Olympic champions inspire future innovators at Renishaw

Renishaw recently hosted a special event at its Miskin manufacturing facility in South Wales, celebrating the intersection of cutting-edge additive manufacturing (AM) technology and high-performance sports. Team GB cyclists Emma Finucane and Sophie Capewell visited Renishaw to share their experiences, inspiring the next generation of STEM innovators and highlighting Renishaw’s contribution to Great Britain’s Olympic success.

The event began with a tour of Renishaw’s manufacturing site, where visitors had the opportunity to see the advanced AM technologies used to create key components for Great Britain’s Olympic track bikes. They saw first-hand how Renishaw's ‘state of the art’ AM capabilities enable high-performance sporting innovations, aiding the success of athletes like Emma and Sophie.

Overall performance
As part of the day’s events, the Olympic athletes joined Renishaw’s lead AM applications manager, Ben Collins, in a live-streamed Q&A session attended by over 250 participants from Renishaw locations around the world. During the session, the athletes discussed their career journeys and the importance of AM technology in enhancing their overall performance.

A highlight of the day included a session in Renishaw’s STEM Centre with Caroline Spanton, CEO of Beicio Cymru, who teamed up with Emma and Sophie to guide local students from St Brides Primary School, through a creative workshop where they designed their dream bicycles. Engaging the students in hands-on STEM activities, the workshop underscored the importance of innovation in sport and sparked the students’ curiosity. Each student left with a signed postcard from Emma and Sophie, and the school received a signed cycling jersey to commemorate the inspiring event.

Ben Collins said: “Emma and Sophie are incredible ambassadors, both for the sport and for women in high-performance arenas. Their engagement with our employees and the school students was truly inspiring, and reinforces the impact that technology and sport can have together.”

This impactful event reflects Renishaw’s commitment to nurturing young STEM talent. By showcasing the importance of AM in competitive sports and providing students with direct engagement with Olympic athletes, Renishaw continues to foster a culture of inspiration and innovation.