Dyson unveils plans for £100m technology research hub in Bristol

Published by

Nicky Godding

Engineering and innovation company Dyson plans to open a £100 million research and development centre in the heart of Bristol.

The hub will be home to hundreds of software and AI engineers working on a pipeline of products that stetches ten years into the future. The new site will be located opposite Castle Park and is close to the home of the celebrated British engineer, Sir James Dyson, and to his existing UK R&D hubs at Malmesbury and Hullavington.

Sir JamesDyson said “Software, connectivity, AI and proprietary new technology batteries will power the next generation of Dyson technology. Just like our long-term investments in pioneering digital electric motor technology, Dyson’s next generation battery technology will drive a major revolution in the performance and sustainability of Dyson’s machines.”

Jake Dyson, Dyson’s Chief Engineer and Sir James's son, said: “The new Dyson Technology Centre in Bristol will be a vital hub contributing to Dyson’s connected future.

“We have significant ambitions and will hire increasing numbers of software, AI and connectivity engineers as part of a growing global team.”

The new centre represents a further major investment by Dyson in the UK after a Robotics Centre was announced last year at its Hullavington Airfield Campus in Wiltshire where Dyson has restored RAF hangars and transformed them into R&D labs focused on wearables and robotics. The commitment to Bristol reflects the city’s position as an international hub for software and digital skills and will drive recruitment from the UK and around the world.

The news comes as part of a huge acceleration of its international advanced manufacturing capabilities and global R&D footprint. The three major investments reflect the scale of Dyson goals internationally, drawing on the very best engineering talent the world has to offer.

Sir James Dyson said: “Software, connectivity, AI, and proprietary new technology batteries will power the next generation of Dyson technology. Just like our long-term investments in pioneering digital electric motor technology, Dyson’s next generation battery technology will drive a major revolution in the performance and sustainability of Dyson’s machines.”

New hubs will also be opening in Singapore and The Philippines; all three developments contribute to Dyson’s ongoing £2.75 billion five-year investment plan.

The focus at the Bristol hub will be on sensors, apps and connectivity. “They transform how we support our owners and assess autonomously how to improve a product’s performance over its lifetime to ensure they are at peak performance, without requiring the time of our customers.”

Ben Shorrock, Managing Director at Techspark in Bristol, said: “Bristol continues to be a leading place for tech businesses and people.

“Its unique mix of historic industries from the creative, showcased in organisations like Aardman Animations and the BBC, to engineering through businesses like Hewlett-Packard and Airbus, means we’re a melting pot of the skills needed in developing cutting-edge tech.”

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.