Lord Stafford Awards East Midlands 2008 - winners announced

The 2008 Lord Stafford Award East Midlands winners, announced by Lord Digby Jones and Dominic Heale, presenter of BBC’s East Midlands Today programme, last night (11 Sep), are:

Innovation in Development Award: Dialog Devices and the Department of Health Sciences at the University of Leicester

This local business and university collaboration has revolutionised heart disease and stroke prevention. Their partnership to develop a non-invasive medical device for use in Primary Care to prevent heart disease and strokes has the potential to save lives around the world.

Innovation Achieved Award: Progressive Sports Technologies Ltd and the  Sports Technology Institute at Loughborough University

The technology developed through this partnership has been designed to get the ‘Playstation generation’ moving and help to cut child obesity rates. The interactive play device created here – i.play – is a revolutionary play tool that encourages health-enhancing physical activity among children. It is similar to a games console and has been installed in municipal playgrounds across the UK.

Innovation for Sustainability Award: Premier Foods and the School of Chemical Engineering and the Environmental Technology Centre at the University of Nottingham

This award-winning example of business and university collaboration has cut costs and reduced environmental impact. The Worksop-based company, which produces brands such as Oxo, Bisto, Sharwoods and Cross & Blackwell – has worked in partnership with academics to develop a system of process improvements to optimise the use of energy and water in food manufacturing.

Judges’ Special Commendation Award: Amin Ismali and Civil Defence Technology

Iraqi-born, Amin Ismail, receives this award in recognition of his hard work and endeavour to develop the IC Audio Translator. He began working on the design of a wrist worn speech system while he was a student at the University of Derby and was approached by Lincoln-based, Civil Defence Supply to partner with them and develop the device further. The IC Audio Translator is now being manufactured and is enabling soldiers, official agencies and emergency services to communicate quickly, safely and effectively with foreign nationals in the UK and around the world.

The winner from each award category receives a cheque for £5000 and a Wedgwood Trophy to commemorate their achieve. The winner of the Special Judges’ Commendation Award, Amin Ismali, receives a cheque for £1000.

Lord Digby Jones, Minister for Trade & Investment, congratulated the winners and emphasised the significance of their unique contribution to the UK economy.

“Congratulations to the deserving winners of the prestigious 2008 Lord Stafford Awards East Midlands for their unique contribution to the UK economy,” says Lord Jones.

“The road to excellence is always under construction and successful collaborations between businesses and universities bring us ever closer to this goal. It’s important these relationships are nurtured, promoted and rewarded as they position the UK as the global leader for innovative thinking.”

The Lord Stafford Awards exist to recognise and encourage the development of collaborative relationships between businesses and universities. They seek to highlight the value that can be gained by businesses that tap into the extensive intellectual and research capacity in the region’s universities and are launched in the East Midlands for the first time in 2008.

Commenting on the 2008 winners of the East Midlands’ awards, Lord Stafford says: “These awards are a chance for individuals and organisations to be recognised as one of the region’s innovators. By bringing together the wealth of excellent research and development work produced by universities and diverse business enterprise we are able to generate increased competitiveness and knowledge transfer. I congratulate all the winners and finalists of the 2008 Lord Stafford Awards East Midlands and I look forward to following their future success.”