Shortlist Gallery

High-Impact Innovator of the Year

Sponsored by
FlexEnable

FlexEnable has developed and patented a complete manufacturing process for flexible displays and flexible Liquid Crystal cells on bioplastic films using a low energy manufacturing process undertaken entirely at under 100°C in existing display factories, using our organic semiconductor materials and process IP.

Having developed the platform for manufacturing flexible Organic LCDs, a recent advancement in response to market need has enabled us to apply the technology to a new application area – smart tintable films. These active optical films (LC Cells), just 100 microns thick, extremely lightweight and can modulate light transmission from as low as 1% transmission to up to 75% or more and are switchable between different levels of tint in milliseconds. Applications for this included automotive smart windows and AR/VR optics.

The killer breakthrough is that it has developed a process for 3D biaxially forming these LC cells – a unique capability. Whereas other flexible electronics may be able to be curved around a cylinder or a cone (so called ‘uniaxial bend’), we can go a step further, by thermoforming the LC cells around biaxially curved surfaces such as a sphere or other surface with complex curvature. Many real-world surfaces have such biaxial curvature – including all car windows and car interior surfaces, the lenses in glasses, visors, other fixed optics used in AR/VR headsets. Our OEM/brand partners include major global brands, and we concurrently transfer the process to existing Asian displays makers with production for first applications commencing later this year. With over 700 patents, FlexEnable supplies manufacturing process IP licensing and organic semiconductor materials to display makers, enabling a new range of flexible large area electronics to be manufactured in their existing FPD lines, unleashing product design options unimaginable until now across a $100Bn addressable market.

FuelActive

Diesel fuel contamination is a global problem that costs heavy-equipment operators £Billions every year in increased maintenance charges and reduced operating efficiency. Fuel contamination is the single largest cause of machine downtime, causing 85 percent of diesel-powered equipment breakdowns.

Today’s diesel engines are far more sophisticated than the older models that powered yesterday’s equipment. Because diesel fuel tanks are vented, the most common contaminants found on worksites—water, dirt, rust and metal—enter the fuel system and settle at the bottom of the tank. To make matters worse, condensation, dirty fuel and bad housekeeping can exacerbate the problem.

A static pick-up pipe located at the bottom of the tank—in the sediment zone—draws fuel from the tank and feeds it through the fuel line to fuel injectors in the engine. Water separators and fuel filters attempt to clean the fuel, but the process is ineffective and fails to address the root of the problem.

The FuelActive fuel pick-up unit addresses the problem at its source. It utilizes a floating pick-up device that draws fuel from the upper level of the tank where it’s clean and bypasses the water and sediment at the bottom of the tank. This ensures that only clean fuel will be fed into the engine. The FuelActive fuel pick-up unit is the first line of defense against contaminated diesel fuel and the harm it can cause to diesel engines.

FuelActive is the only product on the market today that solves the problem of fuel contamination at its source—in the fuel tank. Further, it is the only method of fuel delivery that eliminates the effects of fuel contamination and enables diesel engines to be supplied with the cleanest fuel available.

Innovative Physics

Innovative Physics Ltd (IPL) is a world-renowned, award-winning research and development company specialising in evolving technologies including sensor technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and pattern recognition principally in the nuclear, homeland security and medical sectors.

The team of 18 highly qualified physicists and engineers, with a combined experience of 90+ years in the technology and innovation industry, works with foreign governments and business leaders across Asia, Europe, Canada and the USA. They have been involved in many significant, wide-ranging projects, from developing products and systems, aiding nuclear decontamination, identifying security risks at airports, to developing techniques that will help speed up the process of detecting cancer. They have also, more recently, worked in both the AgriTech and Oil Industries on new applications of their technologies and skills.

IPL offers both consultancy support and custom, modular, flexible technology to customers and collaborators based on innovative AI and sensor solutions. Initially creating handheld radiation dosimeters (detectors), IPL has since developed an extensive portfolio of products and technologies, which includes its range of radiation imaging systems known as "Hot Spot Locators" (HSL).

Tunley Engineering

Tunley Engineering: Engineering a Decarbonised Future

Tunley Engineering has three core services; Engineering Department Improvement & Recovery, Training and Carbon Assessments. Uniquely balanced these three services support a diverse economy, the first two services target companies that design what they Manufacture, the latter, Carbon Assessments targets all organisations. Our mission is for “every organisation to be actively decarbonising their operations”, consequently our Carbon Assessments can support a Solicitors Practice all the way through to a Global Pharmaceutical company.

Our Engineering Department Assessments are perfectly suited to organisations with an Engineering Design Department with a headcount of more than 10 and a Turnover in excess of £7m, in general this service covers Mechanical, Electrical and heavy industries. Everything we do is focused on making Engineering Teams more effective and easier to manage. We help companies achieve tangible competitive advantage that doesn’t cost the earth.

Through Tunley Engineering’s years of experience and expertise we have developed a series of Carbon specific and Engineering training courses. What makes these courses totally unique is the practical, real life examples shared, not just of what works well, but the issues that arise when things are done wrong – and how to avoid them.

Our high-quality Carbon Assessments are designed to help create a real sustainable difference. Our team of expert carbon consultants help great businesses around the world reduce their Carbon Footprint. Providing expert knowledge, assessment, planning, delivery and support, we help companies reduce and offset carbon emissions to help create a better tomorrow for everyone.