Unis of Bristol, Bath, Cardiff, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey in £300m investment vehicle

The SETsquared Partnership universities and leading regional investment firm QantX have announced plans for a new £300 million spin-out focused investment vehicle to catalyse the creation and growth of science and technology companies addressing global challenges.  

The initiative was announced by Sir Richard Olver, Chair of QantX, at Bristol City Hall on 11 October at the Regional Investment and Health & Life Sciences Summit, which Science Minister Lord Patrick Vallance and MP Darren Jones also attended. 

This new investment vehicle will drive a much needed step change in early-stage patient capital, expertise, and support available to University spin-outs and start-up companies in the region that are working in areas of true global impact – such as sustainability, clean energy, and transformative healthcare. 

Combined, the SETsquared Partnership of six universities – Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Southampton, and Surrey – has a research portfolio of more than £600 million and has produced over 230 spin-out companies through collaboration across vibrant regional innovation ecosystems.  

Despite this success, the potential impact of R&D to power regional growth and productivity is being held back due to significant imbalances in equity funding across the UK. Startups in the region raise, on average, five times less at early stages than in the Golden Triangle. 

This new vehicle will open up significant co-investment opportunities, de-risk early-stage deep tech propositions for the VC and Angel investment community, and increase the overall amount of capital available. 

QantX is on a mission to bring modern economic success to the region by increasing the number of spin-outs, protecting intellectual property, and creating long-term impact. They have a track record of backing the most ambitious science and technology founders – including award-winning teams at Senisca, Ensilitech, iFAST Diagnostics, and Neuronostics – and developing connections across university innovation ecosystems. 

SETsquared is widely recognised as one of the UK’s most successful innovation partnerships and was recently ranked by the Financial Times and Sifted as one of the top three start-up hubs in Europe. The partnership brings the pipeline and track record from working with over 400 ventures per year in critical technologies such as AI, engineering, biology, semiconductors and quantum, with members securing over £5bn in investment and creating over 15,000 jobs since 2002. 

SETsquared Bristol is part of the University of Bristol, which has a rich history of research commercialisation, spinning out companies since the 1990s, with a steadily increasing output. Typically, between four and six new spin-out companies are created each year.   

The University of Bristol already has a strong portfolio of spin-out companies thriving in fields such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence, clean energy and health technology, and the new investment vehicle will help cement Bristol’s reputation as a thriving hub for world-leading tech companies.  

The University’s new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, due to open in 2026, sits at the heart of an emerging innovation district and will catalyse opportunities for knowledge exchange: advancing research across digital, business and social innovation. 

Science Minister, Lord Patrick Vallance said: “The UK is home to brilliant innovators, and this investment vehicle that brings together six Universities with a private sector investment firm, QantX, will help turn great ideas into thriving companies that create high-skilled jobs and exciting new products. 

“As we prepare for next week’s UK-hosted International Investment Summit, the Government is clear that the UK is open for business. Partnerships like this, between investors and innovators, are vital if we are to grow the economy, boost opportunities and ultimately improve lives.” 

Richard Haycock, Co-Founder & CEO, QantX, explains: “While the UK ranks fourth globally in cutting-edge research and innovation, we’ve often struggled to commercialise these breakthroughs. Our partnership with the SETsquared Universities aims to change this in the South and South West. We’re witnessing a surge in university spin-outs led by brilliant founder entrepreneurs. 

“By connecting these visionaries with risk capital and expertise in transformative fields like life sciences, sustainability, and deep tech, we’re cultivating a thriving innovation ecosystem. This collaboration will accelerate economic growth, create high-skilled jobs, and deliver returns for our investors. We’re not just funding companies; we’re empowering local entrepreneurs to transform our region into a powerhouse of innovation, ensuring the fruits of our world-leading research flourish right here at home.” 

Marty Reid, Executive Director, SETsquared, continues: “The potential scale and quality of science and technology companies emerging from across the SETsquared University clusters is a match for any ecosystem. Creating this new investment vehicle could be a vital step forward in addressing funding gaps we see today, and through a deep connection with our support ecosystem, could inspire a new generation of talent who will get technologies out of the lab and shape the industries of tomorrow. 

“We are delighted to formalise our collaboration with QantX, who bring a wealth of complementary experience from global industry and finance and a shared ambition to build a truly world-leading regional ecosystem and an economy with innovation at its heart. Collaboration is key to what we are building, and we would be delighted to engage with the broader investor community and any stakeholders interested in playing a part as we move forward”.