The winners of the inaugural Wales STEM Awards were announced on Thursday 12th November at a virtual awards ceremony hosted by Sian Lloyd.
The awards were launched last year in a bid to recognise the innovative STEM work being undertaken in Wales, address the diversity gap and skills shortage, and inspire and raise the aspirations of the next generation.
The ceremony saw finalists from across all parts of Wales compete for 15 awards in a variety of different categories, ranging from STEM Start-Up of the Year to STEM Leader of the Year.
Head judge Dr Louise Bright, founder of the Wales Women in STEM network, said: “We would like to offer a huge congratulations all of the winners of the very first Wales STEM Awards.
“The calibre of those nominated for the awards was second to none and we were overwhelmed by the number of entries we received.
“We would also like to congratulate all of those who were shortlisted, we really feel that all of the finalists represent some of the most progressive organisations and individuals at the forefront of STEM innovation in Wales.
“We are very much looking forward to the future of the Wales STEM Awards and the future of the STEM sector in Wales.”
Lorna Bolton, from headline sponsor, The GS Verde Group, said: “The GS Verde Group were delighted to support the inaugural Wales STEM Awards as headline sponsor.
As a multi-discipline professional services business, we have supported many STEM businesses in their growth, and have a sector dedicated team which spans all divisions of our group.
“The awards have shown the STEM industries in Wales to be in fantastic shape, and we look forward to seeing the industry go from strength to strength in the years to come.
Congratulations to the organisers, all the shortlisted businesses and of course the winners.”
Co-Founder Liz Brookes of Grapevine Event Management said: “While it was a shame that we weren’t able to celebrate the awards in person, we are extremely happy that we were able to celebrate virtually. I would like to offer a huge congratulations to all of the winners and to all of those shortlisted. Your work is incredibly important, and we thank you for your contributions to STEM in Wales.
“When we launched the awards at the tail end of 2019, we could never have predicted that a global pandemic would scupper our event plans, while at the same time, shine a global spotlight on the importance of STEM in our lives.
“In the last year, science has allowed researchers to study the virus, technology has allowed us to work from home effectively, engineering has enabled us to build ventilators and convert buildings into hospitals, and mathematical modelling has helped the government and health professionals look at the spread and potential impact of the virus.
“Not only have STEM skills been vital in the fight against the virus, but they will continue to be essential as we recover from the crisis and we’re proud to be shining a spotlight on our innovators in Wales.”
The Wales STEM Awards, co-founded by communications agency jamjar and Grapevine Event Management, were supported by headline sponsors GS Verde Group, which comprises law firm Greenaway Scott, corporate finance boutique Verde Corporate Finance, and patent attorney firm Alchemie IP.
Other sponsors included Box UK, Business News Wales, Cardiff Metropolitan University, CPS Group, Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult, Development Bank of Wales, Haus, Rolls-Royce, and Valero.
The nominated charity partner for the awards was Cancer Research Wales, which is dedicated to developing life-changing treatments, diagnostic techniques, and research for people with cancer.
The winners of the Wales STEM Awards:
Innovation in Science
Genesis Biosciences
Innovation in Technology
Bond Digital Health
Innovation in Engineering
Cadarn Consulting Engineers
Innovation in Maths
Companies House
STEM Environmental Initiative of the Year
Genesis Biosciences
STEM Educational Programme of the Year
Office for National Statistics
STEM International Business of the Year
Concrete Canvas
STEM Start-Up of the Year
Bombora Wave Power Europe
STEM Scale-Up of the Year
CatSci
STEM Rising Star of the Year
CGI IT UK – Charles Jones
STEM Woman of the Year
Intellectual Property Office – Hazel Thorpe
STEM Leader of the Year
Confused.com – Louise O’Shea
STEM company of the Year (0-25 employees)
Aspire 2Be
STEM company (26-250 employees)
Concrete Canvas
STEM (251+ employees)
CGI IT UK
Highly Commended
STEM (251+ employees)
Tata Steel
STEM Woman of the Year
Wajiha Afsar, Atkins
STEM Educational Programme of the Year
Dragon LNG
STEM Start-up of the Year
Nightingale HQ
Ends
For more information contact Ellé Holley at jamjar on 01446 771265 or email elle@jamjar.agency