Entrepreneurs converge on Bristol for inaugural xChange South West Innovators’ dinner

By Nicky Godding

16 December 2022

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Some of the South West’s most exciting innovators and business leaders gathered in Bristol for a special event to celebrate innovation in the region.

Nearly 100 people attended the inaugural xChange South West Innovators’ Dinner at the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel on College Green which was co-sponsored by Evelyn Partners, the leading integrated wealth management and professional services group.

The aim of the event was to build connections between the region's top entrepreneurs and leading organisations to accelerate business growth.

Other event sponsors included award-winning software agency Rocketmakers, growth business marketing specialists HdE Agency and Capsule, an insurance provider for venture-backed start-ups.

Guests listened to inspirational speakers from some of the South West’s most innovative firms. They included Steph Campbell from Okko Health, Joyann Boyce of Inclued AI, Steve Butterworth from Neighbourly, Joel Gibbard MBE of Open Bionics and Simon Best of Basekit.

The networking evening was compered by serial business founder and connector Oli Barrett, and Briony Phillips of Rocketmakers.

Briony said: “The South West is home to some of the most exciting, category-defining fast-growth businesses. Over £1.14bn in equity investment was unlocked by companies across the region in 2021, with six companies raising in excess of £50 million.

“With so many exciting businesses growing here, and an ecosystem that thrives on connection and collaboration, it felt like the perfect time to launch an inaugural, invitation-only, annual dinner to celebrate, connect, and accelerate innovation in the region.”

Helen Bassett, who heads up Evelyn Partners’ business outsourcing services team in Bristol and specialises in supporting high-growth tech businesses, said: “We’re delighted to be co-sponsors of the xChange South West Innovators’ dinner and celebrate innovation in the region."

By Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe.

After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts.

She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.