Meet the sponsors of the 2025 Cambridge Independent Science and Technology Awards
The Cambridge Independent Science and Technology Awards 2025 is open for entry - and supported again by a stellar cast of sponsors.
The awards, which feature 16 categories, will take place at 15 May, 2025, at Hinxton Hall Conference Centre on the Wellcome Genome Campus.
Editor Paul Brackley said: “We are grateful to all of our fantastic sponsors for their invaluable support. Their backing means we can offer free entry to the awards and two free tickets for each finalist, meaning there will be no barriers to entry for companies or individuals.”
Here are the sponsors of this year’s awards.
Allia Future Business Centre Cambridge
Sponsoring The Tech for Good Award
Allia Future Business Centre Cambridge offers flexible workspace, business support and a vibrant community for businesses who are creating social and environmental change. It is home to a range of small businesses that develop and create tech-for-good innovations in areas such as Cleantech, Agritech, and Healthtech – as well as education, wellbeing and community regeneration. Our Tech for Good award will recognise the very best businesses that work hard to develop innovative solutions using technology with purpose, to address local and global challenges and create positive impact.
Appleyard Lees
Sponsoring Biotech Company of the Year
Appleyard Lees is a leading intellectual property law firm with approximately seventy patent and trademark attorneys and litigators. Who we are and what we do – but also, how we do it – makes us distinctive.
We help our clients protect and monetise their intellectual property, and manage post-grant challenges, should they arise. We offer broad sector and industry knowledge, plus the ability to adapt our services to specific client requirements, in an agile way.
With offices in UK innovation hotspots, we are positioned to give clients expert strategic IP advice in the UK and worldwide.
AstraZeneca
Sponsoring Researcher of the Year
AstraZenecais a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company committed to transforming the future of healthcare by unlocking the power of what science can do for people, society and the planet. We push the boundaries of science to discover, develop and deliver life-changing medicines in our therapy areas of focus, which include oncology, rare diseases, cardiovascular, renal & metabolism, and respiratory & immunology.
As the UK’s leading biopharmaceutical company, we have five sites across the country with our headquarters here in Cambridge. We are proud to be part of the Cambridge community and scientific ecosystem, and believe that interaction, collaboration and an entrepreneurial approach are vital for accelerating science and re-imagining healthcare.
We are honoured to sponsor the Researcher of the Year award, which recognises accomplishment in science, particularly where the researcher has overcome hurdles to achieve outstanding scientific results. This category covers all areas of research and technological advancement in both commercial and academic settings – reflecting the breadth of world-leading organisations that call Cambridge home, and the scientific innovation they foster here, across the UK and beyond.
Cambridge Science Park
Sponsoring STEM Initiative of the Year
The Cambridge Science Park offers unrivalled opportunities for collaboration, innovation and inspiration.
Set in 150 acres of parkland, it's home to a thriving community of scientists and entrepreneurs working on life-enhancing technologies, ranging from plant protein-based plastics and cancer-detecting breath technology to cutting-edge gaming.
With plans for an ambitious new cycle of investment focused on sustainability and amenity enhancement, we continuously strive to provide the very best facilities in a supportive, community-based environment for our members.
Interested in building a better world at the Cambridge Science Park? Discover more: https://www.cambridgesciencepark.co.uk.
COEL
Sponsoring Employer of the Year
COEL are a leading design and build, fit-out company, bringing office and lab workspaces to life across Cambridge and the South East. COEL supports businesses with their workspace planning, interior design, and fit-out, in addition to supplying office furniture and move/relocation services. Our maintenance team is also available to support businesses with PPM (Planned Preventative Maintenance) ensuring your building remains safe and efficient for your workforce.
If you're planning an office move or looking to upgrade and refresh your workplace, contact us hello@coel.uk.com or call 01223 357777. Alternatively, visit our website to see our latest office and lab fit-out projects: https://coel.co.uk/projects/.
cofinitive communications
Sponsoring The One to Watch
cofinitive helps ground-breaking companies tell their story to the audiences that matter. We specialize in all things tech and innovation, collaborating with clients locally, nationally, and globally to provide strategic support in marketing, communication, PR, and branding. Our mission is to strengthen our region's reputation as the UK's hub for science, technology, and innovation while promoting the trailblazing achievements of local entrepreneurs.
Since 2018, we’ve proudly supported the #SciTechAwards by creating the ‘One to Watch’ category, an extension of our acclaimed #21toWatch campaign. This award highlights and celebrates world-class scientific and technological innovations emerging exclusively from Cambridge.
Faculty of Science and Engineering, Anglia Ruskin University
Sponsoring Technology Company of the Year
Anglia Ruskin University is an award-winning higher education institution that transforms lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research. ARU has been named the Times Higher Education University of the Year (2023), holds a Gold award for the quality of its education, awarded through the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), and won the University of the Year title at the 2023 UK Social Mobility Awards.
The Faculty of Science and Engineering offers taught and research degrees across the diverse disciplines of science and technology, from animal behaviour to sport and exercise therapy, optometry to psychology, computing and artificial intelligence to biomedical science and from forensic science to mechanical engineering.
We are committed to increasing the numbers of women and under-represented groups in STEM careers, and work closely with industry to ensure that our inclusive and innovative programmes provide students with the skills that employers need. Our world-leading research informs our transformative teaching, and provides opportunities to add value to businesses and the wider community.
