Award entries

2025
Awards Entries Are Open

This year, the awards will celebrate the full spectrum of Scotland’s vibrant life sciences industry. Nine categories will be recognized, with each category incorporating elements of sustainability. This approach highlights the industry’s commitment to inspiring new ideas and positive change. 

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Categories

Presented to a business leader or a management team who has significantly advanced their Scottish business in the previous year (ending November 2024).

This is open to: Leaders of established businesses that can demonstrate significant growth through financing, exporting, partnerships, collaborations, inward investment, and achievement of milestones.

THE JUDGING PANEL WILL GIVE CONSIDERATION TO:

  • Level of leadership, ambition, and entrepreneurship
  • Commercial success (e.g., turnover; deals done; collaborations established, investment raised to date)
  • Growth of company – significant activity that has contributed to growth (e.g., specific investment, launch of product, expansion)
  • Growth in global markets through international strategy
  • Investment secured.
  • Adoption of digitalisation to enable growth of operations.
  • Adoption of any new processes to reduce carbon emissions.
  • Understanding customers’ needs
  • Development of a management team
  • Demonstration of sustainable production
  • Made a difference to the growth of the life science sector in Scotland.
  • Made a difference to the growth of the life science sector Internationally

Presented to a business leader or a management team who has significantly advanced their Scottish business in the previous year (ending November 2024).

This is open to: Leaders of established businesses that can demonstrate significant growth through financing, exporting, partnerships, collaborations, inward investment, and achievement of milestones.

THE JUDGING PANEL WILL GIVE CONSIDERATION TO:

  • Level of leadership, ambition, and entrepreneurship
  • Commercial success (e.g., turnover; deals done; collaborations established, investment raised to date)
  • Growth of company – significant activity that has contributed to growth (e.g., specific investment, launch of product, expansion)
  • Growth in global markets through international strategy
  • Investment secured.
  • Adoption of digitalisation to enable growth of operations.
  • Adoption of any new processes to reduce carbon emissions.
  • Understanding customers’ needs
  • Development of a management team
  • Demonstration of sustainable production
  • Made a difference to the growth of the life science sector in Scotland.
  • Made a difference to the growth of the life science sector Internationally

This award is open to founders/co-founders/leaders of a start-up or early-stage life sciences business which demonstrates significant potential to become a successful global company. As evidenced by customer and/or market engagement; building a diverse and skilled team; and attracting investment.

THE JUDGING PANEL WILL GIVE CONSIDERATION TO:

  • Level of leadership, ambition, and entrepreneurship
  • Commercial success (e.g., turnover; deals done; collaborations established, investment raised to date)
  • Culture of global ambition and international strategy
  • Investment secured
  • Adoption of digitalisation to optimise operations
  • Adoption of new processes to reduce carbon emissions
  • Growth of company – significant activity that has contributed to growth (e.g., specific investment, launch of product, expansion)
  • Understanding customers’ needs
  • Development of a management team
  • Made a difference to the growth of the life science sector in Scotland

Presented to a company based in Scotland that has displayed excellence in promoting skills development. Evidence of a significant and sustainable contribution in increasing skills and the positive business outcomes achieved as a result should be demonstrated.

This is open to companies responsible for implementing a significant and sustainable contribution in increasing skills within the business and the positive business outcomes as a result.

THE JUDGING PANEL WILL GIVE CONSIDERATION TO: 

  • Embedding good practices in determining evolving development needs and real innovation in addressing them. 
  • Ensuring that learning is widely available within the organisation to develop a culture of learning and the dissemination of good practice. 
  • Investing in people to build the right balance of capability, talent, and experience to be effective now and in the future. 
  • Creating competency-based career progression structures to ensure visibility of skills (both technical and soft skills) and behaviours needed to progress within the organisation and encouraging employee engagement in their own career development. 
  • Through the use of training needs analysis or similar appraisal processes, identify individual and team skills needs. 
  • Degree of innovative implementation of the good practices.
  • Sustainable nature of the contribution to increasing skills. 
  • Potential impact of the innovative skills development implementation to the life science industry. 
  • Value created in more significant and sustainable skills development methods. 
  • The training and development provided should encompass all or some of the following areas: Leadership/Management Development, Supervisory Skills, Technical Skills, Scientific/Laboratory Skills, Mentoring Skills, IT / Digital Skills. 
  • The ability to offer a blended approach to training to ensure maximum employee engagement will be important.  This should include some or all the following: 
    • Formal classroom-based training (in-house or by an external provider) 
    • Mentoring 
    • E-learning platforms (especially for refresher training) 
    • On-the-job training 
    • External conference attendance 
    • Day release training (leading to a recognised qualification) 
    • Work Based learning e.g., Foundation Apprenticeship, Modern Apprenticeship and Graduate Apprenticeship training 

This award will be presented to organisation that has been responsible for the creation of an innovative product or service contributing to the pharmaceutical and drug discovery processes.

