Hewlett Packard Enterprise opens new Bristol site, marking continued growth of R&D presence in the city

October 10, 2024

New site will accommodate over 200 team members driving innovation in the areas of storage, supercomputing, hybrid cloud and cybersecurity

In this article
  • Builds on HPE’s legacy of over 40 years operating in Bristol, training thousands of high-tech workers and contributing to the region’s tech ecosystem
  • The move brings together the HPE storage, hybrid cloud and Hewlett Packard Labs engineering teams with the HPE Cray supercomputing teams at one facility in the city for the first time

Bristol, United Kingdom – October 10, 2024 Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) has officially opened its new Lake View site in Stoke Gifford, marking a new era for HPE in Bristol. The new office will serve as a hub for HPE’s UK research and development (R&D) and engineering teams, accommodating over 200 team members driving innovation in the areas of storage, supercomputing, hybrid cloud and cybersecurity. The new site includes a range of working environments, including labs, collaboration spaces and focus areas that are designed to maximize flexibility and wellness.

“During its long history in Bristol, HPE has developed thousands of highly skilled technology professionals, and the company is proud of its legacy in the city.”

HPE has been contributing to the Bristol technology ecosystem for over four decades and last year celebrated the 40th anniversary of its previous site in Filton. Starting off as an assembly facility for storage drives, the site evolved into a world-leading center for R&D. Hewlett Packard Labs and HPE storage engineers based in Filton are responsible for over 300 technology patents, many of which are now proudly on display at the new Lake View site. During its long history in Bristol, HPE has developed thousands of highly skilled technology professionals, and the company is proud of its legacy in the city.

The move to Lake View will bring together the HPE storage, hybrid cloud and Hewlett Packard Labs engineering teams with the HPE Cray supercomputing teams at one facility in the city for the first time. Cray supercomputing, whose European HQ was located in Bristol city center, was acquired by HPE in 2019. The HPE Cray team in Bristol are pioneers in application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) design and high performance networking for supercomputers. They have contributed to some of the world’s largest supercomputers, including the world’s fastest supercomputer, Frontier, and the University of Bristol’s Isambard-AI supercomputer. The teams have previously operated out of separate sites and the consolidation of the two sites into one promises to supercharge HPE’s R&D efforts in the city as the teams find new ways to collaborate. The office also operates as a sales base for the south west region.

“Now is the perfect time to bring our storage, cloud, Labs and supercomputing R&D teams together under one roof as we accelerate into the AI era,” said Matt Harris, senior vice president and managing director, UK, Ireland, Middle East and Africa at HPE. “I am very proud of HPE’s legacy of over 40 years operating in Bristol, training thousands of high-tech workers and contributing to the region’s tech ecosystem. Bristol has served as the ideal home for our R&D teams and I’m excited to see our teams coming together at Lake View to foster the innovation and growth that is needed to keep the UK at the forefront of research and development.”

HPE continues to invest in training and upskilling those starting out their careers in Bristol, with interns and graduates making up a large part of the team of over 200 employees based at the site. For these team members, hands-on training and support is crucial to their development, and the camaraderie and social aspects of the Lake View site will help shape their career journey.

In recent years, HPE has optimized its office experience to promote flexibility and choice in an era of hybrid working while maintaining a strong culture and connectedness. HPE’s offices, such as the new Bristol site, have been envisioned and transformed into hubs for collaboration and social interaction, with less emphasis on dedicated individual workstations.

The space also features bespoke art from local Bristol-based graffiti artists that reflect the city’s unique heritage. The facility also operates with employee wellness at the forefront, with a fully equipped gym, a squash court and attractive landscaping.

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