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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The SPARKies 2026 kick off with launch event
The SPARKies 2026 officially got underway this week, bringing together the South West tech community for the launch party.
Founders, innovators and community members gathered to celebrate the start of this year’s awards, with a tech-themed quiz putting attendees’ knowledge of the region to the test and setting the tone for the months ahead.
The SPARKies will continue to spotlight the people and companies shaping tech across the South West, with nominations and announcements coming soon.
Discover more about The SPARKies here
Bristol’s A Productions brings creativity to new CBeebies show
Bristol-based animation studio A Productions is part of the team behind Monster Makes, a new pre-school show now live on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer.
Blending live action with 2D and 3D animation, the series encourages children to get creative using everyday materials, with a strong focus on sustainability and reuse. At the heart of the show is Murphi, an animated character brought to life through a mix of CGI and puppetry, designed to inspire imagination and hands-on creativity.
The launch adds to A Productions’ growing portfolio of children’s content, with the studio continuing to work with major broadcasters and streamers including the BBC, Disney and Netflix, and recently being recognised as one of Broadcast’s Best Places to Work in TV.
Bristol garage tech provider Motasoft acquired by ClearCourse
Bristol-based software company Motasoft has been acquired by London-based software and payments group ClearCourse, in its latest strategic acquisition.
Motasoft’s cloud-based platform, used by more than 1,200 independent garages across the UK, supports workshop management, bookings and customer records. The deal will enable the integration of tailored payment solutions and accelerate product innovation, including the introduction of AI-powered capabilities.
The acquisition strengthens ClearCourse’s growing portfolio of vertical software solutions and marks another step in its expansion strategy.
Read the full news here
New economic audit highlights West of England’s strengths and challenges
A new Strategic Economic Audit launched by the Brunel Centre highlights the West of England as one of the UK’s strongest regional economies, with world-class talent, leading universities and strengths in innovation and STEM.
However, the report also points to ongoing challenges around housing, transport, inequality and access to skills, which continue to limit the region’s full potential.
The launch also introduced a new Data Hub and Observatory, aimed at supporting better decision-making, collaboration and long-term, inclusive growth across the region.
Read the full insight here
Bristol AI startup Decima2 secures £480k to scale marketing platform
Bristol-born AI startup Decima2 has raised over £480,000 in pre-seed funding to accelerate development of its platform designed to reduce wasted marketing spend for SMEs.
Founded by Alexis Monks and Dr Torty Sivill, the company uses causal modelling and generative AI to help businesses understand which marketing activities truly drive results and optimise campaigns more effectively.
The round includes backing from Haatch, Y Combinator and Oxbridge AI initiatives, as the team prepares to scale its technology and expand its impact.
Read the full news here
Triggerfish Animation Studios selects Bristol for UK base
Award-winning African animation studio Triggerfish has chosen Bristol as its UK base, expanding its international footprint alongside existing studios in Cape Town and Galway.
The new city centre facility will act as a hub for creative development and collaboration, tapping into Bristol’s strong reputation in animation and creative media. The move also brings Triggerfish closer to key UK partners and clients, while maintaining its distributed, remote-first approach.
The studio has also confirmed its commitment to nurturing UK talent through its involvement in the BBC Ignite programme, supporting the next generation of animation creators.