HPE Launches Bristol R&D and Engineering Office

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has recently inaugurated its new office in Bristol, consolidating five different operations under one roof. This new office is set to become a central hub for HPE’s UK research and development (R&D) and engineering teams, boasting a workforce of over 200 employees dedicated to projects in storage, supercomputing, hybrid cloud, and cybersecurity.

The state-of-the-art facility features a variety of working environments, including cutting-edge labs, collaborative spaces, and focus areas meticulously designed to enhance flexibility and promote wellness among the staff. HPE's presence in the Bristol technology ecosystem spans more than four decades, with the company commemorating the 40th anniversary of its former site in Filton last year. Initially serving as an assembly facility for storage drives, the site has since transformed into a world-renowned R&D center.

Notably, engineers at Hewlett Packard Labs and HPE storage engineers based in Bristol have collectively secured over 300 technology patents, underscoring the city's significance as a hotbed of innovation within the company. Matt Harris, senior vice president and managing director for the UK, Ireland, Middle East, and Africa at HPE, expressed his enthusiasm for the new office, emphasizing the long-term commitment to investing in Bristol.

The relocation marks a pivotal moment as it brings together HPE's storage, hybrid cloud, and Hewlett Packard Labs engineering teams with the HPE Cray supercomputing teams under one roof for the first time. Following HPE's acquisition of Cray supercomputing in 2019, the Bristol-based HPE Cray team has emerged as pioneers in application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) design and high-performance networking for supercomputers.

With a track record of contributing to some of the world's most powerful supercomputers, including the record-breaking Frontier and the University of Bristol's Isambard-AI supercomputer, the HPE Cray team in Bristol plays a crucial role in advancing AI capabilities. Harris highlighted the importance of sustainable AI development, emphasizing the collaboration with partners like Nvidia to build private cloud solutions tailored for system integrators and vertical applications.