Women in tech - abigail tittley. 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. If you have a story to share, fill out the following form here. 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. March 23, 2026 March 20, 2026 March 19, 2026

AEO Excellence Awards 2026 entries open. In association with Fusion by ClearCourse, GES and the NEC. 05/02/2026 Entries are now open for the AEO Excellence Awards, the Association of Event Organisers' flagship awards programme celebrating excellence, innovation and impact across the UK and international events sector. Winners will be announced at a gala ceremony on 12 June 2026 at Grosvenor House, with this year's masquerade-themed celebration, "Behind the mask: a night of recognition", offering a backdrop to recognise the people and work shaping the industry. Each year, the AEO Excellence Awards highlights the work that often sits behind the scenes of successful events, from commercial growth and creative delivery to collaboration across complex teams and supply chains. It offers the industry a moment to pause, reflect and recognise the organisations and individuals shaping how events are delivered today. Anna Golden, chief executive of AEO, said: "The AEO Excellence Awards recognise the people, teams and organisations who consistently raise standards across our industry. From creativity and commercial performance to collaboration and ESG leadership, the awards showcase the quality and breadth of work being delivered across the sector. With entries now open, we look forward to seeing that work reflected across this year's submissions." The awards celebrate excellence across the full events ecosystem, from organisers and venues to service suppliers, marketing teams and individuals who go above and beyond to deliver exceptional events. Categories span marketing, international performance, conferences, exhibitions, sustainability, team achievement and individual contribution, reflecting the breadth and diversity of the sector. This year's categories include: The 2026 awards are supported by headline sponsors Fusion by ClearCourse, GES and NEC Group. Stephen Russell, head of Fusion by Clearcouse, said: "I'm proud that Fusion is continuing its valued partnership as headline sponsor of the AEO Excellence Awards 2026. It reinforces its commitment to supporting AEO and celebrating the organisations and individuals setting the standard for excellence across its industry. At Fusion, Event Industry News Limited is passionate about creating outstanding live experiences through innovation and collaboration. By combining world class event delivery with cutting edge technology, Event Industry News Limited is excited to help bring the Awards to life and recognise those shaping the future of the events sector." David Langrish, vice president of marketing (EMEA), at GES, said: "We are delighted to continue our sponsorship of the AEO Awards, further strengthening our long-standing partnership with the AEO. Their commitment to advancing the industry closely mirrors our own, making this collaboration a natural fit. The awards remain a flagship event, offering a powerful platform to recognise and celebrate the talent, innovation, and dedication that define our sector." Helen Marriott, group marketing director at the NEC, said: "As we celebrate 50 years at the heart of the UK exhibitions industry, we're proud to continue our support of the AEO Excellence Awards in 2026. The Awards play a vital role in recognising the excellence, innovation and collaboration that drive our sector forward, and in bringing the industry together to learn from and celebrate one another. It's a privilege to sponsor an event that so clearly reflects the strength and ambition of our industry." Entries are assessed through an independent, third-party judging process, with submissions collected and allocated to judges via a secure platform. Judging is completed independently to avoid conflicts of interest, with a minimum of four judges scoring each category, increasing to six judges for the show categories. Scores and feedback are collated and independently verified before results are shared with AEO. Entries are open to organisers, venues and suppliers operating across the UK and internationally. There is no cost for AEO, AEV and ESSA members to enter. Full category criteria, key dates and entry guidance are available at aeoawards.org. Kizzy Allott is Sales and Marketing Director at Event Industry News, where she's been a driving force behind the brand for over a decade. With a deep understanding of the events sector and a passion for storytelling, Kizzy plays a key role in connecting the industry through news, insights, and content that matters. She's dedicated to championing innovation, amplifying industry voices, and keeping event professionals informed and inspired.

LONDON 29 July 2025: ClearCourse, the provider of industry-specific software and embedded payment solutions for SMEs, announces the acquisition of Davidson Richards, a leading retail management and EPOS (electronic point of sale) systems provider.