This month the University of Exeter’s Digital team were invited to the annual Tech South West Awards to co-sponsor the award for the Best Start Up with SETsquared Exeter! Read this blog to learn more about our Digital team’s role at this exciting event.
Tech South West is a membership organisation that exists to support, connect and showcase the tech sector in the South West of England. Their annual awards event is the flagship of their work and this year marked the 5th celebration of the people and organisations driving the sector in the region. The event has grown every year and this year recorded its highest number of entries at over 350!
A second record for this years event was the number of people in attendance at the awards ceremony held at Sandy Park in Exeter on 9 November 2023, where 400 people gathered to watch the 26 awards be presented. Categories included Innovation, Sustainability, Tech for Good, Women in Tech, and TeachTech. The University’s Digital Team co-sponsored the award for Best Start Up with SETsquared Exeter, who support the founders of start-ups and small businesses across the region and help turn ideas into thriving businesses.
The Best Start Up award recognises early stage organisations breaking through and shaking things up in the region. Massive congratulations are in order for the companies shortlisted: Good With, Oort Energy, and Arwen.AI, as well as for the winners, Kelpi! Kelpi are a sustainable materials innovation business and are working with the properties of seaweed to create compostable, marine-safe, low-carbon bioplastic packaging.
Helen Cocks, our Head of Digital Strategy and Engagement, presented Kelpi with their award. The judging panel she sat on chose them as the winners due to their innovative work and the positive impact they are having in the sustainability field.
Helen commented “I was delighted to play a part in recognising and celebrating amazing talent across our amazing region. I came away completely inspired and can’t wait to see what the winners achieve next! Our digital strategy is to enable the University of Exeter to be the most accessible and connected university destination for anyone, and digital innovation is key to improving experience, efficiency and adding value. It’s great to see how other organisations are using digital to make amazing things happen.”
– Written by Helen Cocks, Head of Digital Strategy and Engagement