Bristol's founders · first Friday of every month

First Friday.

Coffee with founders from across Bristol — 8:30–11am at Boston Tea Party on Whiteladies Road. No pitch, no programme, no membership. Just come.

Next one: Friday 4 September, 8:30am
I'll come — save me a seat ☕or just turn up — really

Free — buy your own coffee, that's the whole business model. The form just means we can say hello properly.

📍 Map to Boston Tea Party🗓 Add to calendar

Bristol Spring is built on a simple idea.

Friendship is the best support a founder can get.

First-timers turn up every month, usually alone, and leave with names and numbers.

Get connected

Come to First Friday, or just stay in the loop. Takes 20 seconds — no account, no password.

Which sounds most like you?

We'll let you know about upcoming Bristol Spring meet-ups, plus one short Pulse email each Monday — the week ahead for Bristol founders: events, grants, funding, and any other news going around our community. Easy to unsubscribe. That's it.

We are a community of founders, makers, creators and start-ups.

Founders at a First Friday coffee morning, Boston Tea Party, Bristol

Founders from across Bristol — a normal First Friday morning.

Dates for your diary

First Friday of the month, 8:30–11am at Boston Tea Party, Whiteladies Road. We skip August and shift the odd date around Bristol's school holidays, so here's the real list. Add them all in one go:

🗓 Subscribe — always up to dateDownload all dates

Subscribe once and new dates appear automatically. Download adds today's list in a single tap.

Can't make Fridays? Take the tools.

Free for the whole city — no membership needed.

Can anyone help?

Spring Help

Bring an ask — we sort them at First Friday and in the room.

1 real ask on Spring HelpFunding you could win

Grants this month

Real grants Bristol founders can win, with live deadlines.

19 open · 1 closing soonRaise investment

The Raise

Angels, SEIS/EIS funds and accelerators backing Bristol founders.

14 routes · SEIS/EIS, angelsWhat's on

The Bristol Pulse

Every Bristol founder event, found and refreshed 6am daily.

6 events this monthSomewhere to work

Affordable Space

Desks, studios and rooms across Bristol, at real prices.

23 spaces, real prices

A bit about Spring

Brad Askew, Bristol Spring

We started this in October 2024 because we are convinced that friendship unlocks 99% of what a founder needs. There are plenty of organisations that do things for founders. Friends are different. Friends are there all the time. They have your back. They share their networks, they collaborate, they care more about how you're doing than how the business is doing. They've lived in the arena, learned the hard way, and want to pass it on — at no cost, just to see amazing things built in this city.

Does it cost anything?

No. Buy your own coffee, that's the whole business model.

Do I need to sign up?

No — the form is only so we can say hello and send you the Monday Pulse if you'd like it. You can walk in cold.

I'm pre-idea. Am I “a founder”?

You're exactly who this is for.

First Friday · Fri 4 Sep, 8:30am
Boston Tea Party, Whiteladies Rd

I'll come