RSC Innovation Awards to Spotlight Special Talents

The Royal Society of Chemistry launches its Industry and Technology Forum Innovation Awards 2006.  

There are three prestigious awards annually of £4000 to reward, promote and support innovation in the chemical sciences. 

2005 Entrepreneur of the Year, Matthew Baker, who founded the company DNA Research Innovations eight years ago and sold it to the world's largest life sciences organisation, Invitrogen, for $65 million said of the awards:

 "It's great to have recognition and gain a higher profile for chemistry based projects at all levels from the bench to the investment community. I hope this award will inspire and motivate other scientists to see their ideas through to commercial success".

The awards categories are: Teamwork in Innovation (Recognition of innovative collaborations); Chemistry World Entrepreneur of the Year (Recognition of an individual's contribution to the commercialisation of research in chemistry); Creativity in Industry (Lifetime achievement award). 

The Teamwork in Innovation award 2005 went to Epichem for its work with Liverpool University in developing innovative precursors and processes for use in integrated circuit manufacture,

"The award recognises a long history of collaborative research at the leading edge of precursors development" said Barry Leese, Managing Director of Epichem.

"Both organisations appreciate the credibility given to the partnership and this award brings." 

Melanie Washington, RSC Industry Executive, said: "These awards really help to highlight the wealth of creativity and innovation in the chemical sciences today and raise the profile of the smaller companies who are driving the UK chemicals sector into the future."

Related links

• Chemistry World Entrepreneur of the Year 2006