The University of Bristol’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s annual Innovation Showcase returns on Wednesday 15 April at the Watershed, bringing together students, entrepreneurs, investors, and industry partners for an afternoon of live pitching, venture demonstrations and creative problem solving.
This prestigious event coincides with the Centre’s 10-year anniversary and features an exhibition of student projects as well as the annual Runway Awards, where student entrepreneurs pitch live for a share of £75,000 in grant funding.
Since launching in 2016, the University’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, has delivered exceptional impact with a student start‑up rate ten times the UK average. Ventures supported through the Runway Accelerator programme have secured more than £35million in follow‑on investment whilst the Centre’s commitment to inclusive entrepreneurship has yielded 60% female participation.
The Centre has been recognised as having the best entrepreneurial higher education course in the UK and Europe
Mark Nield, Associate Professor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Bristol, and Programme Director for Runway, said: “People who come to watch the Runway Awards are consistently amazed by the quality of the pitches, their insight into the challenges they are addressing and the path they illuminate to future impact. It is little surprise that so many of them go on to deliver positive change and raise significant sums of money”
The Runway Accelerator programme has now awarded more than £400,000 in grants, with several winners going on to secure major investment across the UK and Silicon Valley.
Two notable student spin-out success stories are Pitchwise and Eleria.
Pitchwise created technology that combines a smartphone with AI-powered computer vision software to film grassroots football matches and automatically follow play, generate highlights, and provide performance insight – recreating for every local community club the same excitement seen at the elite level.
Eleria created a portable period cup cleaning and sterilisation case, which is made in the UK from medical grade silicone and recycled medical grade plastic.
This year the next generation of innovators could take their first steps towards global impact, further strengthening the University of Bristol’s reputation as a hub of ingenuity, innovation, and entrepreneurial drive.
With the Centre preparing to move to the new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus (TQEC), this year’s Showcase comes at a key moment. The new campus will bring students, entrepreneurs, industry partners, and local organisations together in one place, creating a stronger space for testing ideas, building partnerships, and turning early projects into real‑world impact across Bristol and beyond.
The schedule for the Innovation Showcase on 15 April will see student ventures pitching for £75,000 funding in front of expert judging panel (14:00 – 16:30) as part of the wider event featuring business ideas from students in their final year at the University’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (14:30 – 18:00).
