Thirty-one of the best and brightest life sciences and medtech companies and industry collaborations from across the Midlands have been revealed as finalists in this year’s Medilink Midlands Business Awards.
Sponsored by the University of Birmingham and the Precision Health Technologies Accelerator (PHTA), the annual awards event will once again celebrate the achievements, innovations, and breakthroughs of life sciences and medtech companies across the whole of the Midlands. Richard Fox, Strategic Business Engagement Partner for Life Sciences, University of Birmingham, said:
“The University of Birmingham and the Precision Health Technologies Accelerator are proud to be sponsoring the Medilink Midlands Business Awards 2023. These awards shine a light on the businesses at the forefront of healthcare innovation and the thriving life sciences community in the region.
“The Precision Heath Technologies Accelerator, based at the Birmingham Health Innovation Campus, will further accelerate the adoption of healthcare innovations in the region and beyond, creating opportunities for transformative collaborations between businesses, the University and NHS partners. And, who knows, some of the winners of the Medilink Midlands Business Awards may become PHTA residents and collaborators of the future!”
Applications for the 2023 awards have been reviewed by an independent and expert panel of judges. Winners and highly commended companies from both the East and West Midlands will be announced at a prestigious awards ceremony and black-tie dinner to be held at the Great Hall, University of Birmingham, on 16 March 2023.
Winning organisations from seven of the categories will be automatically entered in to the Medilink UK National Awards, part of the MedTech Innovation Conference & Expo (MTI), taking place on 7 and 8 June 2023.
Commenting on this year’s entries, Medilink Midlands’ Chief Operating Officer, Melanie Davidson, said: “Each of this year’s submissions demonstrate the exceptional pedigree of the innovative life sciences and medtech businesses based across the Midlands region, and we are proud to be able to recognise and showcase the excellence these companies are achieving in our annual Business Awards.
“We’d like to thank our independent judging panel for kindly giving their time and expertise to review the entries. The event will be a brilliant opportunity for the Midlands life science community to come together, and we look forward to celebrating the success and continued growth being enjoyed across the region.”
Taking part in the judging process were representatives from each of the sponsors.
Dr Chris McConville of the Sir Robert Aitken Institute for Clinical Research, University of Birmingham, said: “I really enjoyed being part of the Medilink Midlands Business Awards judging panel. There were a number of difficult decisions to make given the high calibre of entrants. I was looking for businesses that had the potential to really innovate their market and bring something fresh and new to it. I found that my decisions were made easier by businesses that had a clear plan to impact.”
Lucy Trueman, Partner and Head of Medical Sector at Barker Brettell, said: “I was delighted to be invited to be part of the Medilink Midlands Business Awards judging panel, and continue to be amazed at the innovation companies are achieving, and the level of care and detail in the applications. There were a number of stand-out entries – making it very hard to choose a winner, but I was looking for a unique product with the potential for big impact.”
The full line-up of finalists in the eight categories for 2023 is:
Start-Up (sponsored by The Medical Technologies Innovation Facility at Nottingham Trent University)
- Enrich My Care
- iethico
- Joint Approach Rehab Ltd
- The Essential Baby Company
- VUIT Online
Delivering Innovation in Health and Care (sponsored by Shakespeare Martineau)
- HSL
- Joint Approach Rehab Ltd
- NuVision Biotherapies Ltd
- PRIMIS (University of Nottingham)
Innovation (sponsored by Barker Brettell)
- Agility Life Sciences
- Apnea Tech Ltd and Bluefrog Design Ltd
- BlueSkeye AI
- BPR Medical
- Eureka Inventions Ltd
- JointMedica
Outstanding Achievement (sponsored by Mills & Reeve LLP)
- BPR Medical
- Redditch Medical
- Spirit Health
Advances in Digital Healthcare (sponsored by WM5G)
- Blum Health Ltd
- DDM Health
- Digistain Ltd
- iethico
- Spirit Health
- The Tribe Project (by Bronze Software Labs Ltd)
Export Achievement (sponsored by City of Mentor, Ohio, USA)
- Cellomatics Biosciences Limited
- Digistain LTD
- Upperton Pharma Solutions
Partnership between Academia and Business (sponsored by ARISE at Anglia Ruskin University)
- Kimal PLC and University of Birmingham/Mechanical Engineering
- NuVision Biotherapies and College of Health and Life Sciences, Optometry & Vision Science Research Group (OVSRG), Aston University
- University of Derby and HistologiX
- West Midlands Regional Genetics Laboratory and JS O’Brien Business Solutions Ltd Representative for Inagene Diagnostics Inc
One to Watch (selected by Medilink Midlands’ independent judging panel)
Bioxhale Ltd
- ChangeXtra
- Hedkayse
- i3 Simulations
- InoCardia Ltd
WM5G Ltd specialises in simplifying the benefits of technology and digitisation and is the sponsor of this year’s Advances in Digital Healthcare Award. Health Delivery Manager at WM5G, John Vesey said: “We are delighted to sponsor the Advances in Digital Healthcare Award. Medilink Midlands is pivotal in highlighting the next generation of innovative technology organisations that not only solve some of the nation’s largest health and care challenges but are also proven to contribute to the thriving Midlands economy. Congratulations to all those nominated – being nominated in a capable healthcare ecosystem like the Midlands is an achievement in itself.”
Sponsoring the Export Achievement category is our international partner, City of Mentor, Ohio. Its Director of Economic Development and International Trade, Kevin D. Malecek, commented: “The City of Mentor greatly treasures its partnership with Medilink Midlands and is proud to be a sponsor of its 2023 Business Awards. Our relationship with Medilink Midlands provides Medilink companies with the pathway to explore business development, customer development, partnership, and investment opportunities in a business-friendly, accessible environment in the United States. The recognition of the achievement of these Medilink companies is an essential benchmark in the progress of each of these member companies and we are thrilled to play a part in these honours.”
The awards will be hosted by TV personality, Michelle Livings. A familiar face to television audiences having hosted numerous broadcasts from motorsports to commercials, Michelle will combine her professional calling with her personal passion for health, wellness, and technology to compere the awards. She said: “I’m thrilled to be involved in an event that celebrates the amazing achievements and advances being made in the field of life sciences with the help of technology. It’s an incredibly exciting time and I’m so pleased I get to play a small part in it.”
Tickets for the event are on public sale and available here, on a first-come, first-served basis. Discounts are available to Medilink Midlands members and tickets can be purchased on an individual basis or per table.
