Malta Enterprise has announced that Smart Materials, a deep-tech startup headquartered in Malta, has successfully launched Huggah, a premium mattress built on patented foam technology developed entirely in Malta.
The company completed its first customer deliveries in December 2025.
This achievement represents a significant moment for Malta’s innovation ecosystem, marking an important milestone where advanced materials science developed locally has transitioned from laboratory research to a commercial consumer product.
Smart Materials’ proprietary metamaterial polyurethane foam platform featuring an auxetic effect, introduces a new approach to adaptive comfort. The technology is designed to provide a closer fit, consistent support and improved pressure distribution across different body types.
With the technology now moving beyond research and development into real homes, early customers who received their mattresses during the Christmas period have reported improvements in sleep quality, reduced pressure discomfort and more refreshed mornings.
“This is a proud moment for Maltese innovation,” said Dr Keith M. Azzopardi, CEO and Co-Founder of Smart Materials. “We built Zetic® in Malta through years of deep-tech materials R&D, in collaboration with the University of Malta and with the support of Malta Enterprise and investors who believe world-class breakthroughs can come from our island.
“Seeing the first customers receive Huggah during the Christmas period and hearing how it’s already changing their nights has been incredibly motivating. We’re inviting the people of Malta and Gozo to be among the first to experience a new era of sleep technology. Our vision is to improve the sleep and daily recovery of one million people by 2030.”
Malta as a test-bed for world-class deep tech
Smart Materials developed Zetic® in collaboration with the University of Malta and has secured international patent protection, with patents granted in the United States, Canada, Japan, and China, while European Union protection remains pending.
Smart Materials’ journey highlights Malta’s potential as a location for innovation and market entry. Malta Enterprise supported the development and early commercialisation of the company, helping bring locally developed intellectual property closer to global markets.
George Gregory, Chief Executive Officer of Malta Enterprise, said: “Malta has the talent, agility, and support mechanisms to help ambitious innovators move from research to commercialisation to creating real-word impact. We support companies like Smart Materials because they demonstrate how Malta can serve as a testbed for global innovation – building intellectual property locally, developing high-value capabilities, and proving technologies here, that can go on to disrupt markets worldwide.”
Smart Materials’ journey from research to market with the launch of Huggah, stands as a testament to Malta Enterprise’s ongoing efforts to support innovative start-ups and facilitate the commercialisation of advanced technologies developed locally.
By supporting companies that build intellectual property in Malta and translate research into tangible products, Malta Enterprise continues to strengthen the country’s position as a hub for high-value innovation, fostering an environment where ambitious ideas can evolve into globally recognised solutions.
About Malta Enterprise
Malta Enterprise is the national economic development agency responsible for driving investment, business growth, and innovation in Malta. It supports local and international companies by offering incentives and tailored assistance to help them establish, expand, and thrive in Malta’s dynamic business environment while accessing international markets. Through its initiatives Malta Enterprise attracts foreign investment, fosters entrepreneurship and promotes research and development, strengthening Malta’s position as a competitive and strategic business hub across multiple industries.
About Smart Materials
Smart Materials is a Malta-based deep-tech company developing advanced polyurethane foam technologies. Its proprietary platform, Zetic®, is a metamaterial polyurethane foam platform with an auxetic effect, enabled by a breakthrough production method developed in Malta in collaboration with the University of Malta. Smart Materials holds patents granted in the United States, Canada, Japan, and China, with European Union protection pending. The company’s vision is to improve the sleep and daily recovery of 1,000,000 people by 2030.
About Huggah
Huggah is a premium mattress brand powered by Zetic® foam – engineered to adapt across body types while maintaining consistent support. Designed around the idea of “the mattress that hugs you back,” Huggah brings advanced materials innovation into a product that can be experienced locally in Malta. More info at www.huggahsleep.com.
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