AI West joins the FinTech West ecosystem to bring AI collaboration to the West of England
Graeme Burns and Sonam Belbase join AI West as the community expands its regional role as part of FinTech West
Bristol, 12 August 2026 — AI West, the cross-sector AI community for the West of England, is entering its next phase as part of the FinTech West ecosystem, giving organisations across the region a dedicated home to collaborate on AI challenges, connect with peers and turn ambition into practical action.
The West of England already has significant capability in AI: ISAMBARD, one of the UK's most powerful AI supercomputers, is based at the University of Bristol; Bristol Robotics Laboratory is the UK's most comprehensive academic centre for multi-disciplinary robotics research; and the region has growing strengths across financial services, technology and research. What has been missing is a structured community connecting those strengths. Most organisations working on AI in the region are doing so in isolation, without visibility of who else is tackling the same problems or how to find the right partners to work through them with.
Stuart Harrison, Founder and Director of FinTech West and Director of AI West., said: "AI West is about creating the conditions for practical collaboration around AI in the West of England. The region already has the expertise, infrastructure and talent. What it needs is a stronger connection across the ecosystem so more organisations can turn that potential into visible, practical impact."
As part of this next phase, Graeme Burns, formerly Head of AI Strategy Lead for People and Comms at Nationwide Building Society, and Sonam Belbase, formerly Executive Director at Morgan Stanley, join CEO Abe Mauleon on the AI West team, adding experience across AI strategy, data governance and organisational change.
Graeme Burns, AI Implementation Advisor, AI West, said: "A year ago, I came looking for a network to help navigate AI adoption: the skills gaps, the implementation challenges and what it means for the future of work. I know I wasn't alone in that search. AI West exists to make that network real, connecting people across industry and research who are solving emerging problems and tackling them faster and more effectively together."
Sonam Belbase, Data, AI and Governance Advisor, AI West, said: "Data is the foundation of everything AI can do, and it is also where most organisations struggle most. The barriers to AI adoption are rarely technical. They are about trust, governance and finding the right people who have already solved the same problem. AI West is where those conversations happen."
Abe Mauleon, CEO of AI West, said: "AI West already has strong foundations and a real community behind it. This next phase is about broadening its relevance and giving it more momentum. We want organisations across the West of England to see AI West as the place to find the right connections and put AI to work."
Initial activity will focus on financial and professional services and fintech, where there is strong existing community depth and clear potential for practical AI collaboration. AI West is cross-sector by design and will engage with other areas as interest and opportunity develop. Over the coming months, AI West will re-engage stakeholders, convene a roundtable to identify priority opportunities and begin more targeted outreach across the region.
Organisations interested in getting involved, partnering with AI West or supporting its future activity should contact Ingrid Anusic at ingrid.anusic@fintechwest.co.uk