Runway News | Runway Opens London HQ, Bringing World Model Research Hub to the UK and Europe

Runway Opens London HQ, Bringing World Model Research Hub to the UK and Europe

June 1, 2026

by Runway

Today we're announcing London as Runway's new European headquarters and our newest research hub focused on general world models. Over the next 18 months, we plan to invest $100M into the UK AI ecosystem, and that figure will more than double through 2028 as we scale our European operations.

This new HQ will anchor our growing European research and commercial footprint as we continue to advance AI systems that can simulate the world. As part of this expansion, we're partnering with leaders across the UK on the strategic implications of world models and simulation. We believe that governments and businesses around the world should play a role in the most important conversations about frontier AI.

World models are the foundation of a new kind of intelligence. They extend the reach of generative AI far beyond media – into robotics, scientific research, industrial simulation and any domain that depends on understanding and predicting physical environments. The UK, with its concentration of world-class AI research, leading creative industries and a government engaging seriously with the technology, is uniquely positioned to help shape that future.

Europe has consistently been our second fastest-growing market, even without a major commercial presence. We've seen a 50% increase in subscription sales volume in Europe over the past twelve months, with millions of users across the region and over 20% of our enterprise customer base based in Europe. This momentum has been driven by filmmakers, designers and marketers who have deeply integrated Runway into their workflows – and increasingly by enterprises across gaming, robotics and simulation who see world models as foundational to their industries. Expanding further in London brings us closer to many of the customers already shaping what's possible with our tools, including BBC, Fremantle and WPP.

Europe has long been home to a significant part of our research team. Formally establishing our London HQ will meaningfully expand that presence, with new hires focused on advancing general world models alongside our teams in New York and San Francisco. To lead the broader effort, we're hiring a Head of Europe, who will build out a team across research, product, engineering, sales and customer deployment. We're looking for someone who understands both the UK's creative industries and its broader enterprise and research landscape—from media and advertising to gaming, robotics and industrial simulation—and who will lay the groundwork for Runway's continued growth across the continent.

"This is exactly the kind of investment that shows AI isn't just a future technology – it's creating jobs and opportunities in Britain now. Runway is at the cutting edge of AI, and their decision to make London their European home shows exactly why Britain is a global AI powerhouse. Runway's new London hub will bring pioneering research into world models to the UK, helping power breakthroughs across industries from film and gaming to science and robotics. We want the world's most ambitious AI firms to build their future here, and that is exactly what Runway is doing." – Kanishka Narayan, UK AI Minister

"I grew up in Greece, and I've seen firsthand how deeply creative and scientific ambition runs through Europe. World models are the next frontier of AI, and building that future requires the best researchers, the most ambitious creative partners and governments willing to engage seriously with the technology. The UK brings all three together." – Anastasis Germanidis, co-founder and co-CEO at Runway

For information about career opportunities to help build Runway's European presence—across research, engineering, product and go-to-market—see here.

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