Life Science Award winners announced for 2016
The winners of this year’s prestigious Scottish Enterprise Life Sciences Awards 2016 have been announced.
Held at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh on Thursday 4 February 2016 the event is attended by over 800 leading players in Scotland’s life sciences sector: policy makers, investors, academic leaders and companies that are all building on Scotland’s outstanding life sciences legacy.
The awards recognise the success and achievements of Scotland’s internationally renowned life sciences sector in areas including innovation, investment, community engagement and collaboration. They also focus on the ongoing work of Scottish Enterprise and its partners to grow and develop a sustainable, globally competitive life sciences sector in Scotland.
Scotland's life sciences industry already contributes in excess of £3.5 billion a year to the Scottish economy with some 650 organisations employing around 35,000 people. It is globally recognised for its high levels of innovation – translating ideas and research into novel treatments and world-leading therapies.
Julia Brown, senior director of life and chemical sciences at Scottish Enterprise said: "Congratulations to this year’s winners. The quality of the finalists and winners were outstanding and is testament to the strength of the skills pool that makes up the Scottish life sciences industry."
The winners of this year’s awards are:
Life Sciences Business Leadership (2015)
Dr Tom Stratford, CEO, ProStrakan Group plc - since being appointed Chief Executive of ProStrakan in 2011, following its acquisition by Japan-based Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co. Ltd. (KHK), Dr Stratford has led the business to become a significant contributor not only to KHK’s success, but to the Scottish economy, the Scottish Life Sciences sector and to the wellbeing of patients internationally.
Life Sciences Entrepreneurial Business Leadership (2015)
Prof Martin Tangney & Mark Simmers, Celtic Renewables Ltd - Prof Tangey is an internationally recognised expert in microbial biofuel production, particularly biobutanol. He is Director of the Biofuel Research Centre at Edinburgh Napier University, which conducted the innovative research to develop the fermentation technology being commercialised by Celtic Renewables. Martin advises the Scottish Government on biofuels, and represents the government on its MOU with India on Renewable Energy. Martin is a prominent international speaker in the biofuel area and regularly features in the media, and his international profile, domain expertise and connections will be hugely beneficial to Celtic Renewables Ltd.
Mark is an entrepreneur and commercialisation specialist with over 20 years of international experience in sales, marketing and business development. In 2011 Mark graduated from the highly prestigious Saltire Foundation Global Entrepreneurial Fellowship Programme, which included a fast-track MBA programme at Babson College, Boston USA. Mark helped to co-found Celtic Renewables in late 2011, and has been the company’s CEO since its inception leading the rapid growth of the company, which has seen its technology proven at pilot commercial scale leading to establishing it at industrial scale by 2017. Mark has won numerous investment pitching and business presentation awards on behalf of Celtic Renewables, and has built a strong and dynamic team at the company. Mark graduated from Bristol University in Economics and Accounting and started out his career with the International Management Group in London working with a team commercialising and managing the global golf assets of IMG. Mark founded and managed his own events and promotions company in Scotland from 2001-07.
Investment of the Year (2015)
Novabiotics Ltd - NovaBiotics Ltd is a clinical-stage biotechnology company founded in Aberdeen in 2004 by Dr Deborah O’Neil, an immunologist from Rowett Research Services in Aberdeen with expertise in the field of natural antimicrobials. The company, employing 13 full time and 2 part time staff, is involved in the design and development of antifungal and antibacterial therapeutics.
Innovation Award
Ripptide Pharma Ltd - Ripptide has been formed by the collaboration of two leading academic groups, those of Professor Jim Naismith, University of St Andrews, and Professor Marcel Jaspars, University of Aberdeen, both in Scotland.
Innovative Collaboration
Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling in collaboration with Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre, Marine Harvest Scotland, Scottish Sea Farms and Biomar
A consortium was established in 2012 bringing together leading UK wrasse researchers at the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture, world-leading salmon producers Marine Harvest Scotland and Scottish Seafarms (together representing more than 60% of Scottish salmon production), and feed manufacturer BioMar. The main goal was to develop the knowledge, protocols and capacity required to close the life cycle, and for the first time produce domesticated, disease-free farmed wrasse.
Community Engagement
Easter Bush Campus - the Easter Bush Campus houses The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The Roslin Institute (both part of The University of Edinburgh) and Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), bringing together the largest concentration of animal science related expertise in Europe. There are approximately 2000 researchers, clinicians, students and support staff (referred to collectively as ‘staff’ in the remainder of the document) working on the Campus, with further growth and expansion expected over the next 5 years.
Export & International Trade
Vascutek Ltd - Vascutek is widely recognised as an innovative company with over 700 employees in one location, Inchinnan in Renfrewshire, competing with these major corporations and succeeding in punching well above its weight. During the year they exported to 80 countries which, represents 91% of global sales revenue in the year ending March 2015.
Outstanding Contribution to Life Sciences in Scotland
David Sibbald, Aridhia - Dr David Sibbald is the Co-founder and Chairman of Aridhia, one of Scotland’s foremost life sciences companies. Aridhia is dedicated to developing world-leading technology and capability that support the management of chronic diseases and accelerate the translation of precision medicine and biomedical research into clinical practice.