Award categories
Breaking the Mould 2023 recognises innovative local organisations across ten award categories. Details of each award category are available below:
Health & Wellbeing Award
Award for the most innovative new healthcare product, service or process that has or will have a substantial impact on the effectiveness of the delivery of healthcare and/or wellbeing, improve the effectiveness, safety or experience of patients, healthcare professionals and/or staff in the workplace and benefit the regional economy.
Winner:
Apnea Tech Ltd (in collaboration with Keele's School of Computer Science and Mathematics)
Finalists:
- Apnea Tech Ltd (in collaboration with Keele's School of Computer Science and Mathematics)
- Dynastat Systems Ltd
- Expert Citizens CIC
- Healthcare Communication Matters
Sponsored by Thea Pharmaceuticals
Sustainable Futures Award
Award for the most innovative new sustainable and/or low carbon product, service or process that has or will have a substantial impact on carbon emissions, materials circularity and/or the protection of biodiversity. The innovation should be economically and financially sustainable and benefit the regional economy.
Winner:
Velorim Ltd
Finalists:
- EGO Technology Ltd
- Noreus
- TMT First
- Velorim Ltd
Sponsored by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council
Cultivating Talent Award
Award for the new or established business, enterprise or social enterprise that has provided the best student placement experience. This should have helped to improve the skills and attributes gained from their degree, enabled them to apply subject knowledge and theory to real-world practice, explore career options and significantly improved their chances of getting a graduate job.
Winner:
Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust
Finalists:
- Healthcare Communication Matters
- Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust
- Philip Astley Projects CIC
- Ruff & Ruby Youth Charity
- VUIT.Online
Sponsored by We Are Staffordshire
Social Inclusion Award
Award for the most innovative new product, service or process that has or will have a substantial impact on social inclusion. For example, this could be an improvement in opportunity, education, services provision, life or work experience of disadvantaged minorities or communities. The innovation should be economically and financially sustainable and could tackle an issues of inequality on a local, national or global scale.
Winner:
Expert Citizens CIC
Finalists:
- Expert Citizens CIC
- T&J Scents
- Writers for Disability
Sponsored by Synectics Solutions
Digital Futures Award
This category recognises businesses and other organisations at the forefront of innovation in digital technologies encompassing development and application. The judging panel will be looking for a strong understanding of implications of digital technologies for users, communities and society, and leadership in apply this to product and service development.
Winner:
VUIT.Online
Finalists:
- Hixon Group
- TMT First
- VUIT.Online
Sponsored by Concentric Solutions
Going for Growth Award
This award recognises the achievements of partners driving business growth, scaling up and creating high value job opportunities for the area.
Winner:
TMT First
Finalists:
- Concentric Solutions (Highly Commended)
- Robust UK
- TMT First
- VUIT.Online
- WordUnited Ltd
Sponsored by EQUANS
Entrepreneurial Student of the Year Award
An award for a Keele student or recent graduate in any discipline demonstrating promising entrepreneurial skills. This could be in a variety of contexts, including their own enterprise, curriculum-based or placement-based activities.
Please note: applications are not required for this award, as the shortlist and overall winner will be decided by the panel of judges.
Winner:
Earth Stories Film Festival
Finalists:
- Earth Stories Film Festival
- James Deaville
- Lauma Putane
Sponsored by Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce
Leading Innovation Award
An award for the individual demonstrating outstanding leadership of business innovation. This could be by taking their company or organisation through a comprehensive transformation process to enable product and service development, or leading a particular aspect of innovation such as manufacturing processes, commercial development, or leadership on skills or technical aspects of innovation.
Please note: applications are not required for this award, as the shortlist and overall winner will be decided by the panel of judges.
Winner:
River Canal Rescue
Finalists:
- Future Developments
- Hygan Products Ltd
- International Energy Crops
- ProtectaPet
- River Canal Rescue
- Semantics 21
Sponsored by Staffordshire County Council
Keele University Science and Innovation Park Company of the Year Award
Keele University is proud to host more 50 amazing businesses across its Science and Innovation Park. This award recognises those who have achieved significant milestones, growth and/or development across the past 12 months.
Please note: applications are not required for this award, as the shortlist and overall winner will be decided by the panel of judges.
Winner:
SH:24
Runner up: Socially Grown
Finalists:
- EM Resolutions
- SH:24
- Socially Grown
- Thea Pharma
Sponsored by Biocomposites
Collaboration of the Year Award
Award for the most productive Keele University-Enterprise collaboration. This should have demonstrably brought together the different contributions of academia and enterprise, in an innovative and impactful project that has the potential to deliver benefits to the region, nation or globally. The winner will be poised to thrive in the coming years and be resilient to the challenges of climate change, social inclusion, growing healthcare needs and rapid technological change. An ambassador for the University, our region and the future.
Please note: applications are not required for this award, as the shortlist and overall winner will be decided by the panel of judges.
Winner:
TMT First
Finalists:
- Concentric Solutions
- Expert Citizens CIC
- Nurture CIC (part of Mondrem Group)
- TMT First
Sponsored by Charles River