Collection

Celebrating success: SME innovation awards 2016

This collection introduces the winners and shortlisted companies in Innovate UK's 2016 SME innovation awards and highlights their stories.

Published 26 October 2016

• From: Innovate UK

Successful innovation by 18 British companies has been recognised in Innovate UK’s second SME innovation awards.

The awards aim to recognise examples of innovation excellence among the projects funded by Innovate UK. The awards celebrate projects and companies that demonstrate the impact of innovation on business growth and driving the economy, and can inspire others.

They were presented in Parliament by Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation and hosted by Damian Collins MP for Folkestone and Hythe.

There are 4 categories:

• innovation leading to business transformation
• innovation leading to new markets
• innovation leading to productivity improvement
• innovation attracting investment

See below for the stories of all the shortlisted companies.

Innovation leading to business transformation

1. Amfax: laser technology improves quality control

   • 25 October 2016
   • Case study

2. Delta Motorsport: low carbon technologies help business to grow

   • 25 October 2016
   • Case study

3. Gaist: firm quadruples staff thanks to roads management system

   • 25 October 2016
   • Case study

4. PAB Coventry: new metal techniques bring big rise in turnover

   • 25 October 2016
   • Case study

5. Red Ninja: business transformed after taking part in challenge

   • 24 October 2016
   • Case study

6. Transvac: game-changing technology opens $2 billion global market

   • 25 October 2016
   • Case study

Innovation leading to new markets

1. Barrnon Ltd: business opens new market in nuclear decommissioning

   • 25 October 2016
   • Case study

2. Phynova: firm targets global markets with novel food ingredient

   • 25 October 2016
   • Case study

3. Sunamp: firm takes new battery technology to vehicle market

   • 25 October 2016
   • Case study

4. Taranto: R&D helps business save £100,000 and attract customers

   • 25 October 2016
   • Case study

Innovation leading to productivity improvement

1. Gordon Murray: Formula One design comes to mass car production

   • 25 October 2016
   • Case study

2. Isansys: demand grows for wireless patient monitoring system

   • 25 October 2016
   • Case study

3. Mech-Tool Engineering: partnership brings savings and business

   • 25 October 2016
   • Case study

4. Saturn Bioponics: novel growing system quadruples crop yield

   • 24 October 2016
   • Case study

Innovation attracting investment

1. Dearman: clean and cold power firm attracts more than £16 million

   • 25 October 2016
   • Case study

2. Impression Technologies: firm attracts £6 million for new plant

   • 25 October 2016
   • Case study

3. Improbable: digital firm raises $20 million from US backers

   • 25 October 2016
   • Case study

4. PragmatiC: business wins major investment for flexible circuits

   • 25 October 2016
   • Case study

5. Phasefocus: revolutionary lens attracts £9.6 million investment

   • 25 October 2016
   • Case study

Published 26 October 2016