On Thursday, 21st November 2024, Bristol hosted the much-anticipated KE Awards 2024, a night dedicated to honouring excellence and innovation across the Knowledge Exchange sector. The event brought together professionals, organisations, and projects that exemplify the power of collaboration and the impact of knowledge exchange on society.
Ahead of each winner announcement, we shared powerful video stories of the shortlisted projects, which showcased the innovation, passion, and impact behind their achievements. These moments highlighted the extraordinary breadth of talent within our community. You can view the videos here.
Congratulations to Our Winners and Finalists
We extend our warmest congratulations to all the shortlisted nominees, whose projects exemplify excellence and commitment to advancing knowledge exchange. A special congratulations to this year’s winners, who have set a remarkable standard for the sector:
- Place-based KE initiative of the Year: Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland, Teesside and York Universities | Northern Accelerator – Collaborating for social, environmental and economic impact in the North East and North Yorkshire
- Sustainability Collaboration of the Year: Cranfield University | The Green Future Investments Ltd (GFIL) Funds at Cranfield University
- Outstanding KE Strategic Partnership: University of Dundee | Art at the Start – Improving Mental Health Outcomes for Infants and Caregivers
- Commercialisation Achievement of the Year: University of Oxford | Oxford University Innovation, Oxford R21/Matrix-M™
- Transformative Social Venture of the Year: University of Strathclyde | C2LI
- Innovation in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion through Knowledge Exchange: Queen Mary University of London | The Verbatim Formula “Creative Care”
- KE Team of the Year: National Physical Laboratory | Technology Transfer at NPL: 3-year transformation
- KE Professional of the Year: University of Salford | Dr Adnan Bayyat, Knowledge Exchange Fellow
- Highly Commended Entry: Imperial College Advanced Hackspace | White City Hackstarter
Thank You to Our Supporters and Sponsors
We are deeply grateful to:
- UK Research and Innovation, our overarching supporter
- Anchored In, our headline sponsor
- Category sponsors: EAUC, Withers & Rogers, Oxentia, TenU and the Economic and Social Research Council
Reflections on the Night
Stuart Wilkinson, CEO at PraxisAuril (Knowledge Exchange UK) remarked:
“The KE awards last night showcased an amazingly diverse array of knowledge exchange projects and people who have and are continuing to make a real impact economically and in society, all from a wide range of organisations and their KE partners. It truly was an inspiring snapshot of what is happening across the UK, as research and education organisations come together with partners of all kinds to collaborate and make a real difference to people’s lives.”
Ananay Aguilar, Head of TenU, added:
“Celebrating the commercialisation of academic research is key to demonstrating the value of university spinouts to the UK’s bottom line. TenU exists to further this agenda, so we must recognise and support those who have the drive and determination to take their ideas to market – creating jobs, attracting investment to the UK and ultimately addressing global, critical issues as part of the journey.”
Dr. Helen Henderson, Partner and Patent Attorney at Withers & Rogers, reflected:
“Withers & Rogers continues to support the KE Awards as we are passionate about knowledge exchange and supporting the development of research commercialisation. More than ever, the strategic importance of intellectual property is being recognised, as are the opportunities available through collaborative partnerships.”
Looking Ahead
This year’s KE Awards reminded us of the vital role knowledge exchange plays in creating a positive impact on society.
We look forward to celebrating more achievements at next year’s event and thank everyone who joined us for this unforgettable evening.
