From ground-breaking developments in energy systems to key advances in defence, low carbon mobility and healthcare technology this year’s shortlist is an inspiring reminder of both the UK’s depth of engineering talent and the role that engineers are playing in addressing some of the biggest challenges we face.
Spanning nine categories - including energy & environment, aerospace & defence, automotive, manufacturing, data, and healthcare technology - the full list of shortlisted entries for this year’s competition can be viewed here.
The ultimate winners will be revealed at a special party in London on the evening of Thursday 27th February 2025 and covered extensively in The Engineer magazine.
Now in its ninth year, Collaborate to Innovate (C2I) was launched to uncover and celebrate great examples of engineering collaboration – a dynamic considered critical to solving many of the challenges and problems faced by society.
Commenting on this year’s finalists, Editor of The Engineer Jon Excell added: “Once again, the Collaborate to Innovate awards has uncovered a truly incredible crop of innovative projects and initiatives from across the world of engineering. Between them, this year’s shortlisted finalists, provide a compelling illustration of the role that UK engineers are playing at the forefront of some of the most critical technology developments of our times.”
The competition is judged by a prestigious panel of leading UK engineers and supported by organisations including Babcock International Group, Lucideon, Med-Tech, Hays Recruitment, Schneider Electric, Engineering UK and EPSRC. This year’s charity partner is SheCanEngineer, a charity working to close the gender gap in engineering industries.
CLICK HERE OR SEE BELOW FOR THIS YEAR'S SHORTLIST
Aerospace & Defence
ASCEND - Aerospace and Automotive Supply Chain Enabled Development
GKN Aerospace with Airborne, Assyst Bulmer, Cygnet Texkimp, Syensqo, DES Composites, FAR-UK, Hexcel, Hive Composites, LMAT, Loop Technology, McLaren Automotive, National Composites Centre, Rafinex, Sigmatex, and Axillium Research
DragonFire
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) with MBDA, Qinetiq and Leonardo
Kratos
Solus Power with Qinetiq
Project Skymast
SPL (Stratospheric Platforms Ltd) with Britten Norman, Marshall, Cambridge Consultants, BT
Smarter Testing - Data-driven Virtual+Real testing platform
Airbus Operations Ltd, Dassault Systemes
Automotive
eVITA - an inclusive electric wheelchair accessible vehicle (eWAV)
Motability Operations with Callum
Project Jolt
Centre for Sustainable Road Freight, University of Cambridge, Heriot Watt University
Secondmind and Mazda accelerate engine calibration with advanced AI
Secondmind, Mazda Motor Corporation
Solus Power
Solus Power with Qinetiq
Energy and Environment
Aftrak – a scalable, affordable, reliable microgrid solution to revolutionise energy access and agriculture in Africa
Loughborough University with The Consortium for Battery Innovation, Tiyeni and Clarios
AGRI-SATT (Agricultural Growth using Remote-sensing, IoT, Satellite and Autonomous Telecommand Technology)
Brilliant Planet with Platinum Electrical Engineering Limited, University of Southampton, Scottish association for marine science, Efficient documents, Chelsea technologies, Clearwater sensors, AVEVA and Schneider Electric
HARRIER – towards constant beamed energy from space
Space Solar with International Electric Company Limited,Queens University Belfast, WaveRF and Jaltek
Hyperuniform Disordered Metasurfaces for Selective Absorbers
University of Surrey with University of Bristol, University of Northumbria, Humboldt University Berlin, Imperial College London, University of Washington, AES Solar, Arkenlight Limited, Etaphase Inc and JX Crystals
PRISMA; Advanced Liquid Air Energy Storage technology
Innovatium with the University of Birmingham, Aggregate Industries and City University of London
Solar-Powered Air Conditioning System Using PCM Energy Storage (PCM-ACStore)
University of Nottingham with Phase Change Material Products Ltd and Rubitec Nigeria Ltd
Healthcare & Medical
Development of technologies for single and sub-cellular biomarker analysis
University of Surrey with Yokogawa, ThermoFisher, Ionoptika Ltd, Waters, IotaSciences, Pirbright Institute,Kings College London, UCL, GSK, NPL, University of Manchester, AZ, University of Liverpool
Musculoskeletal conditions – from research to solutions
