The France (Channel) England programme funds various projects that aim to find solutions to problems common on both sides of the border. The France (Channel) England Programme, as with all European Programmes, is part of the Europe 2020 strategy, which is the European Union's strategy to deliver growth and jobs. Launched in 2010, it is focused in part on Europe's recovery from the 2008 financial crisis, but it is also about a new form of growth, focusing on smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

Following the success of 2015’s event, Venturefest Bristol & Bath will return in 2017 with a programme spanning all the way from February to October.

The February series opener features the Future City Seminar Series, in which leading businesses will discuss the future of cities and the tech challenges they might face. This will be followed by a series of events, finishing with a showcase of Bristol and Bath’s most innovative companies.

The West of England has earned its prestigious position as the UK's most productive Tech Cluster. Whilst this is great news for the area, it means recruiting good software developers is highly competitive as companies compete for top talent. 

£5m of investment funding is available from Innovate UK and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), to encourage innovative applications of robotics and autonomous systems (RAS).  

The commercial prospects of RAS projects are obvious in today’s society. Commercially viable RAS projects often need to combine several different technologies, and this investment funding aims to encourage collaboration in order to speed up RAS development towards demonstration.

The need for efficient and effective healthcare is growing along with our ageing population, so Innovate UK are offering a kick-start to the tune of up to 70% project funding! 

"The aim of this competition is to test a well-developed concept and show its effectiveness in a relevant environment."