UCL Business supports the UCL Enterprise Awards 2008

UCL Business and UCL Consultants were delighted to sponsor key awards at the UCL Enterprise Awards 2008 on May 1st.  Hosted by UCL Advances on behalf of UCL, this was the first annual Enterprise Awards to honour the spirit of entrepreneurship and the achievements of business innovators at UCL.

The event  marked the accomplishments of a new generation of entrepreneurs and innovators with UCL’s inaugural Enterprise Awards Presentation, held in the UCL Bloomsbury Theatre.

Prizes were presented to students and staff honoured for their work in the development of businesses based on research carried out at UCL. A wide range of departments were represented, from Philosophy to Biochemistry and Computer Science.

The idea behind the awards is to recognise the successes of UCL’s academics and students, and encourage others to get involved in the future.

The UCL Business and UCL Consultants Awards were especially exciting, showcasing some of the best spin-out activity and explaining how UCL Consultants can have profound benefits on clients’ research.

The UCL Business 2007 Award went to Professor Owen Epstein (Royal Free and University College Medical School) for his breakthrough work on Medic-to-Medic, an innovative idea that has revolutionised clinical Best Practice in the NHS and has generated millions of pounds in revenue.

The UCL Business 2008 Award was given to Professor Gordon Blunn (Institute of Orthopedics & Musculoskeletal Science) for his breakthrough work at Stanmore Implants Worldwide, where revolutionary solutions to orthopedic implants has developed into a multimillion pound business.

The UCL Consultants Award 2008 went to Professor Stefaan Simons (UCL Chemical Engineering) for his outstanding work in helping a major pharmaceutical / FMCG company resolve a longstanding technical headache with a high volume product line, saving the client time and resources and helping them maintain their competitive position in the market.

The evening showcased several student projects that have demonstrated exceptional entrepreneurial flair,  early stage projects with promise, and a special honour, Entrepreneurial Spirit Award 2008 for Professor Alan Penn, (Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment) for his exceptional entrepreneurial spirit in establishing Space Syntax, his help in establishing UCL Consultants Ltd. and his enormous effort in securing the £5m Urban Buzz programme for ‘Building sustainable communities’ under the HEFCE Higher Education Innovation Fund competitive bid amongst others.

The Provost and President of UCL, Professor Malcom Grant, was delighted: “Innovation and entrepreneurship are integral to universities. Since UCL’s inception, it has been unafraid to foster new, and sometimes radical, ideas. It is this spirit that has led to the many achievements of UCL’s academics, students and alumni. Entrepreneurship involves risk and UCL is unique among UK institutions in its understanding of this.”

Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCL Business, said, “UCL Business is delighted to recognise entrepreneurship at UCL. The spirit of entrepreneurship at UCL has a long track record and we encourage all UCL staff and students to contact UCL Business to discuss commercial potentials for their ideas or inventions.”

For full details of all awards and winners, including short films about each of the projects, visit: UCL Advances