Fri, 09 October, 2026
TWI is pleased to announce that we have been chosen alongside our partner, Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), as the Robotics Adoption Central Convening Body funded by Innovate UK as part of the Robotics Adoption programme.
The project, called Accelerating UK Robotics Adoption – National Robotics Adoption Hubs Convening Body (AURA), has been created to maximise the impact of robotics adoption across the UK though convening the 8 Robotics Adoption Hubs also funded under the programme. These regional hubs will act as one-stop shops providing expert guidance to help end-users adopt robotics and autonomous systems, bridging the knowledge gap to impact productivity, safety and growth, and deliver public benefit through accelerating the adoption of robotics.
With a focus on adoption rather than fundamental research and lower Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs), the Robotic Adoption Hubs will build on the existing strengths and capabilities within local ecosystems while advising end-users on robotics benefits, costs and integration needs, helping to identify applications, and connecting users with vendors, integrators and finance providers.
TWI and ARU, acting as the Central Convening Body, will ensure the activities of the hubs are coordinated nationally, so they offer a common approach to their activities that sit within a national and international context.
Providing a central point of contact for the hubs, we will help close the knowledge gap that slows down the adoption of robotics across sectors such as manufacturing, infrastructure, construction, health and care, energy generation or distribution, maritime and more.
The accelerated adoption of robotics will improve productivity, safety, competitiveness and sustainability to support better health outcomes and stronger infrastructure as well as contributing to economic growth. As the Central Convening Body, we will also share knowledge across the network of hubs and to the public and end users.
We will provide more information about the project itself as well as TWI and ARU’s role in this exciting new initiative in due course.
About Innovate UK
Innovate UK is the UK’s innovation agency, backing deep tech businesses in the UK’s priority sectors for national benefit, supporting their journey from startup to scaling business to industry leader. They provide the funding, expert support and connections to help breakthrough ideas reach their potential, improve lives and drive economic growth. Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation.