Businesses in Dorset could be well placed to benefit from a sharp rise in investment flowing into the South West, according to new figures highlighting growing confidence in the region’s technology and advanced manufacturing sectors.
Research from Beauhurst found equity investment across the South West increased by 66 per cent during the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year, almost double the national rate of growth. The number of investment deals also rose by 11 per cent.
The strongest activity came in sectors including advanced manufacturing, clean technology, defence and life sciences – industries that are becoming an increasingly important part of Dorset’s economy alongside its established strengths in tourism, food production and agriculture.
Ahmed Goga, director of the Great South West Partnership, which represents Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire, said the region already had high-growth companies working in areas identified as priorities by the Government’s Industrial Strategy.
‘Defence, clean energy, food security and advanced manufacturing… are where the Great South West has high-growth companies in abundance,’ he said.
The report also found that four in five investment deals involved businesses at the seed or venture stage, suggesting continued confidence in start-ups and early-stage innovation.
The findings come as a growing number of Dorset businesses have announced significant investment in recent months, particularly in advanced manufacturing, sustainable technologies and specialist engineering, reflecting a wider shift towards higher-value industries across the county.
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