The innovative product or service must have been developed in Scotland within the last three years (since November 2021). Is at a stage of development where the organisation can publicise the innovation.

THE JUDGING PANEL WILL GIVE CONSIDERATION TO:

  • Level of innovation in the technology/product/process 
  • Potential impact of the technology/product/process to the life science industry 
  • Ability to change in size and scale 

This award is open to an individual or organisation that has been responsible for an innovative product or service within Health Data and Technology field.

The innovative product, or service contribution must have been developed in Scotland, in the last 3 years (since November 2021) and is at a stage of development where the organisation can publicise the innovation.

THE JUDGING PANEL WILL GIVE CONSIDERATION TO:

  • Level of innovation in the technology/product/service
  • Potential impact of the technology/product/service to the life science industry
  • Ability to change in size and scale
  • Use of data in the innovation
  • Making advanced data techniques (e.g. artificial intelligence and machine learning) accessible and relevant to manufacturers.  

This award is open to an individual or organisation that has been responsible for an innovative product or service within Animal Health, Agritech, and Aquaculture.

The innovative product, or service contribution must have been developed in Scotland, in the last 3 years (since November 2021) and is at a stage of development where the organisation can publicise the innovation.

THE JUDGING PANEL WILL GIVE CONSIDERATION TO: 

  • Level of innovation in the technology/product/service 
  • Potential impact of the technology/product/service to the life science industry 
  • Ability to change in size and scale 

This award is open to an individual or organisation that has been responsible for an innovative product or service within Animal Health, Agritech, and Aquaculture.

The innovative product, or service contribution must have been developed in Scotland, in the last 3 years (since November 2021) and is at a stage of development where the organisation can publicise the innovation.

THE JUDGING PANEL WILL GIVE CONSIDERATION TO: 

  • Level of innovation in the technology/product/service 
  • Potential impact of the technology/product/service to the life science industry 
  • Ability to change in size and scale 

This award is open to Scottish partners who have engaged in a successful collaboration across industry, academia and/or healthcare involving at least one industry partner that has achieved a significant potential commercial outcome through a new or improved technology, product, or service.

The collaborations must have taken place in the last three years (November 2021 – November 2024). Only entries with involvement of a company located at a site in Scotland will be considered.

THE JUDGING PANEL WILL GIVE CONSIDERATION TO: 

  • Global collaboration as long as one of the partners is located Scotland
  • The nature of the collaboration and the activity undertaken across the partners 
  • Value created/progress towards commercial success as a result of the collaboration
  • Degree of innovation demonstrated by the collaborative work
  • Potential impact of the technology/product/process to the life science industry – market applications and market implementation 
  • The collaboration should have taken place in the last three years (November 2022 – November 2024)

This award is open to Scottish companies who have engaged in a successful export across industry, academia and/or healthcare that has achieved a significant potential commercial outcome through a new or improved technology, product, or service. 

The export product or service must have been developed in Scotland within the last three years (i.e. since November 2021).  

THE JUDGING PANEL WILL GIVE CONSIDERATION TO: 

  • Economic contribution made by the export, such as revenue generated, market expansion, or job creation. 
  • Level of innovation and creativity involved in the export process, product, or service, and how it differentiates from competitors. 
  • Implementation of sustainable and ethical practices in the production, distribution, and overall lifecycle of the export. 
  • Adherence to high-quality standards and regulations in the exporting country, ensuring the product or service meets international benchmarks. 
  • Ability to overcome significant challenges or barriers in the export process, such as regulatory hurdles, logistical issues, or market competition. 
  • Effective use of / partnering or collaborating with the export support available in Scotland to Life Science companies 
  • The long-term sustainability of the export success and the potential for continued growth and impact in the future. 

The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an outstanding individual whose passion and care, by the way they lead and contribute to the life sciences community and the broader community, has had a lasting and positive impact. This category is not open for entry.

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Categories & Criteria

Last Year’s Winners

A celebration of excellence and achievement, attended by over 500 people the 2024 winners of Scotland’s Life Sciences Awards were unveiled.