Howden Insurance
Sponsoring CEO of the Year
Intrepid innovators like you need insurance that keeps up. So, wherever you’re headed, Howden will come with you.
Howden cover the entire ecosystem of tech businesses. They’re all about no-limits, people-first insurance. And for entrepreneurs like you, that means putting your goals front and centre and flexing to your needs. They understand this better than most because Howden was originally a start-up too. They knew just how transformative fresh thinking can be, so enabling inventive ideas to get off the ground is written in their DNA.
They’re the only broker who can offer expert insurance at every stage of your journey, from start-up to scale-up to established business to buyouts, mergers and exit strategies. And they can do it here in the UK – or pretty much anywhere in the world.
With Howden you’ve got the answer to hassle-free cover that fits to your budget and business requirements.
Kao Data
Sponsoring Start-up of the Year
Kao Data, the specialist developer and operator of sustainable, high performance data centres engineered for AI, is sponsoring the Cambridge Independent Science and Technology Awards' Start-up of the Year for a fifth year in a row.
With key locations across London, Greater Manchester and The UK Innovation Corridor, Kao Data is home to some of the region's most advanced computing clusters and life science workloads. Notably, it hosts NVIDIA's Cambridge-1, the UK’s most powerful supercomputer, powered by 100% renewable energy. Through Cambridge-1, customers can access NVIDIA’s world-leading DGX Cloud services – a cloud-based solution powered by NVIDIA's DGX hardware, which provides exceptional computational power for AI and deep learning capabilities.
Kao Data’s high performance platform also underpins the life-saving research of start-ups like InstaDeep, and world-leading genomic research organisations like EMBL-EBI, making Kao Data an integral part of the local technology and scientific ecosystem.
Spencer Lamb, CCO of Kao Data, highlighted the importance of the UK's Innovation corridor: “Cambridge's tech ecosystem is pivotal in maintaining the UK's position as a leader in science, technology and AI, and we take pride in supporting and being a part of this innovative community.”
Mantle Space
Sponsoring Software Company of the Year
The Bradfield Centre is deeply rooted in the technology industry, we believe it is important to recognise and celebrate the achievements of those who are driving innovation and progress. It was therefore a natural step to work with the Cambridge Independent to create the new award category of Software Company of the Year and we look forward to celebrating all the finalists.
At the core of our involvement in the Science and Technology Awards is our belief in the power of flexible workspaces. We know that a supportive and dynamic environment is crucial for companies to thrive, especially in the fast-paced tech industry. The Bradfield Centre offers just that - a space that not only encourages productivity but also fosters a sense of community.
We are thrilled to be part of such an exciting event and look forward to showcasing the incredible accomplishments of tech companies in the Software Company of the Year category, such as those in the increasingly important Software as a Service sector. Together, we can continue to drive progress and shape the future of technology.
Railpen
Sponsoring the Award for Innovation
Railpen are entrusted with the safekeeping and investment of £34billion in assets, and provide support for the 350,000 members of the railways pension schemes – one of the UK's largest and longest established pension funds.
To deliver on our purpose to secure our members futures’, we invest in a wide range of public and private businesses, infrastructure and property. We believe financial and sustainability outcomes are not mutually exclusive – they are complementary and integral to protecting our members' long-term interests.
We’re particularly excited about investing in Cambridge, and in the life science and technology sectors, which are important for UK growth and a thriving local economy.
St John’s Innovation Centre
Since 1987 St John’s Innovation Centre has been home to tech start-ups and scale-ups, combining the benefits of flexible, all-inclusive leases with indispensable advice and support for innovators. Established by St John’s College, University of Cambridge, it sits at the heart of St John’s Innovation Park close to the A14 and the city centre.
Alongside around 90 tenant companies, the centre also hosts 300 virtual tenants who enjoy access to the meeting rooms and the prestigious Cambridge address. Over the years, numerous tech success stories have started life here, including HP Autonomy, Jagex Ltd, Zeus Technology Ltd and Owlstone Ltd.
Woodfines Solicitors
Sponsoring Cleantech Company of the Year
Woodfines Solicitors is once again proud to sponsor the Cambridge Independent Science and Technology Awards, a partnership we've maintained since the event's inception.
With offices in Cambridge, Bedford, and Milton Keynes, the firm offers a comprehensive range of legal services, providing strategic and practical advice throughout every phase of a business's growth. Specialising in corporate matters, Woodfines' commercial team supports clients in business transactions, property needs, employment law, and dispute resolution.
As an associate founder member of Cambridge Cleantech, we are excited to sponsor the Cleantech Company of the Year category and look forward to discovering the innovative companies leading the way in sustainability through technology.
Zyme Communications
Sponsoring Life Science Company of the Year
Zyme Communications provides PR and marketing services for the life science sector.
Founded in 2010, and with offices in Cambridge and Manchester in the UK, we support companies globally to raise their profile, build corporate value and generate interest from commercial leads, investors and partners. Our experienced team are specialists in life science communications, with expertise gained in-house and agency side, offering the flexibility to support both early-stage companies and large multinationals.
For more information please visit www.zymecommunications.com or contact info@zymecommunications.com.
