Finalists 2024
The KE Awards 2024 provide recognition nationally, and beyond, for the exceptional work that is taking place across the sector. Winning, or being a finalist for an award, can enhance your reputation and that of your team and your institution.
Place-based KE initiative of the Year
Northern Accelerator is a strong collaboration between the universities of Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland, Teesside and York. Supporting technology transfer, it helps founding academics create R&D intensive, high potential spinouts in the North East and North Yorkshire, realising social and environmental impact from research, and helping create more and better jobs.
To date we’ve launched 50 businesses, many based in regional innovation hubs like Newcastle Helix and Durham’s NETPark. Northern Accelerator has established a programme that puts the North East and North Yorkshire on the map as a thriving innovation spinout ecosystem, outside of the golden triangle.
Northern Accelerator facilitates sharing of good practice across our network of knowledge exchange professionals. The partnership includes research intensive universities with strong spinout track records and institutions with limited technology transfer experience. All partners have produced at least one spinout with Northern Accelerator support. Our approach is highly collaborative, informing not only the support programme but also helping shape commercialisation policy and practice e.g. in response to the HM Treasury Spinout review.
The Knowledge Exchange (TKE) initiative at Leeds Beckett University (LBU) has, in just under 2 years, delivered phenomenal impact and activity helping to drive LBU’s Knowledge Exchange performance and reputation evidenced by the new KEF4 metrics and its wide reach impact to date. The initiative embodies LBU’s key strategic priorities and thematic expertise in delivering its strategic themes in three major areas of expertise: Inclusive Prosperous Communities, Greener Sustainable Communities and Sport and Healthy Communities.
This initiative has provided much need impetus and a physical home for engagement between the university and external stakeholders and policy makers, utilising Knowledge Exchange as a genuine two-way process. This initiative has attracted external funding and sponsorship for many of its programmes for regional and local stakeholders.
TKE has facilitated informed debate and co-creation of effective policy making and roll out of the business support ecosystem and interventions. In under 2 years, over 100 events have been delivered with over 4,000 attendees, supporting over 2000 business via a wide range of programmes, mentoring and events.
TKE has supported LBU to deliver on its commitment to place via leading the city and wider region as an Anchor Institution, evidencing its wide-reach social and economic impact.
Make your Place (MYP) is an inclusive enterprise challenge that encourages sustainable, place based, innovation in schools, colleges, and organisations across Hampshire. This collaboration between the University of Southampton, local government, and regional partners encourages young people to think creatively about how they can ‘make their place a better place’.
During the challenge participants can envision the future of their place. They brainstorm ideas for products, services, and initiatives that support local sustainability and the economy, then bring these concepts to life by building them in LEGO. Their creations are placed on large floor maps, allowing them to explore future possibilities for work, careers, sectors, and businesses. This interactive challenge encourages creative thinking and offers a hands-on way to engage with the future of their community.
Sustainability Collaboration of the Year
Cranfield and GFIL began collaborating in 2022 through their shared passion for addressing the climate emergency and environmental degradation. A three-stage initiative was co-designed to support technology innovators along the entire commercialisation pathway. The GFIL-Future Frontiers Fund is open to entrepreneurs with early-stage, game-changing ideas. A £10,000 grant, plus mentoring, supports progress towards 'proof of concept' (PoC).
The GFIL-Technology Accelerator Fund provides £50,000 to take ideas from PoC to prototyping/demonstration through access to Cranfield's academic expertise and pilot-scale test facilities. The GFIL-Cranfield Seed Fund makes investments in early-stage cleantech businesses, typically via £25,000 convertible loans. The programme takes a portfolio approach across multiple sectors (including agriculture, energy, logistics, manufacturing and materials, packaging, transport, textiles, water, and resource recovery), and supports both highly futuristic and better-known technologies, with applicants expected to demonstrate the novelty of their idea/technology and the potential for environmental impact. Cranfield’s vision is to be valued globally for tackling the urgent challenges of today and delivering a sustainable future.
GFIL is a philanthropic organisation that aim to generate a positive impact on global climate and reducing environmental decline through innovation and local action. After 3 years, we will have provided £2.1m to advance ~90 sustainable technologies.
