The Innovate UK Women in Innovation Awards is celebrating 50 women leading the charge in groundbreaking industries.
From revolutionary peat-free farming solutions, to continuous green electricity, to an artificial intelligence (AI) powered platform that streamlines allergy management in schools.
This year’s winners, from Edinburgh to Southampton and Cardiff to Belfast, are tackling critical social, environmental and economic challenges, creating a robust pipeline of women-led businesses for future investment.
Each will receive a £75,000 grant, personalised business coaching, and access to networking, role modelling and training opportunities.
Breaking barriers to success
Research highlights significant hurdles for women entrepreneurs, including access to funding, and a lack of networks and visible role models.
The Innovate UK Women in Innovation Awards address these issues, enabling women innovators to scale their businesses, while making a powerful impact on our economy and society.
Many winners were inspired by personal experiences, such as:
- a disabled innovator breaking barriers in online shopping for people with physical impairments
- a student overcoming dyslexia to achieve top A-levels through her own education platform
- a creator developing an AI enabled post-traumatic stress disorder support platform after an 18 month wait for therapy
Diverse winners
Spanning digital health, legal tech, sustainable fashion, financial inclusion, and more, the diverse winners recognised today showcase remarkable ingenuity and impact.
Emma Yates, Proteotype Diagnostics
Transforming early stage cancer detection with the Enlighten test.
This low-cost method uses the patient’s immune response, which is strongest at the onset of cancer.
By enabling earlier diagnoses, it reduces mortality rates and supports more personalised treatment plans.
Sian Fussell, Albotherm
Developing responsive glass coatings that regulate temperatures in buildings and greenhouses without electricity.
These coatings transition from transparent to reflective-white as temperatures rise, potentially cutting global electricity use by 3% and boosting greenhouse crop yields by 34%.
Jane Pearce, Rookwood Operations
Tackling environmental challenges by recovering and reusing phosphate.
While essential for plant growth, excess phosphate in waterways causes harmful algae blooms and contamination.
Rookwood’s materials absorb phosphate from problem areas, enabling its reuse on farmland and restoring a healthy environmental balance.
Eve Kekeh, Bundlee
Eve Kekeh, founder of Bundlee. Credit: Innovate UK
Pioneering a sustainable subscription model for baby and toddler clothing.
Through Bundlee, parents can rent and exchange clothes as their children grow, reducing waste and cutting costs by up to 75% compared to buying new.
Eve has already facilitated 100,000 clothing rentals, saving over 200,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent and 30 million litres of water.
Ina Hanninger, Anathem
Streamlining police case management, particularly complex cases like domestic violence, by reducing paperwork and enhancing evidence collection.
The AI-powered PolicePartner tool cuts documentation time from three hours to just 30 minutes and is projected to boost prosecution rates from 58% to 70%, delivering better outcomes for victims.
Dini McGrath, The Wonki Collective
Developing the world’s first B2B food matchmaking platform, helping manufacturers track and redistribute surplus ingredients.
With UK food and drink waste accounting for 18 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, her platform aims to cut 180,000 tonnes of this by 2026, equivalent to removing 40,000 cars from UK roads.
Kavya Jain, Senseiforall
Kavya Jain, Senseiforall. Credit: Innovate UK
Transforming school accessibility with Sensei.
Sensei’s durable, low-cost tactile surfaces can be affixed to walls, using patterns to guide visually impaired students through touch, saving schools up to 40% compared to traditional modifications.
Samantha Morgan, Blukite Group
Revolutionising financial transactions for the visually impaired.
With 73% unable to use smartphones for payments, TaluCard’s tactile and auditory features ensure seamless authentication and secure transactions.
Over £11 million, 200 women innovators
Since launching in 2016, the Innovate UK Women in Innovation Awards have invested over £11 million in 200 women innovators and has built a vibrant community of over 10,500 women business leaders.
