Lancaster University’s Centre for Global Eco-Innovation has won the Net Zero Collaboration of the Year category at the prestigious national PraxisAuril KE Awards 2023.

The Centre for Global Eco-Innovation is an internationally leading initiative focused on practical solution-driven sustainable innovations. Since 2012, it has engaged with more than 700 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the Northwest, enabling businesses to collaborate with world-leading researchers across disciplines, access cutting-edge facilities, and build international partnerships.

The KE Awards’ Net Zero Collaboration of the Year award recognises collaborative knowledge exchange (KE) projects that contribute to tackling climate change challenges, taking us towards a better and more sustainable future.

The awards are a celebration of outstanding activities where people, partnerships, deals and initiatives make a positive difference to the lives of individuals and wider society. Winners were announced at the KE Awards ceremony held in Leeds on Thursday 23 November.

Professor of Sustainability and Director of the Centre for Global Eco-Innovation Jessica Davies said: "We're honoured to receive this award. It's great recognition of all the brilliant net zero collaborations that the Centre has helped seed. We're proud to be working together with innovative business leaders and researchers to help tackle climate change, locally and globally."

The Centre for Global Eco-Innovation was announced as joint-winners for the Net Zero Collaboration of the Year category alongside Manchester Metropolitan University who were celebrated for their contribution to the Eco-I North West project, of which Lancaster University is the lead partner.

Lancaster University had four shortlisted entries in total this year, the most of any other institution.

The other Lancaster University initiatives shortlisted were:

• Commercialisation Achievement of the Year - Quinas Technology Ltd, a spinout company from Lancaster University focused on ULTRARAM™ which addresses the urgent need for energy-efficient ICT solutions amid growing data demands.
• Supporting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion through Knowledge Exchange - The Touch & See project brings together Lancaster University School of Engineering, Lancaster City Museums Service and Galloways Society for the Blind to increase the accessibility of 2D historic artefacts for those affected by sight loss.
• Academic Entrepreneur - Lancaster University academic Professor Peter Garraghan has spearheaded the creation of Mindgard Ltd, a pioneering Artificial Intelligence (AI) security spin-out.

Lancaster University’s Associate Director of Enterprise and Innovation Mark Rushforth said: "I’m delighted with the win and that so many of our activities have been recognised at the KE Awards 2023.

“Lancaster University is committed to developing KE partnerships that offer inspiring ways to address local, national and global challenges. I’m extremely proud of the work colleagues undertake to create sustained impact from our world-class research with such a diverse range of partners and programmes."

The University is a member of PraxisAuril, the professional association for Knowledge Exchange practitioners.

Representatives and award finalists from Lancaster University at the KE Awards ceremony