By 2050, around 5000 wind turbines will be decommissioned in Scotland alone, generating up to 1.5M tonnes of obsolete components. 80% of the materials are recyclable; however, recycling is an energy intensive and high-cost process that increases the carbon footprint of these materials.
This joint venture on Circular Wind Turbine Decommissioning applies circular economy principles within the decommissioning process, promoting the refurbishment and remanufacturing of components that still have a high-retention value within the wind energy sector, instead of being recycled and returned to raw materials or, worse still, landfill. The partnership developed sustainable business models and embedded knowledge, tools and technical solutions to address the business opportunity presented by the upcoming decommissioning of wind farms in the UK and beyond. The partnership will continue to build and grow strategic business knowledge around the market value of decommissioned assets as well as technical skills required for the work force of the future.
The spare components will be available for existing assets to further decarbonise the industry, as the carbon typically embodied in remanufactured parts can be less than 20% of a new equivalent. This will also help mitigate supply chain risks such as obsolescence or long lead times.
Fashion Values is a sustainability education programme developed by Centre for Sustainable Fashion (CSF), a University of the Arts London (UAL) research centre based at the London College of Fashion (LCF), sponsored by Kering and in collaboration with Global Fashion Agenda, Eyes on Talents, IBM and Vogue Business.
Fashion Values aims to widen participation in sustainable fashion by developing accessible and transformative open-source educational materials, events and competitions. Through its open-access online courses, industry webinars, and inspirational articles, the programme has enrolled over 10,000 learners across 150 countries to date.
Fashion Values raises awareness of fashion’s relationship with nature, society, culture and economy. The programme empowers an international community of changemakers to upskill in sustainable fashion, with 96% of learners gaining new knowledge or skills. Every year, the Fashion Values Challenge platforms solutions developed by emerging designers, strategists and communicators from across the globe. The programme also features the Next Gen Assembly, which elevates young changemakers through mentoring, networking and speaking opportunities, including a fully-funded trip to the Global Fashion Summit. Through this range of activities, Fashion Values amplifies the voices of changemakers and builds a lifelong community of learners united by a shared ambition to transform fashion’s future.
Outstanding KE Strategic Partnership
The BBC Concert Orchestra has been resident in Nottingham since September 2023 following a successful application by the Universities for Nottingham partnership (a civic agreement between the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University) to host the Concert Orchestra for three years.
In its first year, the partnership programme has provided student employability and education opportunities through workshops, performances, and talks, and it has provided collaborative research opportunities for both universities. Additionally, economic and societal benefits are evident. The first ever Nottingham Prom was held in September 2024 as a result of this partnership, yielding economic benefits for the heritage and hospitality sectors.
Meanwhile, creative programming of concerts attracted large and diverse audiences, enabling venues to welcome new and different demographics into concert audiences and venues. This partnership has galvanised the music and creative industries and organisations in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, enabling new partnerships and collaborations. Excitingly, it has resulted in the establishment of a Nottinghamshire Music Steering Group, bringing together professional players, orchestras, venues, music education providers, healthcare providers and trusts, and universities to work together on a Nottinghamshire Music Strategy to further enhance the music ecology and opportunities for Nottinghamshire citizens, students, researchers, and venues.
Art at the Start is a groundbreaking strategic partnership between the University of Dundee and Dundee Contemporary Arts, enhancing early intervention services for parents and infants through community-based art therapy. Developed and validated through extensive research, this innovative model addresses attachment difficulties and supports mental health outcomes for young families.
The initiative has successfully implemented art therapy services across Scotland and England, including in NHS settings and community organisations, with notable expansions into new regions and services. Partners have played a crucial role by providing practical implementation environments, training professionals, and integrating feedback to refine the model. Recognised in leading health frameworks and best practice guides, the initiative has demonstrated significant societal impact by improving early mental health support and fostering cohesive community health strategies. With ongoing adaptations and expansions, Art at the Start continues to deliver substantial benefits, establishing itself as a leader in creative health interventions and offering a sustainable solution to support vulnerable families across the UK.
The University of Hull-Guardian Partnership is focused on research and engagement on the topic of legacies of slavery in the UK, Jamaica, Sea Islands and Brazil. This partnership was developed from a 2020 project commissioned by the Guardian on the heels of the Black Lives Matter movement to uncover the newspaper’s links with historical slavery.
