The BDFI Impact Report (PDF, 7,156kB), which documents the 12 months until February 2021, details an impressive year of activity and impact – including funding, case studies and ambitions for the year ahead.

BDFI Co-Directors, Professor Dimitra Simeonidou and Professor Susan Halford state:

“Since securing £100m investment, we have been able to press ahead with a major infrastructure programme to establish our globally unique facilities and provide the Institute with a physical home.

We’ve held workshops with stakeholders from a range of sectors on potential uses for the world’s first Reality Emulator, our research community have secured c.£33 million new research projects, with a further £70 million of projects in the pipeline.

We’re trailblazing innovative new technologies and contributing in practical ways to addressing digital inequality in Bristol’s communities. We are also pleased to have expanded our team, established our academic advisory group and appointed 5 associate academics and researchers.”

BDFI is a world class epicentre for sociotechnical innovation, bringing together business, government and citizens with leading interdisciplinary researchers from the University of Bristol to transform how we create digital technologies. BDFI will tackle some of the world’s biggest global challenges - from how we transform healthcare, to how we move around, to how AI will impact our lives.

Hayley Shaw, Institute and Partnerships Manager, comments:
“We hope this report sparks fresh ideas and excitement amongst our community and beyond, and we welcome you to get involved.”