iCAST shortlisted for Net Zero Project of the Year award

The annual KE Awards from Praxis Auril is a national ceremony, supported by UKRI, to recognise the exceptional work of UK Knowledge Exchange and the people, partnerships, deals and initiatives that deliver world-class KE.

We are proud to announce that iCAST’s work has been recognised nationally, and the Centre has been shortlisted as a finalist for Net Zero Project of the Year.

iCAST is a Research England-funded project that brings together industry with expertise at the Universities of Bath and Oxford, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult’s National Composites Centre (NCC) and Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), innovation experts at SETsquared, SWLEP and investors.

iCAST is an innovation hub that supports companies working on clean growth technologies, translating sustainable chemical technology research into commercial products. In doing so, iCAST is tackling global challenges including climate change, sustainable development and plastic pollution.

Professor Matthew Davidson, Executive Director of iCAST, says:

It’s an honour to be recognised for such a significant priority as achieving Net Zero, and to be shortlisted is a testament to the dedication and talent of all of the iCAST staff. With over 70 member companies on board already, ranging from spinouts, high growth SMEs and multinational corporates, the iCAST partnership is delivering real-world impact by focussing its world class research expertise towards commercialisation of new sustainable technologies, clean growth and investment.

The University of Bath has received a second nomination for Commercial Deal of the Year thanks to its spin-out Gen3D, recently acquired by Altair, global leader in computational science and artificial intelligence (AI). 

Gen3D was founded in 2018 and it was a game changer for design engineers, offering design software and consultancy to help engineers rapidly create complex components for the additive manufacturing process.

In 2022 Gen3D was acquired by Altair in a commercial deal that will have a huge impact on various sectors and industries, including aerospace engineering globally. For example, a developed component which is 3D printed can weigh 85% less than existing parts which, if used in aeroplanes, will result in less fuel usage due to less mass in the plane.

Both finalists were supported by Research and Innovation Services (RIS) at the University of Bath to develop their KE innovations. Simon Bond, Innovation Director for SETsquared, the global #1 university business incubator, worked with Professor Davidson to help establish the iCAST and secure £5 million from the Research England Development (RED) Fund. 

Dr Steven Boakes, Head of Business Partnerships and Knowledge Exchange in Research and Innovation Services (RIS) which supported the development of both initiatives, says:

To have two shortlisted finalists recognised nationally at the Praxis Auril KE Awards is exceptional and a reflection of the outstanding Knowledge Exchange and culture of KE that we have institutionally at the University of Bath. We wish both finalists the best of luck for the national ceremony and look forward to the results. 

The Praxis Auril KE Awards 2022 will be taking place in Manchester on 29 November.