Three research phases and three resultant reports were conducted and written by lead researcher, Dr Cassandra Gooptar, from 2020 to 2022, with Dr Sheryllynne Haggerty and Professor Trevor Burnard both contributing their expertise as Principal Investigators. The research formed the basis for a public apology by the Guardian in 2023 and laid the foundation for the 10-year, £10m restorative justice fund committed by the Guardian to support community projects and programmes in Jamaica, Brazil, the Sea Islands and Manchester descendant communities.
The research was also the grounding for the award-winning Cotton Capital series and a robust restorative justice programme that has thus far seen, amongst other initiatives, the Guardian recruit seven correspondents across those regions and soon the launch of a new editorial format focusing on the Black diaspora. Priorities for the Hull-Guardian Partnership Project over the next two years will include: Research, Restorative Justice, Raising Consciousness, Building & Strengthening Partnerships and Engagement with Descendant Communities.
Commercialisation Achievement of the Year
After over a decade of research and development a new malaria vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII), has begun to be rolled-out in a number of countries, starting with Cote d’Ivoire. Called R21/Matrix-M the vaccine roll out is a significant milestone in the fight against malaria, a leading cause of death among children in Africa.
The R21 / Matrix-M vaccine has demonstrated high levels of efficacy and safety in clinical trials, including among children who received a booster dose at one year following a primary three-dose regimen. The vaccine is approved for use in children aged five to 36 months, the age group at highest risk of death from malaria. The low-dose vaccine can be manufactured at mass scale and modest cost, making it accessible to African countries with the highest burden of malaria.
Oxford University Innovation (OUI) have worked closely with academic partners since 2011, to protect and patent the underlying IP and work with funders and partners to develop and execute a development and commercialisation plan to support the impact of this vaccine in an area of enormous medical, social and economic need.
Dragonfly AI is an advanced AI technology that predicts human attention. The underlying biologically inspired algorithm was developed by late Professor Peter McOwan and Dr Hamit Soyel at Queen Mary University of London. In 2018 the technology was commercialised as Queen Mary spin-out Dragonfly AI and is now market leading in the field of predictive visual analytics.
Dragonfly AI offers tools with application in both marketing and advertising, in retail and online. Customers use the AI platform to efficiently test and optimise creative content before it reaches consumer. With over 50 global brands including GSK, Coca Cola, and Barilla, Dragonfly AI is rapidly growing. They have sold over 80 licenses; the team has expanded to 34 and they recently secured $6m in Series-A funding. Dragonfly was named one of the top 100 most disruptive technologies in advertising in 2021 and won the “Growing Business of the Year” award in 2023. Dr Hamit Soyel, his team and Queen Mary’s Associate Commercialisation Director Dr Adam Daykin played a crucial role in bringing this groundbreaking technology to market resulting in a significant economic impact that resonates across industries.
Phlux is a spin-out from the University of Sheffield (TUOS) to commercialise a new class of infrared sensors with unprecedented levels of speed and sensitivity. The co-founders are Chee Hing Tan, Jo Shien Ng and Benjamin White (now CEO). Building on 10 years of research, TUOS and Phlux developed a unique game-changing technology using AlGaAsSb avalanche photodiodes, that will enable high-speed internet, advanced automotive navigation, remote detection of greenhouse gases and infrastructure health monitoring.
In light detection and range (LIDAR) applications, Phlux sensors increase the operating range of instruments and systems by up to 50%, enable systems to operate in a wider range of environments, and reduce systems costs and size by 40% and 30% respectively. The sensors enable up to 12X greater image resolution for a given transmitter power in LIDAR. In automotive LIDAR, Phlux sensors make vehicles much safer by enabling higher-resolution images to be created over longer distances, enabling safety systems to be more effective.
Phlux aims to a global leader in infrared sensors and a leading force within the local economic growth for Sheffield city. Phlux employs 18 people and is the first TUOS spinout to open an office in the ‘Sheffield City Innovation Spine'.
Transformative Social Venture of the Year
Giving Hope is designed to support women who are separated from their baby close to birth due to safeguarding concerns. Co-produced with women with lived experience, the project centres around the provision of pairs of boxes containing items that keep connection between mother and baby and help mothers cope with the trauma of separation. Since 2022, the initiative has delivered transformative impact through over 900 boxes delivered to women and their babies in over 33 NHS hospitals, Trusts, and centres of maternal and infant care, and will launch as a Community Interest Company spinout in Autumn 2024.
