University of Bristol Innovation Showcase 2026

Join us as we celebrate 10 amazing years of the award-winning, ground-breaking, officially-recognised highest-ranked entrepreneurial programme of 2025! As we prepare for the next 10 years, with our imminent move to the new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, this year’s Innovation Showcase is an unparalleled opportunity to discuss and help develop the ideas that will be creating impact in the very near future.

The Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is the largest innovation centre in UK Higher Education and one of the fastest-growing parts of the University. Since it was founded in 2016 our students have had a HUGE impact:

• our startup rate is 10 times the national average 🔟
• ventures supported through our Runway Accelerator have secured more than £20m in follow-on investment 💰
• Our commitment to inclusive entrepreneurship keeps delivering real results, with 60% female participation and standout success for female founders ⬆️

This year’s graduating class is no different. Projects on show at this year’s Showcase (amongst many others) include desalination technology to improve fresh water scarcity; tackling adoption rates for electric vehicles (EVs); speculating about the future of brain/computer interaction; addressing the impacts of injury recovery for elite athletes; and streamlining the design of semiconductors.

Our students are on the point of submitting their final year projects – this is your chance to help them discuss and validate their ideas before these innovators of tomorrow take them to market to create lasting change.

Don’t forget to come to the Runway Awards!

A cornerstone of the annual Showcase, the Runway Awards features student entrepreneurs pitching live to a panel of judges for a share of £75,000 in funding. The Runway Accelerator has now given over £400,000 in grants, and previous Runway Award winners such as Peequal, Kaedim, Mifu and Milbotix have gone on to raise further investment in the UK and Silicon Valley, flying the flag for Bristol’s ingenuity, innovation and entrepreneurial drive.

About the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CFIE) fosters a dynamic environment where students, academics, and entrepreneurs come together to drive innovation and shape the future. Our undergraduate programme was rated the best in the UK in 2025 by the ACEEU, and we are an Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs (IOEE) Centre of Excellence. We have also been awarded the highest level of ncee Entrepreneurial Award accreditation, recognising the strength of our interdisciplinary, practice-based model and the impact our students create.

Key highlights from our undergraduate students in the National Student Survey:

✅ Teaching: 95% - eight points above the Russell Group average.

✅ Learning Opportunities: 97% - an exceptional 14 points higher than the Russell Group average.

✅ Academic Support: 94% - demonstrating our robust student support systems.

✅ Student Voice: 95% - confirming our students feel heard and valued, with 98% feeling able to express their ideas, opinions, and beliefs.
For our postgraduate community, the 98% overall satisfaction rate (PTES) is a powerful testament to the comprehensive excellence of the master's experience 🥳

We provide cutting-edge resources, mentorship, and opportunities that empower the next generation of leaders to turn bold ideas into impactful ventures. With a focus on collaboration, creativity, and real-world application, CFIE is committed to nurturing entrepreneurial spirit and helping students create, develop, and scale transformative solutions across industries.

Runway is the Centre’s business incubator, offering University of Bristol students and graduates a programme of tailored support, mentoring, office space and grant funding to enable their ventures to take off.

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Host or Publisher Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Bristol