Our Silicon Gorge pitching competition is back, and applications are now open.
This year is a special one, as Silicon Gorge celebrates its 10th anniversary. Over the past decade, the competition has become a fixture of the South West tech ecosystem, giving ambitious founders the opportunity to pitch to investors, sharpen their propositions, and take meaningful steps towards raising capital.
Shining a light on some of the most promising tech businesses in the region, Silicon Gorge is a competitive pitching competition, with the prize being the opportunity to pitch at the final showcase in front of a curated room of investors and ecosystem partners.
Over the years, hundreds of startups and scale-ups have pitched through Silicon Gorge, with alumni going on to raise millions, scale internationally, or build enduring businesses.
Silicon Gorge alumni include companies such as Immersive, Open Bionics, KETS Quantum Security, LettUs Grow, Neighbourly, OKKO Health, Tumelo, Seccl, SailTies, Siloton and Extracellular — spanning sectors from cyber security and fintech to health, climate and deep tech.
To mark the 10th year, Silicon Gorge will run twice in 2026, supporting founders at different stages of their fundraising journey:
- Silicon Gorge: Catalyst (June 2026) — for businesses seeking £100k–£1m
Showcase takes place on 24 June 2026 - Silicon Gorge: Velocity (November 2026) — for businesses seeking £1m+
(Applications for Velocity will open later in the year)
Applications are now open for Silicon Gorge: Catalyst, designed for earlier-stage founders preparing to raise their first angel or seed investment and looking to build confidence, clarity and investor connections. As always, each Silicon Gorge event features a panel of experienced investors and ecosystem experts to help draw out the most important aspects of each pitch.
Applications for the upcoming Silicon Gorge: Catalyst are now open and close on 24 April. If you’re looking to raise between £100k and £1m, we’d love to hear from you.
If you’re an investor, sign up to our Investor & Enabler mailing list to receive information about the showcase, or contact charly@techspark.co for more details.