The academic leading the project has been greatly enabled on her journey from pilot project to soon-to-be commercial venture via Charlotte Stuart, Partnership Development Manager at Lancaster University. Charlotte developed an excellent working relationship with the academic, supporting her and liaising with the Research Commercialisation Team to adjust processes and navigate the specifics of social enterprise spinout. She unlocked internal and external resources and worked with Claire on a successful application to the UKRI SHAPE Accelerator. Charlotte has also supported business modelling ahead of company registration, securing interest from a social investor and coordinating external professional services towards company incorporation.
The Circular Agriculture Hub (CAH) is a groundbreaking social enterprise that's set to revolutionise the UK food system. Born from the collaborative research of experts at the Universities of Bristol and Nottingham, CAH addresses a critical paradox: while 4.7 million UK families face food poverty, 2 million tonnes of food never make it past the farm gate.
CAH's innovative digital solution will act as a 'matchmaker', connecting farmers with surplus produce to a network of alternative consumers, including local markets, social supermarkets, and food banks. But it's more than just a marketplace – CAH offers expert consultancy, a comprehensive database, and a vibrant community of practice, all housed within a single digital hub.
By focusing on pre-farm gate waste, CAH is on a mission to help reclaim the £1.8 billion of lost value annually for farmers while providing affordable, nutritious food to communities in need. The venture's farmer-centric design, developed through extensive stakeholder engagement, ensures a solution that truly meets the needs of all participants.
Set to launch in November 2024 as a joint spinout of the Universities of Bristol and Nottingham, CAH represents a pioneering model of commercialising social science research. It's not just redistributing food – it's redistributing hope, opportunity, and sustainability across the UK food system.
The RoundView is an accessible toolkit for sustainability thinking and learning, developed from ESRC-funded research at the University of Manchester. This social venture, supported by the UKRI Impact Acceleration Account, showcases the transformative power of collaboration between academia and UNESCO partners.
With its inspiring vision for sustainability, the RoundView transforms environmental education from inducing feelings of eco-anxiety to hope, clarity and inspiration. Recognised with a prestigious University of Manchester’s Making a Difference Award, impacts include providing “a powerful unifying theme” for the first post-industrial, urban National Nature Reserve and inspiring a major exhibition with the National Trust. A key recent innovation is hands-on learning tools that blend art, poetry and science to create an engaging and multi-sensory learning experience. These have been tested with over 135,000 participants in UNESCO-designated sites, making “an emotional impact, that actually gave learners a lot of hope.”
The RoundView tools, enhanced through user feedback and translated into multiple languages, have become powerful educational assets. The vision is for the RoundView to become the fourth R: Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic and the RoundView. This venture empowers communities to envision and work towards a sustainable future, whilst strengthening UNESCO’s mission of promoting global cultural and environmental awareness.
The University of Strathclyde has launched a new company designed to support businesses around the world navigate the rapidly emerging regulatory and legal landscape around climate change. By increasing knowledge and understanding of these cases and climate related legal developments, C2LI seeks to support organisations’ strategic decision making and ensure legislation designed to protect the environment, drive sustainability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions is adhered to.
The Climate Change Litigation Knowledge Hub covers 30 countries, with the help of a global network of legal experts, but the team aims to add 20 more this year and to have global coverage within five years. Their focus is on countries that do not see a lot of climate litigation cases raised, which may indicate legal or political barriers.
Gillian Docherty OBE, chief commercial officer at Strathclyde says: “C2LI has set out to ensure climate change laws designed to ensure that public and private organisations play their part in addressing global warming and environmental sustainability are followed. This is useful learning in action and an activity that could have a real and tangible effect in addressing the climate emergency. We are delighted to support C2LI in its mission”.
Innovation in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion through Knowledge Exchange
The University of Central Lancashire, utilising funding from the Royal Academy of Engineering and the University's School of Engineering and Computing, has delivered a highly successful Diversity Impact programme and EASE (Entrepreneurship and Start-up for Engineers) programmes in the 22/23 and 23/24 academic years.
The programme aims to encourage innovation in engineering and career opportunities for under-represented engineers, including women and students from ethnically diverse backgrounds. The University continues to develop the EASE programme with the School of Engineering and Computing, enabling students to gain direct employment with regional engineering businesses.
