Driving the Region’s Growth: Insights from the Southern Innovation Catalyst 2.0

Venturefest South (VFS) recently hosted The Southern Innovation Catalyst 2.0 which brought together business leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators for a collaborative event designed to help shape the future of the innovation ecosystem in the South. 

This workshop-style networking meeting, held at the University of Southampton, marked the second edition of the event and served as a vital platform for fostering collaboration, sharing insights, and strengthening the region’s innovation landscape. 

The Southern Innovation Catalyst 2.0 attracted influential decision-makers who explored how businesses can thrive through collaboration, contribute to the region’s growth, and enhance the collective capabilities that fuel long-term success. Attendees had the unique opportunity to discuss in detail how their individual contributions could help shape the future of innovation in the South. 

The packed agenda included sessions about economic climate with Sue Elliott from the British Business Bank, the ‘blue economy’ with Mark Hamson from the National Oceanography Centre, and university and commercialisation presented by Jo Stark from the University of Winchester. 

During the workshop session, delegates discussed four key collaboration points: 

• What is happening in the region? 

• What will help the region grow? 

• What can individuals and businesses do? 

• How can Venturefest South support growth?

There were several key themes that arose during the workshops, including: how best to leverage and use AI across the business landscape; the environment and sustainability; the need to form stronger relationships between businesses and educational institutions, as well as between different sectors, to help foster innovation; and a desire for more business community collaboration to help retain and attract even more innovation and investment to the region. 

Crucially, from a Venutrefest South point of view, it was suggested that there could be the following opportunities: 

• To develop a centralised portal to connect businesses, networks, and startups. 

• Facilitate SME and student collaboration to support regional business needs. 

• Create an AI-focused discussion space to explore industry applications. 

• Publish a regional white paper to consolidate data and drive strategy. 

• Strengthen partnerships across networks for long-term community impact.

Watch this space for future developments as we look to shape forthcoming Venturefest South activities to address these opportunities 

The event served as an important reminder of the collective power of business leaders in developing the future of the region’s economy and included a call to arms to encourage more businesses, government bodies and knowledge bases to get involved and support Venturefest South’s annual programme of activities, which is funded by partners and sponsors.