Judges

As CEO until April 2025, Martin led the strategic direction of the Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult head quartered in Newport. The Catapult is one of nine centres across the UK with a mission to drive growth within its sector, act as a neutral convenor between Academia, Government and Industry, provide specialist expertise and drive sector specific skills agenda. Under his leadership, the Catapult built a passion around STEM and skills development, was a partner with UKESF in the highly successful “Spark their imagination, power their future” programme that delivered critical insights to the opportunities for young people in Semiconductors. Martin was recently commended for the Catapult’s partnership with UKESF. That partnership included the “Girls into Electronics” programme that was subsequently sponsored by Apple.

Martin brings a wealth of global expertise in sales and engineering working with customers in North America, Europe and Asia.

From 2003 to 2025 Martin was a member of the Industrial Advisory Board of the School of Engineering at Cardiff University and is deeply passionate about building communities, particularly locally, where he contributed in helping build the world’s first compound semiconductor cluster. A true native of south Wales, having been born, raised, educated and worked in the region, he remains passionate about the potential of its young people.

Dayne is an expert in innovation funding programmes, including Horizon Europe and Innovate UK. He previously worked within the Research & Innovation departments at Cardiff Metropolitan University and University of Wales Trinity St David, before Co-Founding RedKnight in 2015. Since then, RedKnight has supported over 230 funding applications, helping client’s source over £24m of innovation funding. In 2019, Dayne was shortlisted for the NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Award and named on Wales Online’s 35 under 35 businessmen of the year.

Jack established the Pontus Group in 2014, driven by a vision to enhance the sustainability of the global aquaculture industry through cutting-edge private research. The company’s presence extends across research facilities in Wales and Singapore, a testament to Jack’s global perspective gained through his PhD from Swansea University and prior work in Madagascar and Malta. A passionate advocate for STEM, Jack proudly led his team to become the 2024 STEM Award winners, following previous finalist recognition in 2022 and 2023.

Liz founded Grapevine Event Management in 2011 and it is now one of the most well recognised corporate events companies in Wales delivering high quality creative and innovative events. Liz is one of the co-founders of the Wales STEM Awards. Speaking about the awards Liz has said “while there is some great work being done to champion STEM in Wales, there was nothing being done to shine the spotlight on this work to inspire the next generation. These Awards aim to do this, by bringing the business community together for the first time to recognise those entrepreneurial and innovative ventures that are making a difference to the STEM sector.”

Lyndsey is the founder of creative communications agency jamjar and co-founder of the Wales STEM Awards. She has over a decade of experience working with clients across a range of sectors in Wales and specialises in developing top-level communication and brand strategies. Over the last eight years, she has led jamjar to win over 20 awards for its work from its industry bodies – the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and the Chartered Institute of Marketing.