Our Future Space centre in Bristol was honoured with a royal visitor on Thursday 22 January 2026. HRH The Prince of Wales visited the centre, which we manage on behalf of the University of the West of England (UWE) Bristol, to see first-hand the pioneering technologies being developed by resident businesses.
The visit formed part of a wider collaboration with our partners at UWE Bristol and the University of Bristol, bringing national attention to Bristol’s growing strengths in robotics, health tech and assistive technology. Much of the day’s filming took place inside Future Space’s specialist labs and workspaces, which provided the backdrop for conversations about how robotics and emerging technologies are improving lives.
Two Future Space resident companies took centre stage during the visit, demonstrating how innovation developed in Bristol is addressing health and societal challenges.
Supersmith, founded by Tom and Emily Morgan, showcased their self-stabilising 3Scooter, an assistive mobility device designed to increase independence for people living with MS and other disabilities. Prince William even tested the scooter himself, experiencing first-hand how user-centred engineering can redefine mobility support.
Health-tech innovators Milbotix also presented their work on AI-enabled wearables. Their pioneering SmartSocks® help detect early signs of distress in people with neurological conditions such as dementia, highlighting how thoughtful design can support better care and improve quality of life.
Reflecting on the visit, Matt Freeman, Centre Director at Future Space, said:
“Hosting a royal visit is a real testament to the quality of work happening at Future Space. We’re proud to support companies like Supersmith and Milbotix as they develop technologies with genuine social impact, right here in Bristol.”
This moment underscores the core purpose of Future Space: to give ambitious founders the space, support, connections and opportunities they need to turn complex ideas into groundbreaking technologies.
Located within the UWE Bristol’s University Enterprise Zone (UEZ) and operated by Oxford Innovation Space, Future Space brings together academia, businesses, private and public-sector partners to nurture high-tech startups and scaleups specialising in advanced engineering, health and life sciences, green tech, and digital technologies.
Since launching in 2016, Future Space has supported over 175 businesses, catalysed over 550 new products, created nearly 600 jobs, and generated £37.6 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) for the local economy. These achievements are the result of a collaborative model that integrates state-of-the-art workspace and labs, university-partnered R&D, one-to-one business support, and next-generation talent, under one roof.
Future Space has earned five regional awards and recognition as one of the most integrated and impactful UEZs in the government’s final impact evaluation of UEZs.
Watch a video of the royal visit by clicking here.
For more information on Future Space, visit www.futurespacebristol.co.uk
.jpg)