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WORLD LEADING BUSINESS SUPPORT

ABOUT SETSQUARED

The South by South West
Innovation Supercluster

SETsquared is a unique enterprise partnership and a dynamic collaboration between the six leading research-led UK universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey.

As a world-leading venture builder and engine for commercialisation, we help turn cutting-edge research and innovation into thriving global businesses.

As the fastest-growing research partnership* in the UK, SETsquared combines shared assets, complementary capabilities, and proven best practice at a scale that no single institution could deliver alone.

Our collective strengths span the frontier sectors identified in the Modern Industrial Strategy, including health and life sciences, digital and technologies, clean energy industries, advanced manufacturing and defence. This breadth gives founders access to sector-specific knowledge, facilities, networks and investment connections throughout their growth journey.

The result is a powerful pipeline of ambitious deep tech ventures equipped to start-up, scale and stay in our regions, attracting investment and delivering wider economic and societal impact.

* The founding universities are jointly the fastest-growing research partnerships in the UK, with a 50% increase in total annual research funding since 2019.

Delivering impact since 2002

5,000+ entrepreneurs supported since 2002
£5bn+ raised by supported companies
£15.7bn contributed to the UK economy
15,600 jobs created
230 spin-outs

Support at every stage

Through our six university-based Business Acceleration and Commercialisation Hubs plus national, regional and sector-focused programmes, around 500 companies access SETsquared support each year.

Our flexible support covers the full commercialisation journey:

Ideation: exploring commercial potential, IP and spin-out formation
Acceleration: mentoring, investment readiness, facilities, peer support
Scale: connecting companies with investors, corporates and talent

We also build practical tools, including our nationally recognised Deal Readiness Toolkit, which helps founders, universities, lawyers and investors close spin-out and licensing deals faster and RAISE to help founders successfully raise investment.

Connecting innovation with investment

We help ventures become investment-ready while giving investors the knowledge, insight and confidence to engage with emerging technologies.

By shaping credible investment opportunities, translating investor expectations into practical guidance, and supporting meaningful connections between innovators and funders, we help bridge the gap between groundbreaking ideas and commercial success. We also encourage greater participation from new and non-specialist investors, making innovation more accessible and understandable.

In doing so, we are helping to broaden and strengthen the UK investment base, creating a more diverse, resilient and dynamic innovation ecosystem.

Find out about the opportunity for investors

Driving regional & national growth

As a partnership, we have the research excellence, entrepreneurial talent and innovation pipeline needed to drive the UK’s future economy. Our role is to ensure that ambitious companies can access the support and capital they need to stay and scale here.

By connecting universities, founders, investors, industry and government, we’re building the South and South West into a globally recognised centre for research commercialisation and deep-tech growth.

In doing so, we play a critical role in the UK’s innovation landscape, attracting investment and creating high-value jobs.