New £9.8 million robotics hub to benefit South West businesses

Businesses across the South West will gain access to robotics expertise, demonstrations and adoption support thanks to a new £9.8 million hub to be led by the Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL).

The Greater South West Robotics Adoption Hub (GSWRAH) consortium of 23 partners from industry, academia, and local government, will help organisations across the region realise the productivity, resilience, and growth benefits of robotics and automation.

It’s been funded by £7.2 million from Innovate UK as part of the Robotics Adoption programme, delivered by Innovate UK and part of the UKRI IS8 Advanced Manufacturing Programme, and £2.6 million from the project’s partners.

The BRL, the most comprehensive academic centre for multi-disciplinary robotics research in the UK, is leading the project with a partnership between University of Bristol and the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), in collaboration with NCC.

The Hub will provide an ecosystem of suppliers, adopters, and service providers with a single point of access to expertise, advice, technology, and support. NCC will lead a dedicated business advisory service, helping companies explore robotics and automation opportunities, build investment cases, and access the support needed to improve productivity and competitiveness.

From supporting maritime infrastructure in Devon to maintaining energy assets around the Solent, from helping food and drink producers in Cornwall and Gloucestershire to enabling precision manufacture of aerospace components in Somerset and supporting healthcare providers in Bristol, the Hub will showcase how robotics can solve real-world challenges across a range of industries.

The Robotics Adoption Hubs programme will establish up to eight hubs bringing together businesses, universities and industry partners to support greater adoption of robotics and automation technologies.

Professor Lars Kunze, Professor in Safety for Robotics and Autonomous Systems at UWE Bristol and Co-Director of the BRL, said: “This represents a major opportunity for businesses across our region to harness the benefits of robotics and automation. At the BRL we have a long track record of working with industry to turn pioneering research into real-world impact. The hub will help businesses innovate with confidence, increase productivity and strengthen the region’s position as a leader in advanced technologies."

Professor Arthur Richards, Professor of Robotics at the University of Bristol and project lead, said: “We’re very excited to launch this initiative across the greater southwest region, from Gloucestershire to the Solent and the Scillies. Robotics can help businesses of all sizes and types across our region become even more productive. Our Robotics Adoption Hub will offer a common ‘front door’ to the potential of robotics, covering topics from the design and procurement of robots to their safety and cybersecurity.”

Katy Riddington, Managing Director of Supporting Growth at NCC, said: “The potential of robotics and automation is significant, but knowing where it can deliver the greatest value and making the case for investment can be a barrier for businesses. With the right support, robotics can help businesses improve productivity, address skills and capacity challenges, build greater resilience and create more opportunity for sustainable growth. NCC is pleased to be part of this collaboration, helping more businesses across the South West turn that potential into practical business benefit.”

The Hub, built on the principle that successful robotics implementation requires both technological and human-centred approaches, will deliver three interconnected strands of activity:

• An advisory service, providing one-to-one support to businesses exploring robotics adoption, helping them identify opportunities, develop implementation plans, and access finance.
• A showcase programme, enabling organisations to see robotics in action through industrial site visits, demonstration facilities, and proof-of-concept activities.
• An ecosystem programme, bringing together adopters, technology suppliers and specialist support organisations through events, networking, and knowledge-sharing activities.

The consortium includes partners from across industry, academia, and local government, including the University of Bath, the University of the West of England, Oxford Innovation, GKN, Somerset Council, The Brunel Centre, the Centre for Modelling & Simulation (CFMS), and Burges Salmon.

In total, 15 businesses are participating in the consortium, reflecting strong industry demand for support in adopting robotics technologies and translating innovation into practical business benefits.

The programme will help organisations improve productivity, respond to workforce challenges, and increase competitiveness while strengthening the South West's position as a leading UK region for robotics and automation.

The Greater South West Robotics Adoption Hub is expected to be fully operational by January 2027 with any businesses across the region being able to access events, advice, and showcases.