Dancing security 'dogs', virtual dresses and drones: How entrepreneurs are 'getting off their bums' to grab opportunities
THE last time I was at the Utilita Bowl I was enjoying Arctic Monkeys in the summer of 2023. Returning last week it was certainly less Brianstorm - their opening number that evening - and more brainstorm as I enjoyed an uplifting day meeting magical minds at Venturefest South.
The Festival of Innovation is now in its ninth year but I have to confess this was my first ever visit. And it was well worth heading west and battling the never-ending M27 roadworks and the downpour which greeted me as I made my way from the car park. I wanted a nose around to first find out how the day worked and what it was hoping to achieve and to then see whether I could uncover what innovation was coming out of the powerhouse that is the Portsmouth area.
The first task was simple - this was a day of connecting fledgling businesses with real opportunities to grow, as sharp minds mingled with students, business leaders, talent backers and investors. There were stands, talks, showcases, think-tank sessions and an open mic pitching event.
The second was even easier.
As I wandered around the varying zones which covered creative catalysts, outstanding innovators, biofilm and life sciences, the ‘blue’ economy, defence, security and space I spotted a few familiar faces and met some very new ones.
MD Ben Cloud and project manager Lois Dady from Emsworth-based video production company Millsteam Productions were happy to update me on how the business is growing and innovating, while looking resplendent in his yellow suit was Mr Dot Braille - blind Portsmouth artist Clarke Reynolds. I caught up with him fresh from his stint of pitching on the open mic stage. He continues to push the boundaries in transforming those Braille dots into visual storytelling but his frustration with a lack of Government support was clear.
The eye-catching designs from Waterlooville-based design, illustration and animation studio Danger Danger stood them out from the crowd while Fareham drone pioneers Windracers had a brilliant story to tell of their growing business. At the newer end of the scale Elliot, Vic, Kian, Emily and Harley are working around day jobs to grow their independent games studio Zeta Games, with a focus on creating heartfelt, accessible multi-player games that promote positive wellbeing.
I didn’t try my hand at their Steambots game but was fairly hopeless when Portsmouth born and bred Lucas Morton offered me the chance to play Touchdown Poker from Ace High Sports, which is creating playing-card themed video games for sports fans. I was hooked but hopeless - I love American football but don’t understand poker.
Good luck too to Megan Watkins and her virtual/digital Gallop Costume Studio - I look forward to seeing her credited in Hollywood movies in the future - and I was also charmed by the robotic ‘dog’ of Code 9 Security which can not only undertake high-level and dangerous security missions but showed off some very funky dance moves.
Ed Gould, creative director at marketing agency Carswell Gould, is chair of Venturefest South. He has worked tirelessly to keep the festival going, backed by many key partners and headline sponsors, including Blake Morgan, Hampshire Prosperity Partnership, National Biofilms Innovation Centre and Openshaw and Co.
I grabbed Ed before leaving and he told me: ‘‘We’re here today to bring together all that is wonderful about the south’s innovation and business ecosystem. We’re connecting businesses to real opportunity and the reason we are doing it is because I believe that this region is the best place to turn a good idea into a brilliant business.
‘ We’ve 1,350 people who1,350 people have come today and that's made up of all sorts of different businesses, from start ups that are just getting going and need advice and funding, to scale-ups that are established businesses and are looking for their next move, all the way through to the primes who need to drive innovation into what they do in their business. On top of that we have FE students taking their first steps into the world of business, the support network around these businesses and the investors and the funders.
‘So the key part of VFS is how many different interesting people can we collide together in an interesting way?’
When asked how he would judge the day Ed added: ‘For me success is that all of us who live in the region need to understand we live in a really great place, full of opportunity and if you get off your bum and get involved in some of these things you can really make something happen for yourself.’
As I took one last look at the lush green grass of the Utilita Bowl before leaving, I thought again about being among the thousands of Arctic Monkeys fans who had packed the arena that warm summer evening. But my final View from the Afternoon was that Venturefest South was a brilliant event. For me it scored Four Out of Five, which may not seem much but, as all AM fans know, that’s unheard of.