The third series of the Beyond Brunel podcast kicks off by exploring the impact of infrastructure investment on the region’s economic prosperity.
With the Chancellor Rachel Reeves promising to “invest, invest, invest” in infrastructure aimed at boosting UK growth, the latest episode focuses on the role of infrastructure investment in the South West’s economic future.
Podcast presenter, Christopher Ackland, coastal engineer at Moffatt & Nichol and senior vice chair of ICE South West, is joined by Jan Ward, chair of Plymouth and South Devon Freeport and Dan Pritchard, founder of Tech South West to explore the investment opportunities and challenges facing the region in delivering infrastructure to enable greater prosperity.
Starting in November 2024, Beyond Brunel returns for a third series of six episodes, continuing its exploration of infrastructure’s role in shaping the future in the region.
The podcast from the South West Infrastructure Partnership (SWIP) and the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) South West is becoming increasingly popular with infrastructure professionals. It has had almost 30 thousand listeners since its launch in 2023.
Demand for enabling infrastructure
The latest episode discusses the links between infrastructure investment, business growth and economic prosperity within the region. Jan Ward believes it is one of the issues that has held the region back. She told the podcast:
“There’s a huge requirement down here for enabling infrastructure…There is an absolute need here and I think of all the regions in the UK, we are probably one that needs that investment more than any others.”
The South West needs to become “investor ready”
One of the central themes of this episode is the challenge of attracting venture capital (VC) investment to the South West. Historically, the venture capital industry has been focused on London and the South East, leaving other regions struggling to access the funding needed to scale innovative businesses.
Dan Pritchard discussed the need to create “investor ready” companies in the region that can draw the attention of national and international investors. He said:
“We know we’ve got these amazing companies. We know the ecosystem is now ready. We’ve got to shout about it in a very positive way. But we’ve got to give them really strong opportunities. Our companies have to be investor ready. We have to have all our ducks lined up around that because you don’t get second chances.”
This challenge is compounded by a lack of awareness among investors about the region’s potential. Dan believes the South West’s position at the forefront of sectors such as clean energy, renewables and marine technologies offer an exciting opportunity. But the region needs to shout about its capabilities to draw much-needed investment into the region.
Listen now
A new episode of Beyond Brunel will be released each month between now and April 2025.
Series three also includes episodes on hydrogen, inclusive design, the circular economy, electricity connectivity and tourism, landscape and infrastructure.
Beyond Brunel is produced in Plymouth by Fresh Air Studios.