The finalists for the 2026 Cambridge Independent Science and Technology Awards can now be revealed.
Hundreds of nominations have been made to the awards, which are now of their ninth yr, reflecting the huge breadth of expertise and achievements throughout science and expertise in the Cambridge area.
The shortlisted entrants span all phases, from early stage start-ups to established massive hitters.
They will now be invited to the closing at Hinxton Hall Conference Centre on the Wellcome Genome Campus, on Thursday, 7 May.
Thanks to the support of our sponsors, we are capable of provide two free tickets to each finalist.
Editor Paul Brackley, who chaired the judging panel that pored over the entries, mentioned: “We are delighted to reveal the finalists for our 2026 awards. Congratulations to them for being shortlisted among a highly competitive field of nominees.
“From new ways to diagnose and tackle disease, to innovative solutions, to environmental challenges, and from cutting-edge semiconductor technology to ingenious organ-on-a-chip systems, the awards will showcase Cambridge science and tech at its very best. We look forward to telling the stories of breakthroughs and successes at the awards ceremony.”
The awards function 15 classes that have been open to entry, plus a particular Lifetime Achievement Award that may go to a person who has made an unimaginable, lasting impression.
Before the winners are revealed, there will likely be a networking drinks reception with a whole bunch of main lights from Cambridge science and expertise at the convention centre. Then the viewers of 300 will make their manner into the Francis Crick Auditorium to be taught who has triumphed this yr, with winners and extremely recommended finalists receiving trophies. Following the awards, there will likely be the alternative for post-event networking too.
A restricted variety of tickets will quickly be obtainable for sale for those that wish to come alongside on the night and be taught the inspiring tales of this yr’s finalists and their achievements.
The finalists of the Cambridge Independent Science and Technology Awards 2026
Start-up of the Year
Sponsored by St John’s Innovation Centre
Serenatis Bio
TRIMTECH Therapeutics
AnthroTek
Cambridge Nucleomics
Loop52
NANOPLUME
Cleantech Company of the Year
Sponsored by Woodfines Solicitors
Finkele
Cellcraft
Pulpex
PES Technologies
Mimicrete
QPT
AI Company of the Year
Sponsored by Appleyard Lees
Ignota Labs
Luminance Technologies
Outsee
4colors
Healx
Panakeia Technologies
STEM Initiative of the Year
Sponsored by Cambridge Science Park
St Mary’s School, Cambridge
Black Talent & Leadership in STEM (BTLS)
Marleigh Primary Academy
Adventures for Tomorrow’s Scientists, from ELRIG (UK)
Kimbolton School
Broadening Horizons programme from Royal Society of Chemistry
Medtech Company of the Year
Mursla Bio
Qureight
electronRx
Gillvray Health
Panakeia Technologies
Employer of the Year
Sponsored by Zero Workspace
Paragraf
Redgate Software
NU QUANTUM
RxCelerate
Metrion Biosciences
Fintech Company of the Year
AlgoDynamix
SyndicateRoom
Monavate
The Tech for Good Award
ParrotPal
Sinclair Innovation
Studio 24
Engineering the Blue
Cambridge Neuroworks
Thiscovery
The Award for Innovation
Sponsored by Railpen
Avolare
AstraZeneca’s Centre for Genomics Research
WPark
Plextek
Paragraf
Mursla Bio
Biotech Company of the Year
Sponsored by BDO
CN Bio
LinkGevity
RxCelerate
Healx
Abselion
CardiaTec Biosciences
Software Company of the Year
Sponsored by Mantle Space
Redgate Software
Optibrium
Intellegens
Jumptech
Researcher of the Year
Sponsored by AstraZeneca
Prof Havovi Chichger, Anglia Ruskin University
Dr Thomas Fitzgerald, EMBL-EBI
Dr Denis Lacabanne, MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge
Dr Janin Lautenschlager, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge
Prof Vicky MacRae, Anglia Ruskin University
Prof Kiran Roasaheb Patil, University of Cambridge and Cambiotics
CEO of the Year
Lydia Makaroff, MS International Federation
Dr Carina Kern, LinkGevity
Simon Thomas, Paragraf
Lee Patterson, Metrion Biosciences
Peter Job, Intergence Systems
Technology Company of the Year
Sponsored by the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Anglia Ruskin University
Plextek Services
electronRx
Intergence Systems
4colors
QPT
Life Science Company of the Year
Sponsored by Zyme Communications
CN Bio
Nuclera
RxCelerate
Healx
Metrion Biosciences
Intellegens
Lifetime Achievement Award
Sponsored by Weatherbys Business Bank
The class for the earliest stage corporations, Start-up of the Year, sponsored this yr by St John’s Innovation Centre, demonstrates that the pipeline of expertise in the Cambridge area is nicely and actually flowing.
Cambridge biotech firm Serenatis Bio is shortlisted for its work on first-in-class, mechanism-driven therapies for obsessive-compulsive dysfunction, whereas Loop52 is creating expertise to supply a round plastics platform for the automotive trade.
TRIMTECH Therapeutics closed a £25million seed spherical final yr as it really works on creating novel, extremely selective, small molecule focused protein degraders to fight neurodegenerative and inflammatory illnesses. Meanwhile, AnthroTek is engineering mushy, biomimetic materials methods that behave like actual dwelling tissue and has already moved from early experimentation to worldwide adoption.
Also shortlisted in the class is Cambridge Nucleomics, which is creating a one-hour totally automated sepsis take a look at for the level of care, based mostly on a novel RNA biomarker detection platform developed at the University of Cambridge.
NANOPLUME completes the Start-up shortlist – and additionally makes it into the Woodfines-sponsored Cleantech Company of the Year class – for its work on next-generation bio-based aerogel insulation to sort out an ignored driver of emissions, waste and system inefficiency: warmth loss.
Their tales, and these of longer-established corporations and people making a serious impression of their sectors, are certain to make for an interesting awards night time.
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