Tilly Lockey, also known as the Bionic Girl, is a motivational speaker and TV personality. At 15 months old, Tilly lost her hands due to meningitis. She has been working with prosthetic companies trying to make bionic arms the best they can possibly be. She is now a global ambassador for Open Bionics and spreads awareness on her social media channels by refusing to hide her difference.
At 15 months old, Tilly contracted meningococcal septicaemia, which led to the amputation of both her forearms and toes. She was fitted with simple NHS prosthetics, which offered minimal functionality. At the age of 8, Tilly was selected by Open Bionics to trial its Hero Arm and became one of the first children in the UK to receive a medically approved 3D-printed bionic hands. She adapted quickly and began sharing makeup tutorials online and was able to begin building her public profile. She has since gained opportunities to model, become a makeup artist and present as a spokesperson for Meningitis Now. Tilly has used her profile to spread awareness, and by the age of 13 she had become an ambassador for Open Bionics where she actively co-designs new prosthetic features. Throughout her career, she has been able to shift perceptions by treating her prosthetics as a stylish accessory rather than medical equipment.
Tilly currently continues to collaborate closely with Open Bionics, and regularly features as a power user and advocate, appearing on programs like Good Morning Britain. Tilly is active on Instagram and TikTok with over 440K followers on TikTok. On her social media platforms, she combines fashion, performance, and advocacy to craft a public persona focused on confidence and change.
As a speaker, Tilly has travelled internationally for panels, including speaking with the Dalai Lama and has participated in Singularity University events, advocating for compassionate tech and inclusive innovation. Tilly received the Concord Award for Social Impact in recognition of her inspirational advocacy work on inclusion and technology. Tilly is truly an inspiration and is now available to share her insights as a speaker at your next event. If you are interested in hiring Tilly as a speaker, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
- 2025 – Debuted Hero PRO bionic arm on national TV
- 2025 – Keynote speaker at AI Everything Global Summit
- 2024 – Hosted Tuesday Hometime show on Spark Radio
- 2023 – Became a regular speaker at global tech and inclusion events
- 2021 – Won Got What It Takes?
- 2019 – Received Concord Award for Social Impact in New York
- 2019 – Featured at Alita: Battle Angel premiere with custom bionic arms
- 2018 – Appeared on ITV’s This Time Next Year
- 2016 – Became the first UK child to trial Open Bionics Hero Arm
- 2007 – Survived meningococcal septicemia; both forearms amputated
How to hire Tilly Lockey
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Tilly Lockey for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
