Cranfield collaboration wins sustainability award at the 2024 KE Awards

Cranfield University and Green Future Investments Ltd (GFIL) have won the Sustainability Collaboration of the Year award at the KE Awards 2024. This award is recognition of their outstanding partnership and shared commitment to tackling the climate emergency and environmental degradation.

The KE Awards 2024 provide recognition nationally and beyond, for the exceptional work that is taking place across the higher education sector.

The collaboration between Cranfield University and GFIL began in 2022 through a shared passion for addressing climate change challenges. The partnership supports green tech innovators with funding, business support and resources to develop ideas through to commercialisation through three initiatives.

The GFIL-Future Frontiers Fund, aimed at supporting technology innovators, is open to entrepreneurs with early-stage, game-changing ideas. A £10,000 grant, plus mentoring, supports progress towards 'proof of concept' (PoC). The GFIL-Technology Accelerator Fund provides £50,000 to take ideas from proof of concept to prototyping and demonstrations using Cranfield's academic expertise and pilot-scale test facilities. The GFIL-Cranfield Seed Fund makes investments in early-stage cleantech businesses, typically via £25,000 convertible loans.

Professor Stephanie Hussels, Group Head of Strategy, Entrepreneurship & Sustainability (SES) at Cranfield University, commented: "This award is a true testament to the hard work and the power of pan-University collaboration, including the KE team in the Research & Innovation Office, FEAS, and the Bettany Centre for Entrepreneurship. Our collaboration with Green Future Investments Ltd (GFIL) is a fantastic example of how partnerships can accelerate impactful solutions.

James Berry, Head of Strategy at GFIL added: "Green Future Investments' objective to philanthropically accelerate Climate Positive Technology right from concept to a market ready innovation has been realised in partnership with Cranfield University. Their co-creation of a unique series of funds, diligence of research, application of our brief, and delivery is outstanding, evidenced by the recognition of the PraxisAuril award."

Professor Dame Helen Atkinson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor - Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences commented "We are honoured to be working with the GFIL leadership on this. They have a rare vision for making a real tangible difference on environmental sustainability".

Cranfield University's vision of tackling urgent challenges and delivering a sustainable future is closely aligned with GFIL's philanthropic mission to combat climate change and environmental decline through innovation and local action. Over the first three years, the partnership aims to invest £2.1 million, advancing approximately 90 sustainable technologies.

Cranfield University is a specialist postgraduate university that is a global leader for education and transformational research in technology and management.