Maltese Startup Brings Patented Sleep Science To Market

A Malta-based deep-tech startup has turned years of advanced materials research into a consumer product now arriving in homes across the country. Smart Materials has launched Huggah, a premium mattress built on a patented auxetic foam technology developed in collaboration with the University of Malta.  The company completed its first customer deliveries in December 2025, with early adopters receiving their mattresses over the Christmas period.

The product is powered by the company’s proprietary Zetic foam technology. Unlike conventional foam, auxetic materials are engineered to expand under compression, creating a closer fit, more consistent support, and improved pressure distribution across different body types. Smart Materials has secured international patent protection for the technology, with patents granted across the United States, Canada, Japan, and China, and European Union protection currently pending. It is a remarkable portfolio for a startup, and a signal that the innovation emerging from Malta's research institutions is capable of competing on the world stage.

The launch was supported by Malta Enterprise, the national economic development agency, which backed the project from research through to early commercialisation. CEO George Gregory highlighted the broader significance: "Malta has the talent, agility, and support mechanisms to help ambitious innovators move from research to commercialisation to creating real-world impact."

Dr Keith Azzopardi, CEO and Co-Founder of Smart Materials, said the first deliveries had been incredibly motivating, with customers already reporting reduced pressure discomfort and more refreshed mornings. The company's ambition is clear: to improve the sleep and daily recovery of one million people by 2030.