PraxisAuril announced the winners of the KE Awards 2022. Finalists joined invited guests, sponsors and supporters to celebrate the achievements of KE professionals from across the UK at an evening ceremony held at The Monastery, Manchester on 29th November. Huge congratulations to all our winners!
From left to right: Veemal Bhowruth, University of Birmingham Enterprise; Joseph Flanagan, University of Salford; Maggie Reid, Edinburgh Napier University;
Gosia Ciesielska, Northumbria University; Emma Nolan on behalf of Kate Black, University of Liverpool;
Mairi Gibbs, Oxford University Innovation on behalf of Jim Wilkinson, Oxford Science Enterprises
The awards ceremony was hosted by PraxisAuril Chair, Iain Thomas (Cambridge Enterprise); PrA interim Managing Director, Tamsin Mann; PrA Founder & Patron, David Secher and UKRI’s Director of Commercialisation, Tony Soteriou. A judging panel made-up of sector stakeholders evaluated over 80 entries to arrive at a final shortlist of 16 across six categories. First time judge, Anne Lane of UCL business commented:
It was a very positive experience and I was impressed by the approach of the judging panel as well as the candidates. The fairness and thoroughness of the group in ensuring that all candidates had an in-depth discussion helps to build the reputation and demonstrates the impact of the KE sector.
The KE Awards are a key date in PraxisAuril’s KE calendar and this year forms a high point of our 20th anniversary celebrations. Telling the stories of KE innovation and impact is crucially important for the sector and so our award categories have been designed to recognise current KE themes, engage new audiences and raise the profile of KE to broad range of stakeholders. We hope you will join us all in celebrating success and sharing these examples of outstanding practice.
Indro Mukerjee, CEO Innovate UK said:
“I warmly congratulate all the shortlisted and award winners. Commercialisation and knowledge exchange are two important areas for UKRI, as part of our commitment to increasing growth and productivity.
These awards help showcase the breadth of achievements and the valued contributions that knowledge exchange and commercialisation make to the economy and the delivering of social impact.”
You can see more images from the ceremony here.
Categories and winners
Place-based KE Initiative of the Year presented by Tony Soteriou, UKRI
This award recognises the success of a place-based KE initiative which demonstrates the value and impact that collaborative KE activity can have on a local ecosystem.
Winner:
Edinburgh Napier University
KE in Vietnam and Beyond, Improving health outcomes for neonates
Commercial Deal of the Year presented by Alison Campbell, Government Office for Technology Transfer
This award recognises a KE team (or KE professional) for delivery of outstanding impact through a particular deal (licensing, spinout, royalty etc.).
Winner:
University of Birmingham Enterprise
University of Birmingham / Innova Medical Group, Rapid testing platform technology
Net Zero Project of the Year presented by Fariba Soetan, NCUB
The UK has committed to an ambitious Net Zero target by 2050. This Award recognises collaborative KE projects that contribute to tackling climate change challenges taking us towards a better and more sustainable future.
Winner:
University of Salford
Energy House 2.0
KE Strategic Partnership presented by Simon Bond, University of Bristol (SETsquared partnership)
This award recognises the success of an external partnership which demonstrates the value of collaboration.
Winner:
Northumbria University & Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
Principles and Practice of Restorative Just Culture
Academic Entrepreneur presented by Anne Lane, TenU (UCL Business)
Academic entrepreneurship provides a conduit for enterprising researchers to bring their discoveries to market. This award recognises those outstanding individuals who have worked with their KE office to translate their research to solve real world problems.
Winner:
University of Liverpool
Professor Kate Black, University of Liverpool
Investor Practitioner presented by Anne Lane, TenU (UCL Business)
This award recognises individuals who have made outstanding contributions to KE through their investment activities.
Winner:
Jim Wilkinson
Oxford Science Enterprises (OSE)
We are thrilled that the PraxisAuril KE Awards were once again supported by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) in partnership with the Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT), the TenU, the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB) and SETsquared.
Huge thanks to our expert panel:
- David Secher, PraxisAuril Founder & Patron (Panel Chair)
- Alex Chaix, Deputy Director Commercialisation, UKRI
- Anne Lane, CEO, UCL Business & TenU President
- Dave Bembo, PraxisAuril Ambassador, University of Cardiff
- Fariba Soetan, Policy Lead Research & Innovations, NCUB
- Gurmit Kler, Director of Business Engagement, Univeristy of Birmingham
- Simon Bond, University of Bristol (formerly CEO, SETsquared)
From left to right: Alex Chaix, UKRI; Fariba Soetan, NCUB; Gurmit Kler, University of Birmingham; Veemal Bhowruth, University of Birmingham Enterprise;
Joseph Flanagan, Univeristy of Salford; Maggie Reid, Edinburgh Napier University; Gosia Ciesielska, Northumbria University;
Emma Nolan on behalf of Kate Black, University of Liverpool; Mairi Gibbs, Oxford University Innovation on behalf of Jim Wilkinson, Oxford Science Enterprises;
Anne Lane, UCL Business; David Secher, PraxisAuril Founder