The awards continue to champion high-potential women business leaders from diverse backgrounds:
- 36% of the winners are from ethnic minority groups (excluding white minorities)
- 22% have long term conditions, illnesses or disabilities
- 50% have caring or parental responsibilities
Driving forward exciting products
Minister for AI, Feryal Clark, said:
From low-cost cancer treatments that could save lives through earlier diagnoses, to AI supporting our police to secure victims’ justice, this year’s Women in Innovation Awards winners are driving forward an exciting range of projects that could improve so many aspects of our lives.
It is testament to the quality of these awards that previous winners have gone on to grow their business, secure major investments and partner with organisations from Google to Disney.
It truly shows the value of Government investing in creative, women-led projects in every corner of the UK – supporting economic growth to deliver our Plan for Change.
Powerful catalyst for change
Dr Stella Peace, Interim Executive Chair of Innovate UK, said:
The Women in Innovation programme is a powerful catalyst for change, not just for the brilliant women entrepreneurs it supports, but for the entire UK innovation landscape.
By breaking down barriers and amplifying diverse voices, Innovate UK are fostering a more inclusive and dynamic ecosystem that drives progress across all sectors.
This programme is about more than funding – it’s about creating role models, building networks, and inspiring the next generation of women innovators to dream big and transform our world.
Groundbreaking women entrepreneurs
Emma Yates, cofounder of Proteotype Diagnostics. Credit: Innovate UK
Emily Nott, Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Innovate UK, said:
The Innovate UK Women in Innovation Awards spotlight the UK’s most groundbreaking women entrepreneurs.
This year’s winners have shown incredible leadership and creativity.
We’re thrilled to support them in scaling their businesses and inspiring the next wave of women innovators.
Their success stories will undoubtedly pave the way for more women to enter and thrive in the world of innovation.
High growth industries
The award winners, who represent a broad range of high growth industries, from health tech and agriculture to renewable energy and education, also span every nation and region of the UK, including:
Bridgeen Callan, KLAS-Therapeutics, Ballycastle, Northern Ireland
Developing a low-cost, non-invasive treatment for aggressive skin cancer.
KLAS-Therapeutics has unlocked photodynamic therapy for metastatic melanoma, offering hope for patients with what is considered to be the most serious type of skin cancer and the fifth most common cancer in the UK.
Daniela Mercado Beivide, Holly Health, Edinburgh
Combining psychology and technology for long-term weight management.
Her mindfulness-based platform, which addresses the psychological factors behind eating behaviours, already supports over 30,000 users across 200+ NHS GP practices, with 86% adopting healthier habits within eight weeks.
Megan Worthing-Davies, Maji Financial Wellbeing, Birmingham
Tackling the gender pension gap.
Women retire 30% poorer than men, with an average retirement income of just £12,000 per year.
Megan’s digital pension planner for women boosts financial security and reduces stress.
Louise Bray, Green Wing, Cardiff
Cutting TV production emissions with a carbon management app.
Despite ambitious net zero targets from broadcasters like SKY and the BBC, the industry lacks effective tracking.
Backed by 25 years of experience, Green Wing streamlines reporting, cuts costs and promotes greener productions, helping the industry meet its environmental goals.
Record-breaking engagement
The awards drew 1,452 applications from women business leaders, 52% up on last year.
This record-breaking engagement highlights the high demand for innovation support and potential for women-led businesses to help drive economic growth which is key to delivering this government’s plan for change.
In total, £3.75 million in government funding is being awarded, with each recipient receiving 50% more than previous years.
Women-led grant applications increasing
Recent data across all Innovate UK competitions shows that one in three successful grant applications are now led by women.
This is a significant jump from one in seven when Women in Innovation was first launched.
Previous Women in Innovation Award winners have gone on to achieve remarkable success, including:
- securing multi-million pound investments
- expanding their operations
- winning prestigious industry and royal awards
- entering international markets
- forging high-profile partnerships with organisations such as Google, Disney and the NHS
Explore all 50 of the remarkable award winners and discover how you could benefit from the programme.
Top image: Meet the 50 Women in Innovation Award winners. Credit: Innovate UK