From the creation of new polymers to the use of AI and deep learning to monitor railway tunnels, the Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Best of the Best awards have recognised exceptional outcomes from industry-academic partnerships supported through the highly-valued KTP programme.

The new awards celebrate the strength and diversity of impact made possible with Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs). The awards were judged on criteria including business growth, innovation, transformative change and team and individual contributions.

KTPs are 3-way partnerships between UK businesses, academic teams and qualified postgraduates that support advances in business-led innovation through greater use of knowledge, technology and skills.

Best KTP partnership

The winner of the Best KTP Partnership award is GeckoTech Solutions, Glasgow Caledonian University and associate Dr Mark Jenkins. GeckoTech developed new means of structural condition monitoring through the development of computer vision, signal processing and machine learning.

The other finalists were:

• Toffeln from Bristol, the University of Salford and associate Jenny Anderson, creating a mass customisation strategy for workplace footwear
• Gloucester Wildlife Trust, the University of the West of England and associate Dr Gemma Jerome, using green infrastructure and a whole-life integrated approach to new commercial products

Engineering excellence

The winner of the Engineering Excellence Award is LMK Thermosafe from Haverhill, which entered a KTP with Queen Mary, University of London and associate Harshit Powal to develop novel conductive polymer composites.

The other finalists were:

• Spirent Communications from West Sussex, with the University of Bath and associate Dr Talini Pinto Jayawardena, developing satellite systems with a new threat simulation capabilities
• Geckotech Solutions from Edinburgh, Glasgow Caledonian University and associate Dr Mark Jenkins

Business impact

The winner of the Business Impact Award is specialist ticket company BemroseBooth Paragon from, the University of Hull and associate Haydn Ward, who refined the technology for producing information-storing magnetic strips on tickets.

Business Impact finalists were:

• Principle Healthcare from Skipton, the University of Bradford and associate Dr Suyog Aher, researching in-house granulation technology for the company’s nutritional supplements
• Recycling Lives from Preston, the University of Central Lancashire and associate Dr Ala Khodie devised a process to transform residue from automotive landfill waste into electrical energy

Outstanding contribution

Finally, the winner for Outstanding Contribution from a Knowledge Base KTP Support team was Queen’s University Belfast.

The finalists were:

Best future innovator

The Best Future Innovator winners were previously announced, and include:

• Simon Kingston, EventMap, and the University of Nottingham
• Sean Howson, Mainstream Instruments, and the University of Huddersfield
• Ryan Jessop, Clicksco UK, and Durham University
• Radovan Gallo, Sarissa Biomedical, and Aston University
• Xiaojing Zhu, RGH Rubber & Plastics, and the University of Hertfordshire

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The Defence Secretary has announced the fourth Dreadnought submarine as HMS King George VI ahead of a special service at Westminster Abbey today to recognise the Royal Navy’s Continuous at Sea Deterrent (CASD) over the past 50 years.

Since April 1969, a Royal Navy ballistic missile submarine has patrolled every single day, without interruption, providing the nation’s deterrent and helping keep the UK and our allies safe. This is the UK’s longest sustained military operation ever undertaken and is known as Operation Relentless.

Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt said:

Operation Relentless has seen generations of submariners from HMS Resolution to HMS Vengeance on constant watch, for every minute of every day for the last five decades. This is the longest military operation we have ever undertaken and continues right this minute deep under the sea.

We pay tribute to those incredible crews, their supportive families, the Royal Navy and the thousands of industry experts who will continue to sustain this truly national endeavour for many years to come.

CASD50 provides a chance to not only remember the national endeavour of the past half century but to look to the next-generation of ballistic missile submarines, the Dreadnought class. This will consist of four boats helping to ensure the security of generations to come. The Dreadnought-class are expected to enter service in the early 2030s, helping to maintain Operation Relentless.

Prior to the service at Westminster Abbey, First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Philip Jones, announced that HMS King George VI will now join HMS Dreadnought, Valiant and Warspite as the fourth Dreadnought submarine. HMS King George VI makes history as it will become the first naval vessel to bear that royal title. King George VI had strong naval connections having spent time at the Royal Naval College, Osbourne followed by Dartmouth. He then went on to earn a mention in despatches for his service on HMS Collingwood during the Battle of Jutland.

First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Philip Jones said:

For half a century, the Royal Navy has always had at least one ballistic missile submarine at sea on patrol, safeguarding the ultimate guarantor of our country’s security – and that of our NATO allies too. Today, as we pause to reflect on the significance of this 50-year milestone in our proud history of submarine operations, and the national endeavour that underpins it, we are also looking to our future.

Today’s announcement that the fourth of our future ballistic missile submarine fleet will be named HMS King George VI follows a long tradition of naming capital ships after our country’s monarchs; together with her sisters Dreadnought, Valiant and Warspite these submarines represent the cutting edge of underwater capability and will meet the awesome challenge of continuous at sea deterrence into the second half of the 21st century.

It is estimated that around 30,000 people are involved in building and supporting nuclear submarines across the UK. Maintaining this skilled workforce helps to invest millions of pounds into local communities and ensures the UK continues to boast a highly-skilled workforce in this sector.

Read more about CASD50