The Verbatim Formula (TVF) is a participatory project at Queen Mary University of London that has significantly impacted the children’s care system in the UK by working with care-experienced young people (CEYP) as creative co-researchers. Through verbatim theatre techniques, TVF supports adults responsible for care and education to listen better and helps them make changes to policy and services that are crucial to CEYP.
A key aspect of TVF is collaboration and the active role of CEYP in the co-delivery and co-design of training, workshops, and events. This approach brings lived experiences to the heart of the project, making CEYPs' contributions central to shaping the content and delivery. TVF’s “Working Group” model for co-design allows its academic leads to work with its care-experienced co-researchers as strategic partners, centring their experiences in TVF activities. As formal support from local authorities usually ends when children turn 18 (care leavers), the TVF project offers them paid opportunities and a structure ensuring they have tools and support that help them survive during this critical transition period. TVF provides a creative tool for knowledge exchange that centres voices from disadvantaged groups, fostering a more inclusive and equitable practice.
The Turing Summer Experience gives young people a unique opportunity to explore careers in artificial intelligence and data science. It is a week-long programme designed for Year 12 students from underrepresented backgrounds. Run by The Alan Turing Institute in partnership with Defence and National Security communities, the initiative introduces students to cutting-edge AI and data science applications in real-world scenarios, with a focus on careers in the Intelligence and Defence sectors.
Participants engage in hands-on activities and real-world challenges, co-designed by leading experts in the field. The programme not only offers an in-depth look at AI and data science careers but also provides young people with insights into how the UK’s Intelligence agencies and Defence organisations use these technologies to protect national security.
Targeting students from less advantaged backgrounds, the programme aims to address critical gaps in diversity within Data Science, AI, and Defence. Delivered in London, Cardiff, and Leeds, 91% met one or more socio-economic markers, 41% identified as female, and 29% identified as from a black background, all groups significantly higher than current representation for these groups in these sectors.
KE Team of the Year
Queen Mary’s SKETCH (Student Knowledge Exchange Through Community Hubs) programme offers a range of services, including consultancy, training, and workshops delivered by students on a pro bono basis. The SKETCH Team is responsible for the strategic planning, coordination, and monitoring of this complex programme, which consists of six pillars across disciplines such as law, finance, and management. The team serves as a vital link between academia and external partners, connecting students with businesses, individuals, and community partners to solve real-world problems.
One of the most distinctive features of the programme is its interdisciplinary nature, which offers more comprehensive and innovative solutions. This approach enables students from different academic backgrounds to collaborate on complex problems presented by external partners, resulting in more well-rounded solutions. The SKETCH Team acts as a key facilitator, ensuring that students gain practical, hands-on experience while external partners benefit from high-quality pro bono work.
Since the start of SKETCH in 2020, the team has enabled over 4,200 students to engage in knowledge exchange activities with more than 2,100 external partners, creating meaningful value for students, society, and the economy.
The Technology Transfer (TT) team at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has been committed to driving knowledge exchange and creating impact for many years. However, in the last three years, we have begun to unlock new opportunities and deliver significant value.
This is in response to the challenge set by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology’s (DSIT) Rose Book: Guidance on Knowledge Asset management in government, the introduction of the Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT), and a significant internal team effort.
The team has responded to DSIT’s call to maximise the value of knowledge assets, winning the highest value of Knowledge Asset Grant Funding (KAGF) of any eligible organisation during this time.
Arrow is a pioneering multi-university initiative fostering collaboration between SMEs and universities across the North East. Originating at Newcastle University and now including Durham, Northumbria, and Sunderland, the team of 25 professionals connects businesses with academic expertise to drive innovation. Supported by the broader universities, Arrow has adopted a flexible, non-competitive approach, assisting over 50 businesses in its first year of expansion. Arrow projects are accelerating innovation, creating jobs, and facilitating new product development, while also paving the way for longer-term engagement with Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) and collaborative Innovate UK projects.
The Arrow team coordinates everything from marketing and business development to project scoping, delivery, and reporting. By streamlining processes and leveraging insights from over 100 academics, Arrow responds swiftly to regional business needs across sectors. Their short, task-focused projects accelerate innovation journeys, while ongoing cooperation with local business networks enhances engagement. Arrow's commitment to trust and genuine collaboration has transformed SME-university interactions, solidifying its role as a key player in regional innovation.