Imperial College London with Save the Children UK , GO Assistive Technology, Biomex Ltd, Smart Surgical Solutions, American University of Beirut in Lebanon, University of Moratuwa in Sri Lanka, University of Rwanda, University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda, Hamad Hospital and Islamic University of Gaza, Cambodian School of Prosthetics and Orthotics, Exceed Worldwide, Cukurova University in Türkiye, Child Wellness Centre, NHS Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Stanmore
Nura Stroke Rehabilitation sleeve
Brunel University London with Reneural (formerly known as CardioCrown), Different Strokes and Hillingdon Hospital
SimLevator
Brunel University London with Brunel University London, Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy (POGP), Everything Natal
The Children’s Adaptive Deep brain stimulation for Epilepsy Trial (‘CADET’)
Department of Neurosurgery - Great Ormond Street Hospital with Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oxford, Medical Research Council Brain Network Dynamics Unit, University of Oxford, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, Amber Therapeutics Ltd, UK
Data & Connectivity
Deployment of ZOE - AI enabled search, detection and tracking technology for the maritime domain
Zelim with Valaris
Mine Water Heat Project
The Mining Remidiation Authority (formerly known as The Coal Authority)with Ordnance Survey
Neural Network IP Protection through Functionality Locking
Synoptix Limited with Kings College London
Project Jolt
Centre for Sustainable Road Freight with University of Cambridge and Heriot Watt University
Project Skymast
SPL (Stratospheric Platforms Ltd) with Britten Norman, Marshall, Cambridge Consultants, BT
Smarter Testing - Data-driven Virtual+Real testing platform
Airbus Operations Ltd with Dassault Systemes
Manufacturing Technology
AVA Bridge & Lift System
AVA Consortium - Network Rail, Expedition Engineering, Walker Construction, Hawkins\Brown, McNealy Brown, ARX, Outokumpu
Cement 2 Zero
Cambridge Electric Cement with Balfour Beatty, CELSA UK, Cambridge Electric Cement, Day Group, Materials Processing Institute, Tarmac and University of Cambridge
Crafting the Indivisible, Revealing the Invisible: Porotech and NPL's High-Throughput and Multi-Scale Metrology Solution for Compound Semiconductor Manufacturing
Poro Technologies Ltd (Porotech) with National Physical Laboratory
H1perChain
Hyperbat with UPAWAE (now Fortescue Zero), Coventry University, The Welding Institute (TWI) and Direc-Tec
Securing Aerospace Fasteners Manufacturing in the UK
The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with LISI Aerospace
STEM Initiative
Increase STEM in Apprenticeships
Weston College
REIMAGINE
Ceres
The CIBSE Flush Challenge
CIBSE
Wild Card
Advancing the Circular Economy in Conveyor Belts: Harnessing Tech Innovation for a Sustainable Future
Ecobelt Ltd with The University of Manchester, Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub, Henry Royce Institute.Dr Laurence Stamford (Chemical Engineering Depart), Dr Alejandro Gallego Schmid (Engineering for Sustainability), Professor Michael Shaver (Dept of Materials) and Dr Andrew McLauchlin (Research Associate)
AGRI-SATT (Agricultural Growth using Remote-sensing, IoT, Satellite and Autonomous Telecommand Technology)
Brilliant Planet with Platinum Electrical Engineering Limited, University of Southampton, Scottish association for marine science, Efficient documents, Chelsea technologies, Clearwater sensors, AVEVA and Schneider Electric
AVA Bridge & Lift System
AVA Consortium - Network Rail, Expedition Engineering, Walker Construction, Hawkins\Brown, McNealy Brown, ARX, Outokumpu
Babcock Immersive Training Experience
Babcock International Group with Beaverfit
Deployment of ZOE - AI enabled search, detection and tracking technology for the maritime domain
Zelim with Valaris
Risk reduction Of gloveBox Operations (RrOBO)
AtkinsRéalis with Sellafield, Taylor Kightley, Engineering, Kinova and Haption
Young Innovator
dotFlow A Refreshable Braille Display - Mohammad Alim, Nizar Abdelhannane - Yr 12 Featherstone High School
EcoChroma - Gurdit Singh
Green Pot: Growing the future - Keon Robert
The impact award for innovation excellence
Sir David McMurtry - Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Renishaw
Prof. Paul Newman CBE - BP Professor of Information Engineering - Oxford University, Head of Oxford Mobile Robotics Group,; Founder and CTO of Oxa (formerly Oxbotica)
Dr Caroline Hargrove CBE - CTO Ceres Power
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