Three wins for University of Leicester at Leicestershire Live Innovation Awards

The University of Leicester has scooped three award wins at the flagship 2023 LeicestershireLive Innovation Awards.

The most innovative businesses and entrepreneurs from across Leicester and Leicestershire were honoured at the sell-out event at the National Space Centre on Thursday 16 February.

This year’s award ceremony – jointly sponsored by the University of Leicester, De Montfort University and Morningside Pharmaceuticals – saw 32 finalists compete for prizes across ten categories.

Leicester aerospace graduate Anuj Ashar was awarded the University Student Innovation accolade for his platform Beta Booster.

Anuj designed the platform to help new entrepreneurs and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) handle the development of websites, apps and promotional content without incurring prohibitive costs.

The award for Innovation in Med-Tech and Life Sciences went to The PHOSP-COVID Team for their insights which have been helping to affect clinical practice and government policy, and informing new plans for the treatment of Long Covid.

Elsewhere, The National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO) collected the University-sponsored Innovation in Space award, presented by Space Park Leicester Executive Director, Richard Ambrosi.

The NCEO’s Forest Alerts system uses satellite imagery to search for deforestation events every five days – and provides real-time alerts via an app, making it possible to respond quickly to deforestation.

Professor Heiko Balzter, Director of the Institute for Environmental Futures, University of Leicester and member of the NCEO, said: “I am honoured that my team in the National Centre for Earth Observation has won the Innovation in Space Award. 

“The forest alert system has been a real team effort, and I am grateful to all my colleagues, funders and partner organisations who have helped us get to this point.”

The host for the awards evening, which is now in its fifth year, was Scottish researcher and writer Gemma Milne, while Innovate UK CEO Indro Mukerjee gave the keynote speech.

Professor Philip Baker, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at the University of Leicester, told guests on the night: “Our success depends on you. Because it is only through partnership, and working together, that knowledge advances and innovative solutions are found for the challenges that we all face.

“It is why the University of Leicester, along with De Montfort University and Morningside Pharmaceuticals, is so pleased to sponsor the Leicestershire Live Innovation Awards because partnership working is key to our future prosperity.

“Working together with partners in collaboration to support research and innovation is the key to unlocking further discovery and it has been wonderful that Indro Mukherjee is here to join us from Innovate UK.

“Together, we truly are stronger.”

The full list of winners from the 2023 LeicestershireLive Innovation Awards were:

• Innovation in Creative – HQ Familia
• Innovation in Education & Community – National Space Centre – IGNITE! Programme
• Innovation in Food & Drink – Millitec Food Systems Ltd
• Innovation in Logistics & Exports – CarbonVue
• Innovation in Med-Tech & Life Sciences – The PHOSP-COVID Team, Professor Christopher Brightling, Dr Rachel Evans & Professor Louise Wain
• Innovation in Space – National Centre for Earth Observation
• Innovation in Sport, Wellbeing & Accessibility – Rewire Fitness
• Innovation in STEM Industries – adidas and Loughborough University
• Innovation in Sustainability – Plastic Energy
• University Student Innovation – Beta Booster – Anuj Ashar
• Innovator of the Year – CarbonVue
• Outstanding Contribution Award – Dr Nik Kotecha OBE DL