Mark Cook, Chair of the Industrial Leadership Group opened the awards and welcomed Mr Neil Gray, Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care to speak to the remarkable success of the life sciences sector in Scotland. Mr Neil Gray stated;

“Scotland’s life sciences sector has achieved remarkable success, surpassing ambitious goals and thriving amidst global challenges and I’d like to congratulate all who were recognised at Scotland’s Life Sciences Awards. Through collaboration and innovation, we’ve strengthened our economy and enhanced our global reputation. From attracting investment to expanding exports, our impact is significant and far-reaching.

“With £10.5 billion of contribution to the Scottish economy, the success of the life sciences sector is phenomenal. The Scottish Government has committed itself to life sciences, and to investing public money while leveraging private sector investment.

“Through these actions and by continuing to push boundaries, the life sciences sector is capable of shaping a brighter future for healthcare, both in Scotland and beyond.  Life sciences is identified within our National Innovation Strategy as having the potential to be truly world-leading, and we are determined to harness the promise it holds through our strategic health and economy plans in order to deliver for the health and wellbeing of everyone in the nation.”

The awards also welcomed University of Glasgow’s Vice Principal for Economic Development, Innovation and Deputy Chief Operating Officer of Governance, Ms Uzma Khan. Ms Khan highlighted the importance of the life sciences sector to Scotland, with a significant focus on the city of Glasgow.

The Glasgow Riverside innovation district (GRID) outlines strategies to translate research excellence into tangible impact, engage with industry and the community, and create high-value jobs. She emphasised the importance of partnerships with government, industry, and other stakeholders to overcome challenges and capitalise on opportunities in the sector.

Uzma concluded her speech by calling for a collective action to push for transformation and change, urging stakeholders to join forces in a “coalition of the willing” to ensure the success of Glasgow’s life sciences sector.

The 2024 award winners set a new standard for innovation, collaboration, and leadership in the dynamic field of life sciences. The awards ceremony, held at the Hilton, Glasgow brought together the best and brightest minds, honouring those whose contributions continue to develop and champion the industry.

Business Leadership Award

Sponsored by Valneva


Winner: Gary Beale, Emblation

Innovation - Animal Health, Agritech, Aquaculture

Sponsored by Highlands and Islands Enterprise.


Winner: MI:RNA

Innovation - Health Technology

Sponsored by Piramal Pharma Solutions

Winner: Dr. Luigi Manfredi, Softech
Robotics

Innovation - Pharma Services
and Drug Discovery

Sponsored by PCI Pharma Services

Winner: Valneva Scotland

Innovative Collaboration Award

Sponsored by GenScript


Winner: Penrhos Bio, Pro3dure Medical
GmbH and Unilever plc

Outstanding Skills Development Award

Sponsored by SRG


Winner: Valneva Scotland

Sustainability Award

Sponsored by Roslin CT


Winner: Carbogenics

Rising Stars: Extraordinary Talent Award

Sponsored by SRG


Winner: Professor Craig Ritchie

And in a momentous acknowledgment of a distinguished career, Alison Culpan BA LLB FRSE was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award – sponsored by AstraZeneca. Dame Anna Dominiczak presented Alison with the award stating.

“Alison’s career is a testament to her pioneering influence in the pharmaceutical sector, with a strong focus on promoting life sciences and a huge focus on promoting Scotland! With several leadership roles, where she has successfully integrated biomedical research, public health initiatives and industry influence and benefits. Alison broke new ground for gender equality within the pharma industry as the first female leader in Scotland (first for the ICI and then GSK ) and trailblazer UK- wide.”

“As a Director of ABPI Scotland since 2016, she has been promoting life sciences in Scotland as a catalyst for job creation and economic growth. She directed significant investment strategies aimed at advancing Scottish biomedical research, development of new medicines and new health technologies. Congratulations goes to Alison on her outstanding career.”

Our judges also wanted to acknowledge the work of finalists Roslin CT and Continuous Manufacturing & Advanced Crystallisation (CMAC).

Roslin CT for their innovative work in the pharma services and drug discovery space; they are helping to put the UK and Scotland on the map for gene editing and manufacturing. The impact of this on patients and future therapeutic areas is huge.

And CMAC in for their work in the Sustainability space. Judges commended them on the continued implementation of initiatives that are resulting in reduced energy consumption and lab waste production.

Congratulations once again, to all the finalists and winners for their outstanding contributions to the life sciences landscape. The future is undoubtedly brighter because of their vision, passion, and commitment.