Award winners included a scientific and educational collaboration that is carrying out ground-breaking research into forestry and biodiversity conservation, together with environmental education for the protection and conservation of forest, its species and habitat. Commenting on the award, Gordon Gibb, Chief Executive of Flamingo Land (representing the project CIRCLE) said, “Winning this award shows the value of university research for UK companies. This partnership has led to significant advances in biodiversity conservation and public awareness of the environment on a local, national and international scale.”
Other winners included computer software that fully automates the testing of children’s vision, hearing and body mass index that has the potential of making savings within the NHS of £25m annually; a product that reduces sodium levels in food by between 25%-50% without sacrificing taste and special recognition awards for two projects that deserve particular acknowledgement for their achievements.
These projects were a unique university law incubator for technology startups, run by students supervised by law firms and a company founded on contemporary student designs, which through working with local supply chains, has resulted in high end and premium find bone china tableware being sold in 20 countries worldwide through prestige retail outlets.
Dr Douglas Robertson, PraxisUnico Chairman rounded off the evening by saying, “Another fantastic evening. We have had over 75 entries for the PraxisUnico Impact awards with the quality I am assured by the judges continuing to rise. We had entries from re-purposed space technology for homeland security to training programmes for frontline staff in healthcare and social care. Whilst we clearly mark the winners we should celebrate all this activity in technology and knowledge transfer. My congratulations go to all who participated and, in particular, the winners. These success stories demonstrate the diversity of activities emerging from university and research laboratories. We must remember that these entries in turn represent just a very small part of the research base's contribution to the economy, much of which goes unnoticed. I look forward to the outcome for the REF which HEFCE believe will generate over 7000 case studies of research into application across all disciplines.”
The winners
Collaborative Impact Award
CIRCLE/Flamingo Landfrom University of York
Business Impact Aspiring Award
School Screener™ from City University London
Business Impact Achieved Award
SODA-LO® from The University of Nottingham
Susan Huxtable, Director of Technology Transfer at The University of Nottingham, which owns Eminate, said: “I am delighted that Eminate’s SodaLo product has won the award for ‘Business Impact – Achieved. The global reach of the licensee, Tate and Lyle, also means that this innovative low sodium salt should have a significant impact on reducing salt intake around the world, and the incidence of diseases linked to high salt diets.”
Special Recognition
City Enterprise Services from City University London
Eric Klotz of City Enterprise Services said, "The receipt of prestigious awards such as the PraxisUnico Impact Award provides us with a great impetus to expand and develop our project. Our startup legal clinic offers an exciting and innovative addition to any legal curriculum and enhances law students’ employability. We look forward to seeing other universities develop similar legal clinics which can benefit both the startup community and the wider economy."
Flux Stoke on Trent – a design led spin-out company from Staffordshire University
Head of IP and Commercialisation Dr Stuart Brown said: “We are delighted to have won this award, it’s a great achievement for Staffordshire University, demonstrating the impact that can be achieved by combining the skills of our students, the expertise of our staff and the enterprise and innovation abundant here at the university.”
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Additional information
Further information on The Impact Awards visit www.impactawards.org.uk
Low resolution images are available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/unicoimpactawards/sets/72157634115620497/
High resolution images are available on request