From technology, to mining to food, here’s our pick of the businesses to look out for over the next 12 months
The West of England has continued to prove its mettle in 2025. In a turbulent year that has seen businesses grapple with persistent inflation, geopolitical tensions and the rise of AI, the region has worked to showcase its strength across sectors including technology, aerospace and defence.
The West – with Devon and Cornwall to the South and Bristol and Bath to the North – is a vast and diverse region that is home to numerous world-class universities, the UK’s most powerful supercomputer and a spaceport that is in the running for a landmark European Space Agency programme .
Thousands of companies are based in the region, including major British firms such as investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown in Bristol; cosmetics brand Lush in Poole; New Look in Weymouth; and Cornish Metals in Truro.
The West of England Combined Authority area alone (Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, and South Gloucestershire) has a growing population of more than 1.2 million people and an economy worth £53.7bn.
Meanwhile, the Great South West – Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire – contributes £81.3bn nominal Gross Value Added (GVA) to the economy, while supporting 133,000 companies – five per cent of the UK’s total business base.
In just five years, the number of businesses in the Great South West has grown by 4.6 per cent, exceeding the UK average and experiencing the highest growth of all UK regions.
The West of England is also the fastest-growing area in Britain for creative industries, outpacing even London with a remarkable 4.1% compound annual growth rate, according to a report published this year by the University of Exeter, Arts University Bournemouth, Arts University Plymouth, Bournemouth University, Falmouth University, and the University of Plymouth.
Of course, tourism, food and farming play an integral role in the region’s success. The West Country’s tourism value alone rose to a record high of £2.7bn last year.
But the impact of ‘Silicon Gorge’ – the Bristol, Swindon and Gloucestershire triangle that is home to a host of deep tech, cyber and AI businesses – must also be acknowledged. That hotbed of innovation is driving major investment into the region while boosting the local economy.
From university spin-out companies to global multinationals, the West is a thriving business ecosystem bursting with innovation and talent.
With that in mind – and as 2025 draws to a close – we take a look at six companies we think are worth keeping an eye on in the coming 12 months. In no particular order…
Cornish Metals, Truro
Cornish Metals is looking to revive production at an historic tin mine near Pool in Cornwall. South Crofty was closed in 1998 after more than 400 years of continuous production due to lack of investment and falling metal prices.
Cornish Metals acquired the mine in 2016 and has been working to bring it back into operation. Earlier in 2025, the business said the site could be producing by 2028.
In December, Cornish Metals moved its headquarters to Cornwall from Canada following a re-domiciliation process and floated on AIM, which it said at the time was “an important strategic milestone”.
The project received the backing of the UK government in 2025, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves committing to invest £29m in the scheme.
Rowden Technologies, Bristol
Rowden Technologies was established by a former Army corporal in 2016 to help the government become less reliant on multinational defence contractors.
Founder Rob Harper grew the company’s sales to £20.4m last year and Rowden was named on the Sunday Times’ list of fastest-growing companies in 2025.
In November, the defence tech company announced a partnership with London manufacturer Isembard that will see it create around 100 jobs across the South West over the next 12 months.
Sendr, Exeter
Exeter-headquartered tech company Sendr uses AI to create personalised videos and voice notes. The business was founded in 2023 by former Google employee Dave Cannell and John Bromley in a bid to transform email marketing.
Sendr launched version 2.5 in November and now counts companies including the Financial Times among its customers. The business raised £250,000 from the British Business Bank’s South West Fund in August.
The company is also backed by venture capital firm Haatch and eight angel investors.
Peequal, Bristol
The flatpack portable urinals company was founded by a pair of Bristol graduates in 2020. Amber Probyn and Hazel McShane say their invention is six times faster to use and produces 98 per centless carbon than traditional portable toilets.
In April, the duo teamed up with fellow Bristol-based start-up NPK Recovery to collect urine from thousands of women running the London Marathon and turn it into crop-growing fertiliser. The urinals have also been used at a host of other events over the year, including Glastonbury.
In October, the pair secured nearly £1m to expand internationally including to Australia, Europe and the US. The last funding round brought the total raised by the business to £1.4m.
Inyanga Marine Energy Group, Falmouth
Inyanga provides specialist project management, consultancy, and technology development services for the delivery of offshore renewable energy projects.
The Falmouth-based company is behind a Welsh tidal energy project that is set to be one of the largest in Europe when built. The business secured a £2m equity investment from the Welsh Government in May and raised £3.7m from a group of investors in July.
The company’s Morlais tidal energy site off Ynys Mon (Anglesey) is located in an area known for its strong tidal currents. The 35 square kilometre site is set to be operational from 2026 and has the potential to generate enough electricity to power over 180,000 homes once fully developed.
Sandwich Sandwich, Bristol
The Bristol sandwich chain famed for its doorstop-sized sarnies is on a major growth trajectory. The family-run company was founded by restaurateur Nick Kleiner in Cotham more than a decade ago and has long had a solid fan base in Bristol, but since entering the London market last year has developed a major following, including among footballers, musicians and celebrity chefs.
The business now has two sites in Bristol – on Baldwin Street and Queens Road – as well as London branches on Gresham Street, Mark Lane and Tottenham Court Road.
In October, Sandwich Sandwich announced plans to open its first international branch following a franchise deal. The business will likely be eyeing more openings in 2026 as it looks to expand.
