The annual event, now in its tenth year, brought together 150 guests including business leaders, researchers, academics, funders, policymakers and innovation partners.
The awards celebrate collaborations between University of Essex researchers and businesses which have helped to increase efficiency, improve performance and strengthen financial sustainability for partners.
Award winners on the night included, Colchester art gallery We Are The Minories, exotic fruit and vegetables manufacturers Wealmoor, water purification specialists Lubron and digital family support firm MOLO.
There was also individual recognition for Essex staff Dr Marta Fernandez de Arroyabe and Weilin Zhang who were awarded Best Academic and Rising Star respectively.
Essex’s Vice Chancellor Professor Frances Bowen, said “Essex’s business partnerships continue to lead to new and innovative ways of working; something that perfectly demonstrates how universities are so much more than just a place for education and research.
“It’s these collaborations and ideas that are helping to drive economic growth and reshape the way businesses work for the better.
“This year’s Celebration of Innovation showcased the wonderful work that has been taking place between our academics and business leaders throughout the last year. I would like to congratulate all the winners on the night and thank all of our brilliant staff and academics who make these business collaborations such a success.”
There were also speeches from founder of 292 Performance Dr Ben Rosenblatt on Innovation in Sport and Holly Leonard, Head of Business Engagement, University of Essex chaired a ‘Innovation Ask Me Anything’ panel discussion which featured former Knowledge Transfer Partnership Associates.
This included Dr Anasol Peña-Rios, BT Group Engineer specialising in AI, digital twins and immersive technologies, Dr Tuba Gokpinar, Impact and Evaluation Manager at Pursuing Independent Paths (PiP) and Dr Sathish Sankarpandi, Head of AI at Orbital Global Group and winner of Outstanding Associate of the Year award 2019.
The Winners
Best Partnership Award (Large Organisation)
Successfully shifting Egyptian green bean imports from air freight to sea freight, Wealmoor transformed a key part of its international supply chain with support from academic experts within Essex Business School.
The project reduced transport emissions, lowered waste and improved profitability while strengthening relationships with growers and suppliers. Building on these results, the collaboration has created a scalable approach to lower-carbon sourcing that can be applied across international fresh produce supply chains.
Best Partnership Award (SME)
In collaboration with University of Essex researchers, Lubron transformed how industrial water treatment systems are monitored and maintained through IoT-enabled technologies and connected devices.
Solutions that support predictive maintenance, improve performance monitoring and reduce operational costs. Recognised as Outstanding by Innovate UK, the work has strengthened the company's innovation capability and created a scalable platform for future growth.
Best Partnership Award (Public or Third Sector Organisation)
At the heart of Colchester's creative community, The Minories has strengthened its financial sustainability while expanding opportunities for local artists and residents through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the University of Essex.
New income streams, increased support for local artists and expanded community activities have driven growth across workshops, memberships, retail and venue hire. The result is a more resilient organisation delivering lasting cultural and social value for local communities.
Best Short Project Award
MOLO partnered with the University of Essex to tackle the often-overlooked mental and emotional pressures of modern parenting. Together, they developed an evidence-led framework that informs MOLO's AI-powered FamilyOS platform and helps parents navigate family life more effectively. The project has already generated more than 1,700 waitlist sign-ups, secured investment and earned a place in Google for Startups.
Academic of the Year Award - Dr Marta Fernandez de Arroyabe
Helping organisations navigate the opportunities and challenges of AI-driven digital transformation, Dr Marta Fernandez de Arroyabe, Deputy Director of the Institute for Analytics and Data Science, has established herself as a leading voice in cybersecurity, innovation and SME growth.
Through her leadership of innovation and consultancy projects, Marta has supported organisations across a wide range of sectors to strengthen cyber resilience, improve digital capability and adopt emerging technologies with confidence. Alongside shaping national conversations on cybersecurity and digital governance, her internationally recognised research has strengthened the University's reputation as a trusted partner in helping organisations thrive in an increasingly digital world.
Rising Star Award - Weilin Zhang (Entopy)
Tackling one of the biggest challenges in deploying AI within critical infrastructure, Weilin has developed an innovative approach to generating realistic synthetic data for model training in data-scarce environments.
Through her KTP with Entopy, Weilin has advanced the company's AI micromodel technology, overcoming key technical barriers and creating capabilities with potential applications far beyond the original project.
Her research is now being developed for publication and forms part of her PhD at the University, reflecting the technical excellence, curiosity and drive that have already secured her a permanent role with the company.
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