs to unmissable events and capital raised, take a moment to reflect on the hive of daily activity taking place in our region.
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Silicon Gorge is back for 2026 and applications are now open.
This year marks a huge milestone as the competition celebrates its 10th anniversary, after a decade of helping South West founders pitch to investors, sharpen their propositions, and take meaningful steps towards raising capital.
And for 2026, the event is evolving. Silicon Gorge will now run as two dedicated showcases, Catalyst and Velocity, designed to support founders at different stages of their fundraising journey and connect them with the right investors, judges, and ecosystem partners.
From what’s changing this year to key dates, alumni success stories, and how to apply, we’ve shared everything you need to know in the full blog.
Read the full blog
Klio Creative, a South West–based platform connecting vetted freelance creatives with agencies and businesses, has opened publicly following 12 months of private growth that saw more than 1,300 freelancers, agencies and businesses join its waiting list.
Built in response to growing pressure on freelancers and increasing frustration from businesses trying to find reliable, available talent, Klio connects vetted designers, illustrators, developers and digital specialists from across the South West with agencies and businesses in the UK and beyond. Freelancers join through a review process, giving businesses access to a smaller, considered pool of trusted talent.
Developed through direct involvement in the South West creative community, the platform has grown largely through word of mouth, supporting early projects and building regional partnerships since launching its waiting list in October 2024.
“There’s an enormous amount of creative talent in the South West, but the way people find and work with freelancers hasn’t really caught up,” said Harry Davies, Co-Founder and CEO of Klio Creative.
Klio plans to continue growing deliberately, keeping the network selective and regionally focused throughout 2026.
A new report from the SETsquared Partnership examines the state of cyber security investment across the South West, and the findings are striking.
The data shows the region is producing serious cyber capability, backed by nationally significant assets, world-class research, and a steady pipeline of technically strong companies. Yet despite this strength, the South West remains an under-realised investment opportunity.
The report explores how cyber investment in the South West compares to the rest of the UK, why deal volume has remained relatively resilient even as overall investment values fluctuate, the critical role lead investors play in unlocking larger growth rounds, and the specific cyber opportunity areas investors should be paying close attention to right now, particularly in regulated, defence-aligned, and security-critical markets.
Bristol Light Festival returns for its sixth year, bringing light, colour and creativity to the city centre from Thursday until 28 February (17:00 to 21:30).
The free festival features ten large-scale immersive installations across Bristol, including musical swings, ballerina shadow sculptures, glowing fairies, and a 10-metre-long inflatable robotic cat. Alongside the displays, visitors can also enjoy workshops, performances and interactive experiences designed to brighten up the city during the quieter winter months.