A Leicester founder is amongst the winners of Innovate UK’s ‘Unlocking Potential’ award.
Priten Chauhan from Oadby is one of 233 grant winners for his work promoting medical device hygiene.
His startup Sanera Innovations Ltd has developed a simple and effective solution to encourage regular sanitisation to prevent bacterial transmission, without the use of electronics, maintenance or specialist training.
Priten will receive either a £5k grant with £10k contributions to living allowances or a £50k grant to support further development of his idea.
He said:
“I’m thrilled to have received this fantastic award and to have the opportunity to take my innovation forward. From what started as a project during the final year of my Product Design (BSc) degree at Nottingham Trent University, my idea now has the resources behind it to be refined and perfected for the market.
“Not only does the award support the business itself but also provides a great platform for me to action one of my company values to support the next generation of innovators, prioritising those from underrepresented backgrounds within the design industry.
“Unfortunately, the number of students taking up design and technology is on the decline however, through schemes and awards such as this, I believe we can make a positive impact to reverse the decline and act as an inspiration to future designers, innovators and entrepreneurs.”
Coinciding with the Awards announcement, Innovate UK has joined forces with over 150 partner organisations to launch its free and accessible No Limits digital platform, which makes it easy for aspiring innovators to discover new career paths, sharpen their skills and access opportunities to develop life-changing innovations and future-proof the UK economy.
If you’re an aspiring innovator, or a business looking to connect with new talent, check out nolimits.ukri.org to find support and inspiration.