Patent and trademark firm Hindles has expanded its UK footprint with the opening of a new Bristol office, marking a strategic push into the South West of England. The firm, which already operates out of Edinburgh and Liverpool, says the region presents significant opportunities driven by a flourishing deep-tech and innovation ecosystem.
The Bristol office is led by Chris Cottingham, a director at Hindles and a qualified UK and European patent attorney. He describes Bristol as sitting at the heart of the UK’s most active deep-tech hub outside the so-called Golden Triangle of Cambridge, Oxford, and London.
“Bristol and the wider South West region are an absolute powerhouse of innovation, fuelled by world-class universities and R&D, startups, and globally renowned companies across a series of strategically important sectors,” Cottingham said. “When you look at the city’s fast-growing credentials in AI, we see significant opportunities to support some of the most exciting players here.”
Cottingham pointed to a measurable uptick in local IP activity as evidence of the region’s momentum. The number of international patent applications from Bristol-based organizations has doubled over the past decade — a rate of growth that far outpaces the UK national average of around 5% over the same period. He attributes much of this to new spinout companies, early-stage startups, and emerging innovation infrastructure such as the recently launched OMX deep-tech lab.
Founded in 2004, Hindles advises a broad range of organizations — from startups and university spinouts to listed companies and multinationals — on building and protecting their intellectual property. The firm’s South West client base already includes Par-Pak Europe and Holfeld Plastics, which recently separated from US parent company Novolex, as well as Cornwall-based Topan Group.
Beyond the UK, Hindles maintains relationships with associates in Europe, North America, Asia, and the Middle East.
Alistair Hindle, the firm’s founding director, said the Bristol launch reflects the firm’s broader ambition to be present wherever innovation is happening. “We are already advising firms in Bristol and the surrounding region, and it’s great to have Chris in place to guide our next phase of growth across the South West,” he said.