Businesses and entrepreneurs in the West of England now have the opportunity to trial, adopt and develop robotics and smart automation solutions, thanks to a new £1 million initiative from the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol).

The SABRE Programme (www.rifbristol.com/sabre), which is based in the Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL), will help small- and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) in any sector to explore the benefits of these technologies and identify the most appropriate robotic equipment for their organisation.

All types of SME — from start-ups and sole traders to more established companies — can access SABRE’s assistance, either by attending free workshops or by applying for free (or subsidised) technical support.

Chris Melhuish, the director of BRL, said: “We are very excited about the opportunities that this new initiative presents for BRL to support a diverse range of innovative businesses.

“It complements our existing business portfolio, including our Hardware Incubator (desk-space and support for early-stage tech businesses) and the West of England Robotics Network (an open-access community that offers networking and events to anyone interested in robotics).”

Located in BRL’s RIFBristol innovation facility, which has a good track record of delivering industrial research and consultancy projects since its formation in 2013, SABRE will use a range of cutting-edge technical equipment and leading engineering expertise.

The SABRE Programme is part-financed through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

It forms part of UWE Bristol’s portfolio of ERDF-funded initiatives, which include the Launch Space graduate start-up incubator, the Health Tech Hub innovation facility, the Scale Up 4 Growth project and the Network for Creative Enterprise.