Discover how Arrow is reshaping the landscape of SME-university support in the North East and driving economic growth: https://arrowinnovation.org.uk/
KE Professional of the Year
Dr. Paroma Bhattacharya is the Head of Social Innovation at LSE Generate. She is passionate about knowledge exchange and impact in the domain of social innovation and entrepreneurship in emerging economies. Over the past year, she has conceptualised, led, and secured funding for several multi-disciplinary action research and knowledge exchange projects:
- Kenya: Partnered with Kenyan social enterprises, community-based organizations, and funders to deliver two knowledge exchange projects focused on menstrual hygiene awareness and empowering under-represented female founders.
- India and UK: Collaborated with ATLAS SkillTech University (India) and MindHug Ltd. (UK) to deliver evidence-based founder mental well-being programmes across both countries.
- Rwanda/Global: Partnered with the global organization UNLEASH to deliver a longitudinal action research project aimed at improving the impact of social innovation hackathons.
- Sierra Leone: Joined forces with the University of Sierra Leone to deliver a three-month virtual social entrepreneurship training programme for youth, culminating in a start-up showcase and ecosystem building event in Freetown.
- South Africa: Collaborated with Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education South Africa to deliver an International Knowledge Exchange Programme (in the UK) for aspiring South African female social entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial educators.
Adnan embodies the qualities that the Knowledge Exchange Professional of the Year Award seeks to recognise. His transformative impact on the business school, his innovative approaches to public engagement, and his dedication to advancing the KE profession make him an exemplary candidate. His achievements, only a small number of which have been included in this submission, are outstanding. Adnans commitment to constantly strive for collaborative and inter-disciplinary continuous development and impact make him stand out as a true champion in this field. In all his KE endeavours, he leads by example, embeds EDI, and ensures his unwavering commitment to all those he supports along the journey.
His impact within the University, across the sector and with industry continues to underpin, promote and champion the value of knowledge exchange shaping and driving the future of KE.
Valerie Pondaven, food accelerator manager at the University of Greenwich, launched the Plant-based Food Accelerator Programme, which provides scientific and technical support to over 100 businesses and has helped launch 19 new products. With over 20 years of experience in business innovation, she has connected academics with businesses to foster innovation in the plant-based food sector. Valerie’s commitment has led to the programme’s growth, expanding beyond Kent to achieve national and international recognition, hosting delegations from Rwanda, Vietnam, Catalonia, and Canada.
Her efforts have made food research more accessible to startups, who typically lack the resources for such expertise, helping them build long-term partnerships with the university. Valerie has gone beyond her day-to-day role by leveraging resources from partner universities to launch high-profile commercialisation projects, helping businesses identify innovation gaps and secure funding. She organised activities to connect academics with businesses and investors and played a key role in embedding a knowledge exchange culture at the university.
Despite limited resources, Valerie built the programme from scratch, surpassing recruitment targets and expanding its scope. Her ability to bridge the gap between academic and business priorities has been crucial, creating lasting collaborations that support local businesses while aligning with the university’s strategic goals.
Public Vote Entries
Arts for the Blues (A4B) is an evidence-based creative psychological therapy for depression, developed jointly by researchers at the University of Salford (UoS) and Edge Hill University (EHU). This innovative model offers a proven alternative to traditional talking therapies, providing mental health support within our communities.
Over the last 18 months, members of the KE teams at UoS and EHU have collaborated to catalyse the commercialisation and growth of the A4B model. Working on this project across two similar institutions (in terms of size, target market, and location) required a novel approach.
The team worked together to overcome management challenges and mitigate competition, creating a unified operating model. This involved establishing a central finance model, shared marketing and enquiry management, a series of legal contracts, a suite of core training resources, and shared governance processes.
As a result of this collaborative approach, the model has been adopted by seven UK and international institutions, with others in development. Over 80 therapists have been trained, an additional 40 have been upskilled via an open programme, a community of practice portal has been created, and more than 300 therapists are currently being supported to implement the model in practice.
