• Swindon & Wiltshire Education, training and skills
• Tuesday July 7 2026

Innovation centre Future Space contributes £56 million to economy

Future Space, the University of the West of England’s innovation centre, has generated more than £136 million in investment and funding and contributed £56m to the UK economy in its first 10 years.

Launched in 2016 under the Government’s University Enterprise Zone programme, the Bristol-based hub has supported 178 businesses, created close to 1,000 skilled jobs and helped bring 588 new products, services and patents to market.

Based at UWE Bristol’s Frenchay campus and operated in partnership with Oxford Innovation Space, the centre was designed to bring together academic research, business support and talent pipelines in a single location. Over the past decade it has built a strong cluster of high-growth firms spanning robotics, AI, biotech, medtech and digital innovation.

Professor Matt Freeman, centre director, said: “Over the last decade, Future Space has become a place where businesses, researchers and student talent stop operating in separate worlds and start innovating together.

“Our impact figures tell a story of hundreds of new products and innovations, almost a thousand jobs, over £136 million of investment secured, and thousands of moments where researchers, students, founders and partners have come together to turn ideas into real-world impact.”

Among the businesses to scale from the site is SAH Diagnostics, which now provides specialist cancer diagnostic services to 34 NHS trusts and hospitals nationwide.

After developing the world’s first mobile urology unit during its time at Future Space, the company has since opened a new diagnostic centre in Bradley Stoke and supported more than 400,000 patients.

Tracey John, director of research and external engagement at UWE Bristol, said: “Future Space demonstrates the vital role universities can play in driving innovation, supporting business growth and creating opportunities for people and communities.

“As we celebrate this milestone, we are also celebrating Bristol’s strength as a city of innovation – one that continues to show how partnerships between universities and businesses can help address some of society’s biggest challenges while creating sustainable economic growth.”

The centre is also feeding talent into the regional economy, with more than 400 UWE students working with resident firms over the past year through placements, projects and internships.

A Government evaluation of the University Enterprise Zone programme ranked Future Space among the UK’s strongest performers, highlighting its levels of collaboration and economic output.

The evaluation found that Future Space outperformed comparator University Enterprise Zones across several key measures, including jobs generated per £1 million invested, value of knowledge exchange projects and annual turnover growth.

Pic: Professor Matt Freeman, Future Space Centre director, and Tracey John, director of research at UWE Bristol