Innovator/10 Winners
2010 Winners
EMSc (UK) Ltd
Winner of the Innovator/10 Innovation In Action Award
Won by EMSc (UK) Ltd thanks to the development of a voltage optimisation unit that works to significantly reduce energy consumption. Powerstar reduces the voltage supplied to a building, therefore generating great savings on electricity consumption and CO2 emissions.
Dr Alex Mardapittas, Managing Director EMSc (UK) Ltd and creator of Powerstar, said: “We are extremely happy to have won this award, as of course we are to win any accolade in praise of our product. But we are particularly pleased with this award as it recognises and champions innovation in our region. We are a company with a firm belief in innovation and in UK manufacturing – the Powerstar is the only voltage optimisation unit designed and manufactured in the UK and we are extremely proud of that fact.
“The prestige that surrounds our winning this award will help us to reach more people and generate further interest in Powerstar. This should hopefully allow for us to grow and expand further as a company – particularly in product development and the furthering of innovative ideas – which is our primary concern. This in turn will allow for future job creation within our region and beyond.”
Radio Design Ltd
Winner of the Innovator/10 Young Innovative Business Award
Radio Design Ltd picked up the Young Innovative Business Award after developing a way of allowing up to three cellular base stations from two UK-based mobile phone system operators to share the same antenna system, resulting in both site rental and equipment cost savings. Without this, separate antennae systems and often an additional mast would have to be installed to allow a cell site to be shared.
Managing Director Eric Hawthorn said: “Everyone is thrilled that we were selected as a finalist, and picking a winner must have been a real challenge for the judges given the quality and strength of all finalists.
“We are a close knit team and many people have been involved in the concept, design, development, manufacture and commercialisation of our product. This award is recognition of an outstanding team effort.”
Harvard Engineering
Winner of the Innovator/10 Sustainable Innovation Award
Harvard Engineering scooped the Sustainable Innovation Award after developing LeafNut, a ground breaking central monitoring and wireless control system for street lights. It provides monitoring, switching and dimming control of each street light, and also significantly reduces carbon emissions by 100kg per light per annum, which can lead to savings of £46 per street light per annum.
Michael McDonnell, Sales and Marketing Director at Harvard Engineering, said: “We are delighted to have won this prestigious award. It’s a credit to the whole team at Harvard, everyone has worked extremely hard researching, developing and delivering a long term sustainable solution that is already benefiting communities not only in the UK, but across the world.
“The success we are experiencing with LeafNut has also led to the continued growth of the company. It has allowed us to enter new markets and sectors in the UK and globally, as well as recruit new members of staff.”
Double Green Ltd and the University of York
Winner of the Innovator/10 Lord Stafford Partners in Innovation Award
Double Green Ltd and the University of York won the Lord Stafford Partners in Innovation Award for developing the use of glycerine, a co-product from biodiesel production, in various applications, including the generation of biogas. The Research and Development work carried out at the University of York contributed to the characterisation of glycerin at different stages of production as well as the development of protocols for the synthesis of added value chemicals from glycerine.
Lorenzo Herrero, Research Associate at Double Green, said: "This is a great achievement for the team and rewards entrepreneurship and our ability to overcome big challenges, both by the company and the University of York.
“Our demonstration of the ability to turn an expensive waste into a valuable and environmentally beneficial product should be a valuable case study for others. We will invest the award price in the further development of research into added value products from food waste.”