The COVID-19 pandemic hit Liverpool hard, creating a ‘perfect storm’ that exposed and exacerbated existing inequalities. Ward-level data revealed that people living in the most deprived areas had the lowest levels of COVID-19 vaccination uptake and the highest hospital admission rates in 2021. Reaching the unimmunised posed a significant challenge, with a 40% difference in uptake between the most and least deprived wards.
Scientists at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) leveraged their extensive experience in addressing health inequities through community-led approaches in low- and middle-income countries, combined with insights from local Primary Care Networks and community champions, to create a community-based public health intervention. In this model, Community Innovation Teams are established and empowered to develop data-driven solutions to improve health service access and quality, as well as uptake of preventative medicine.
This initiative has already helped address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in targeted communities in Liverpool and is now being used to tackle low cancer screening and MMR vaccine uptake. The project has revolutionised how public health initiatives are delivered in the city. Its integrated approach is highly flexible and adaptable to different contexts and health issues, but most importantly, it produces life-changing health outcomes for underserved communities.
Ektaa, an award-winning CIC spun out of City St George’s University of London, has broken down barriers to champion inclusive working practices, harnessing the power of DEI across a broad spectrum of clients, including academia, charities, the public sector, medtech, and pharmaceutical companies.
Central to Ektaa's mission is its pioneering training and placement programme, Equal Representation in Academia (ERA), which strives to provide equitable access to academic research careers for students from underrepresented backgrounds. This initiative has garnered endorsements from key stakeholders in higher education, driving significant transformation in inclusive education policies. A recent project under ERA focuses on enhancing laboratory accessibility for disabled students and staff. The founder, Dr Mohani-Preet Dhillon, brings personal lived experience to this venture, which she began as a PhD student, building ERA on the foundations of student voices, institutional backing, and community engagement. London Higher has described the ERA as a model of intersectional progress in higher education. Recognising that a loss of diverse talent through ‘leaky pipelines’ extends beyond research, ERA is now being adapted to other fields, including engineering and technology.
As a CIC, Ektaa is committed to investing in local talent to benefit the community, aiming to translate transformative ideas from universities into public applications. For example, Dr Dhillon’s work with post-Covid patients has been adapted for the further education sector, leading to notable reductions in stress and improved staff retention.
Now, Ektaa is entering the commercial arena with tailored early-career talent programmes for the pharmaceutical sector, ensuring Ektaa’s long-term sustainability, enabling further staff expansion, and diversifying its program portfolio.
The Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science at the University of Dundee has collaborated with Danish and Scottish police forces and forensic science services to develop novel and faster methods of training and competency testing for forensic practitioners using a Virtual Reality approach.
This project is at the forefront of forensic science, forging new global partnerships between police, forensic science organisations, private sector industry, and legal professionals. To date, this collaboration has generated four open datasets for capturing fire scenes, which can be used by forensic science researchers worldwide, thereby advancing research in the field and addressing gaps in current global knowledge.
It has also led to the creation of a new training facility for fire investigators in Portlethen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Research following the implementation of this technology has shown that more investigators were able to determine the origin and development of a fire using virtual reality than with standard methods.
Recently, the project received £82,500 in funding from Scottish Enterprise to develop a forensic services spin-out company focused on virtual reality for rapid crime scene investigation, aiming to further widen the scope and accessibility of this technology.
Hackstarter offers Imperial students and researchers the opportunity to bring their early-stage ideas to life through prototyping and business skills training. The 10-week programme provides participants with a £500 voucher for materials costs and benefits from multi-disciplinary knowledge exchange at the Advanced Hackspace in White City.
The initiative aims to eliminate barriers to prototyping and promote entrepreneurship, creating a pathway for follow-on business support so that startups can remain in the area as they grow. For instance, Hackstarter 2023 winner Papcup, a non-invasive alternative to the smear test, is now expanding into lab premises within the White City campus.
The programme has positively impacted the local economy, with startups creating jobs and attracting investment. Participants have developed award-winning climate and medtech solutions, including Koalaa, a supplier of affordable prosthetics that closed a funding round of $1.2 million this year, and biotech scaleup Multus, which received a USD$9.5 million Series A investment to facilitate cultivated meat production as a sustainable food solution.
In summary, from an initial low-level investment of just £500 per concept, Hackstarter has generated impressive results for Imperial’s innovation ecosystem, the local area, and wider society. Learn more about Hackstarter success stories in our video: https://youtu.be/mqpnseCMhSs.