Tech South West, the regional sector support organisation, has secured Government funding to expand its Growth Forge accelerator.
The money comes via the Barclays Eagle Labs Ecosystem Partnership Programme and will boost support for technology businesses across the West Country.
The 2025 programme includes three specialist growth tracks covering AI, marinetech and cleantech.
The expansion follows Growth Forge’s successful first year in 2024, which saw participating tech companies secure more than £1.6m in investment and £500,000 in grants.
Dan Pritchard, founder of Tech South West, said: “Since Growth Forge launched we have supported founders of dozens of growth-focused companies across the region, helping them secure investment, access grant funding, grow their teams and enhance their business operations.
“The introduction of specialist tracks in AI, MarineTech and CleanTech reflects the South West’s emerging strengths in these sectors. We’re delighted to be able to expand and deliver the programme with support from a host of exciting partners.”
The programme brings together industry leaders including Microsoft, British Business Bank, Bishop Fleming, Ashfords, Howden, Program, Innovate UK Business Growth Programme, Plymouth and South Devon Freeport, and Future Space to deliver expert support.
Companies on the programme receive support via one-to-one mentoring, partner consultations, interactive workshops, face-to-face growth days and ongoing founder peer groups.
Amanda Allan, director of Barclays Eagle Labs, added: “We are eager to support the growth of the tech sector as much as possible and using our Ecosystem Partnership Programme, we’re allocating funding to organisations like Tech South West who are already plugged into their ecosystem needs.
“We are proud to be able to support these projects which are designed to help early-stage tech entrepreneurs. This ensures our on-going commitment to support the tech sector which is vital to the continued growth of local economies across the whole of the UK.”
Applications to Growth Forge are now open.