Venturefest South (VFS) is a not-for-profit programme dedicated to championing innovation, entrepreneurship, and business growth across the South of England. We are proud to be supported by leading partners including Innovate UK Business Connect, the British Business Bank, Hampshire County Council as well as a strong network of universities, and enterprise champions.
VFS stimulates the South’s innovation ecosystem by working with these key partners and influencers to fund and deliver a year-round programme of Rumble events and an annual Festival of Innovation that are designed to support our region’s businesses and to showcase the South’s talent, innovative companies, and research capabilities through bringing together innovators, entrepreneurs, and funders.
Since its inception 9 years ago the programme has delivered meaningful impact to over 11,000 business in the south, from connecting them to funding to showcasing them for investment.
Its objectives are to:
- Build the reputation of the Venturefest South region as a great place to innovate and scale
- Signpost resources, information, partners, sponsors, and ideas that growing companies need most
- Develop a vibrant ecosystem of investable opportunities and drive growth
- Offer entrepreneurs an inspirational platform to develop from
- Help established businesses explore better ways to scale and sell
- Give primes or anchor organisations a way to engage with SMEs and the innovation supply chain
- Provide early-stage businesses zero-cost opportunities to share their ideas and innovations and develop
- Deliver value to our core audience by bringing them together in interesting ways.
At this year’s Festival of Innovation, we will be showcasing start-ups and scaling businesses from the following cluster sectors:
- Marine & maritime (the ‘Blue Economy’)
- Creative industries & gaming
- Biofilms and life sciences
- Defence, security & space
- Sustainability
Registration
If you are an EIS Association member and would like a complimentary ticket, please get in touch with the team.