KTP Best of the Best 2019 winners announced

Awards celebrate innovation achievements across multiple sectors between academia and industry.

The KTP Best of the Best awards were judged on business growth, innovation, transformative change and team and individual contributions.

From the creation of new polymers to the use of AI and deep learning to monitor railway tunnels, the Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Best of the Best awards have recognised exceptional outcomes from industry-academic partnerships supported through the highly-valued KTP programme.

The new awards celebrate the strength and diversity of impact made possible with Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs). The awards were judged on criteria including business growth, innovation, transformative change and team and individual contributions.

KTPs are 3-way partnerships between UK businesses, academic teams and qualified postgraduates that support advances in business-led innovation through greater use of knowledge, technology and skills.

Find out more about Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and how to apply.

Best KTP partnership

The winner of the Best KTP Partnership award is GeckoTech Solutions, Glasgow Caledonian University and associate Dr Mark Jenkins. GeckoTech developed new means of structural condition monitoring through the development of computer vision, signal processing and machine learning.

The other finalists were:

• Toffeln from Bristol, the University of Salford and associate Jenny Anderson, creating a mass customisation strategy for workplace footwear
• Gloucester Wildlife Trust, the University of the West of England and associate Dr Gemma Jerome, using green infrastructure and a whole-life integrated approach to new commercial products

Engineering excellence

The winner of the Engineering Excellence Award is LMK Thermosafe from Haverhill, which entered a KTP with Queen Mary, University of London and associate Harshit Powal to develop novel conductive polymer composites.

The other finalists were:

• Spirent Communications from West Sussex, with the University of Bath and associate Dr Talini Pinto Jayawardena, developing satellite systems with a new threat simulation capabilities
• Geckotech Solutions from Edinburgh, Glasgow Caledonian University and associate Dr Mark Jenkins

Business impact

The winner of the Business Impact Award is specialist ticket company BemroseBooth Paragon from, the University of Hull and associate Haydn Ward, who refined the technology for producing information-storing magnetic strips on tickets.

Business Impact finalists were:

• Principle Healthcare from Skipton, the University of Bradford and associate Dr Suyog Aher, researching in-house granulation technology for the company’s nutritional supplements
• Recycling Lives from Preston, the University of Central Lancashire and associate Dr Ala Khodie devised a process to transform residue from automotive landfill waste into electrical energy

Outstanding contribution

Finally, the winner for Outstanding Contribution from a Knowledge Base KTP Support team was Queen’s University Belfast.

The finalists were:

• The University of Nottingham
• The University of Essex

Best future innovator

The Best Future Innovator winners were previously announced, and include:

• Simon Kingston, EventMap, and the University of Nottingham
• Sean Howson, Mainstream Instruments, and the University of Huddersfield
• Ryan Jessop, Clicksco UK, and Durham University
• Radovan Gallo, Sarissa Biomedical, and Aston University
• Xiaojing Zhu, RGH Rubber & Plastics, and the University of Hertfordshire

Search for and contact a Knowledge Transfer Adviser.

Read a case study: following a KTP with the University of Cardiff, Qioptiq secured the company’s largest ever contract.