North west 2026

Meet our 2026 North West regional awardees

Muhammad Ali

Dr Muhammad Ali

CEO, Co-Founder of RenSolv

Many renewable power plant and data centre developers face significant challenges in connecting megawatt-scale projects to the UK electricity network due to network constraints and a complex, costly application process that can undermine project viability and delay progress towards the UK’s climate change targets. RenSolv simplifies grid integration for renewable power plants and data centres using an AI-backed, automation based capacity-finding and feasibility assessment tool, advancing only viable projects while significantly reducing time, effort, risk, and cost for users.

Catherine Jukes

Founder of Eyetech Innovations

Serious health conditions can cause restrictions in eye movements, yet there is no quick way to detect these. We are developing a compact portable method to quantify eye movement excursions and detect underlying conditions.

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Ethan Bond

Founder & CEO of The Unmanned Company

People don’t know which anti-drone equipment to buy, or how to deploy it effectively for their specific site and situation. CUAS Planner lets them test and compare anti-drone options in a realistic simulation tailored to their site before making real-world decisions.

Moiz (Abdul) Pirkani

Moiz Pirkani

CEO of Data Nucleus

Technical constraints can undermine mission critical millimetre wave links, including spatio temporally varying path loss, co channel interference, high RF front end energy consumption, and susceptibility to eavesdropping, jamming and denial of service, compounded by fixed function architectures that cannot adapt to dynamic operating conditions. Data Nucleus is developing scalable cognitive embedded systems with on device AI that optimises millimetre wave links in real time by adapting spectrum allocation, modulation and transmit power, predicting degradation and mitigating interference to improve reliability and reduce energy consumption.

Marco Rapaccini

Founder of Lingo Starters

Lingo Starters is overcoming language learning challenges for bilingual and SEND kids by customising language learning journeys that empower families.

Lucy Manifold

Founder of Habitronix

We rely on willpower to fight addiction in a world designed to constantly challenge it. Habitronix is developing an an app-free, subscription-free device that allows users to take control and regain peace in their lives by physically enforcing their boundaries according to a real-time schedule.

Keith Myers

Founder & CEO, Creative Director of AVimmerse

AVimmerse is developing a plug and play platform that allows heritage organisations to deploy digital experiences.

Nguyen Dao

CEO of Brain-Life

Access to effective early-stage mental well-being support is limited by high costs, long clinical waiting times, and consumer tools that lack objective, personalised assessment. We are developing an affordable, AI-powered wearable that uses multi-modal neurofeedback (EEG, fNIRS, and PPG) to help individuals objectively assess, understand, and improve their mental well-being through personalised, real-time interventions.

North West awardees 2026