Elpis Biomed, a University of Cambridge spin-out developing high quality human cells via its proprietary OPTi-OX platform, has been selected as winner in the category Start-Up of the Year at the 2018 Cambridge Independent Science and Technology Awards.
Dr Mark Kotter, the firm's scientific founder, commented: “Elpis is set to have a transformative impact in the fields of biomedical research, drug discovery and cell therapy. We have assembled a world-class team to fulfil our mission to ‘make cells easy.’ I am honoured that our efforts have been recognised by such an outstanding panel of technology experts and that Elpis has been chosen as Start-Up of the Year from a field of truly excellent start-up companies.”
Elpis beat off stiff competition to win the award. It was chosen from a short-list of innovative companies such as life science start-ups Fluidic Analytics and Evonetix, as well as diagnostic firms PredictImmune and Kalium Diagnostics. The award was presented to Dr Mark Kotter and Dr Gordana Apic at a ceremony that was held in early November at the Hilton Cambridge City Centre Hotel in front of an audience including many of the brightest minds in the Cambridge science and technology sectors.
The Cambridge Independent Science and Technology Awards are sponsored by local technology heavyweights such as AstraZeneca/MedImmune and was judged this year by a panel of industry experts: Barbara Fleck, of Appleyard Lees; Paul Brackley, editor of the Cambridge Independent; Kristen Riley, of Grant Thornton; Charles Cotton, entrepreneur and author of ‘The Cambridge Phenomenon’; Dr Sabine Jaccaud, of AstraZeneca, and Martin Smith, from Woodfines Solicitors. The judges picked Elpis as they were said to be impressed by the unique quality of the technology, which they believe has huge implications for biotechnology research.
Last years’ recipient of the award, STORM Therapeutics, has since gone on to raise £4 million of funding from Taiho Ventures and appointed Nobel Prize Winner Professor Thomas Cech as Scientific Advisor.
