The University’s nominees in the LeicestershireLive Innovation Awards are:
Innovation in Technology:
Manufacturer of a closed loop system that turns food waste into protein, including sustainable pet food, and also plant fertiliser. Founded by alumnus Thomas Constant (Industrial Design and Technology BSc, 2018), BeoBia has recently graduated from the University’s incubator, LU Inc.
Tzuka has designed and is currently engineering the world's most durable sports earbuds, to be launched later this year. Founded by alumnus Tom Jelliffe (Geography and Business Management BSc, 2018), the company is based in LU Inc.
Innovation in Design:
Shifa Technologies is the med-tech start up behind ShiVent, an off-grid, oxygen-efficient non-invasive ventilator, specifically designed for hospitals in emerging economies. The company was established by a Leicester-based medical doctor and four Loughborough PhD students and is based in LU Inc.
- Tzuka (see Innovation in Technology) is also nominated in this category.
Innovation in Construction:
- 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP)
A notable highlight of the University’s resilient infrastructure research, 3DCP is a pioneering technology invented at Loughborough which has shaped the international research landscape of large-scale additive manufacturing for construction.
Innovation in Manufacturing and Engineering:
- Shifa Technologies (see Innovation in Design) is also nominated in this category.
Innovation in Education and Training:
The People Deal is the organisation development consultancy behind the Fairness First Framework™, a nationally unique research-evidenced framework that provides organisation development tools and training to advance fairness in the workplace. The company was founded by alumnus Louise Lennon (Business Psychology MSc, 2019) and is based in LU Inc.
Medical and Health Innovator of the Year:
Alcuris is the assistive technology start-up behind Connec+™ and MemoHub® - an advanced home-monitoring service to prolong the independence of vulnerable and older people, provide reassurance to their friends and families, and actionable insight to local authorities, care providers and families. The company is founded by Alex Nash (Product Design Engineering MEng, 2016) and is based at The Advanced Technology Innovation Centre.
Experts in exploiting the full potential of advanced composite materials and processes across many industry sectors, HIVE is co-founded by Gerry Boyce (Materials Engineering MSc, 1980) and is based at Loughborough’s Advanced Technology Innovation Centre.
- Shifa Technologies (see Innovation in Design) is also nominated in this category.
Innovation in Space:
Transport researchers are helping to reduce deaths and ease congestion on UK roads by using AI to interpret data provided from satellite technology to accurately identify high-risk routes and provide highly accurate mapping of traffic accident blackspots.
University Student Innovation:
- BeoBia (see Innovation in Technology) is also nominated in this category.
- Shifa Technologies (see Innovation in Design) is also nominated in this category.
Professor Claudia Eberlein, Loughborough University’s Dean of Science and Enterprise lead commented: “To have so many start-ups and their excellent research and important impact recognised by the LeicestershireLive Innovation Awards reflects the breadth of the University’s outstanding achievements in a challenging year. I wish all the nominees the very best of luck for the finals.”
The winners of the LeicestershireLive Innovation Awards will be held on Tuesday, 14th September 2021 at National Space Centre in Leicester. The winners of the Lifetime Achievement Award and overall Innovator of the Year will be announced on the night. Headline sponsors are De Montfort University, University of Leicester and Morningside Pharmaceuticals, with associate sponsors LLEP Business Gateway.