Bath Spa University Supports Entrepreneurs and Innovation in Technology

Bath Spa University was the proud Festival Sponsor of Venturefest Bristol 2011 which took place place at SPark One, the innovation centre at the Bristol and Bath Science Park.

Venturefest Bristol is an exciting new event for the South West business community and unites entrepreneurs and innovators from across the Bristol and Bath region with investors and professional service providers. The event helps to join technology business ideas with potential funding and support to see the future commercialisation of the South West’s best new ideas.

The event attracted a wide range of investors, business service providers and universities seeking to commercialise the outputs of their research activities. The festival also included an Innovation Zone to showcase business ideas based around emerging technologies.

Bath Spa University (BSU) exhibited at the event to highlight the research and consultancy it conducts at the cutting edge of science, technology and creative industries.

Dr Anil de Sequeira, Subject Leader for Food and Nutrition in the Department of Science who represents BSU on the Science City Bristol steering group said: “This was an exciting opportunity for the four universities in the Bath and Bristol region to come together. We are telling the world and business community what great places Bath and Bristol are. We have a wealth of intellectual property generated in Universities and we can work with businesses to innovate and create the products and services of tomorrow. Together we can increase the economic wealth of businesses and the country, while enhancing the lives of the communities that live in two great cities.”

Dr Greg Garrard (Senior Lecturer English Literature) and Anthony Head (Senior Lecturer in Digital Technologies Design) showcased Poetiks Pro, an idea based around an ‘e-learning app’ that they developed at Bath Spa University. The app has the potential to revolutionise the way the study of poetry is taught and hence improve the quality of poetry that is written.

Dr Garrard said: “We’re really excited about Venturefest Bristol and to be promoting links between Bath Spa University and innovation. Our project could see the teaching of poetry revolutionised by harnessing new technology for learning.”