Innovator of the year

The call for applications is closed

Next application deadline: TBC

This competition recognises and rewards individuals and small teams who have harnessed the potential of their excellent research.

The competition has three categories:

Commercial
Social
Most promising

It is designed to recognise the full breadth of impacts that BBSRC-funded research can have.

Winners in each category will receive a £10,000 award, with a further £5,000 for the overall winner. In addition we will award £15,000 to the overall winner's department.

The awards will be presented at a high-profile event in London in March 2013 in front of an invited audience of leading figures from the worlds of investment, industry, government, charity and academia.

Eligibility

The competition is open to all BBSRC-funded scientists, including:

"These awards recognise the impact of bioscience both on the economy and society, through driving innovation, training highly-skilled people, improving businesses and public services and attracting foreign investment."
Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts

Postgraduate and postdoctoral scientists funded by BBSRC through a studentship, fellowship or research grant
Principal investigators in universities who have been an applicant or co-applicant on a research grant funded by BBSRC or a BBSRC-funded fellowship
Scientists in institutes receiving strategic funding from BBSRC who, over the preceding five years, have received BBSRC funding through a core strategic grant, institute strategic programme grant, research grant or fellowship

For team entries, the majority of the team should meet the above entry requirements.

For all entries, applicants must demonstrate the connection between their BBSRC-funded research and the innovation.

How to apply

Applications should be submitted using the application form. This form and further information are available below.

Submit your application via e-mail to impact.awards@bbsrc.ac.uk.

Application downloads

Application timeline

Nomination deadline	21 September 2012
Application deadline	14 November 2012
Proposals shortlisted	15 January 2013
Judging interviews	19 March 2013
Award event	20 March 2013

Assessment

An assessment panel will select the best applications under the following 3 categories:

Commercial innovator
Social innovator
Most promising innovator

Selected applications will progress to the competition final. They will be assessed by a separate judging panel who will choose the winners of each category. One of those winners will be the overall Innovator of the Year.

Previous awards

2013

Overall winner:
Dr Ryan Donnelly

Commercial innovator: Dr Anna Hine

Social innovator:
Dr Simon Gubbins, Professor Peter Mertens, Dr Carrie Batten

Most promising innovator: Dr Ryan Donnelly

Dr Donnelly said: "I'm delighted and very surprised. I knew for a contest like this there was going to be very strong competition. To win something like this at such an early stage of my career, well it's the highlight of my career, it really is."

2012

Overall winner: Professor George Lomonossoff

Commercial innovator: Professor Jim Murray

Social innovator: Professor Russell Foster

Most promising innovator: Professor George Lomonossoff

Professor Lomonossoff expressed his delight at winning, saying: "You want to hope but you don't dare. It's a big surprise; rather like winning an Oscar."

2011

Overall winner: Professor Jason Swedlow

Commercial innovator: Professor Chris Lowe

Social innovator: Professor Jason Swedlow

Most promising innovator: Professor Keith Waldron

Professor Swedlow said: "It is a great honour to accept this award. The support we have received from BBSRC, as well as the Wellcome Trust, during the early stages of the research has been invaluable. Our vision has always been to create a global standard for imaging software and the community that has grown up around the open source development is extraordinary. In reality I am receiving this award on behalf of a large group of extremely talented people who share a common commitment to innovation through team work, collaboration and the process of creating something new and exciting as a community."

2010

Overall winner: Professor Shankar Balasubramanian

Commercial innovator: Professor Shankar Balasubramanian

Social innovator: Professor Dave Goulson

Most promising innovator: Dr Michael McArthur

Professor Balasubramanian said: "I am delighted to accept the award of BBSRC Innovator of the Year and I do so on behalf of many people who have made important contributions at many stages of the Solexa project. I would particularly like to acknowledge my departmental colleague, Prof David Klenerman, who I co-founded Solexa with in 1998.

"None of this would have happened without the support of BBSRC. Their backing was essential for the blue skies research that gave rise to our original inventions. The continued funding of fundamental science by BBSRC will be an essential part of future enterprises and ultimately, wealth creation."

2009

Winner:
Professor Stephen Jackson

Runner-up:
Dr Luke Alphey

Runner-up:
Professor Jeff Errington

Professor Jackson said: "It's a tremendous honour to receive this prestigious award. It really reflects that science, like that funded by BBSRC in my group over the years can yield both exciting science and commercial and social applications. I think this award is a showcase for how funding of science by BBSRC is able to provide major tangible benefits not only the UK science base but also the biotech and pharmaceutical industries."