Aerospace Technology & Innovation Awards

Celebrating the individuals, teams and organisations trailblazing answers to the biggest challenges facing our sector today.

Nominations for the Aerospace Technology & Innovation Awards 2025 are now open.

Winners in the following categories will be announced at the ATI Conference 2025, held on 4th & 5th November at ICC Wales, Newport.

  • Innovation Award for the most exciting emerging technology
  • Shaping The Future Award for advancing zero-carbon emission flight
  • Making The Difference Award for most impactful small R&D project
  • ATI Hub Breakthrough Award for most promising startup
  • Team Award for successful collaboration and partnership
  • ATI Project of the Year.

Categories & criteria

Criteria

This award celebrates emerging technology being developed in the UK that will support the journey to Net Zero 2050. The technology should be below TRL4, with an expectation that TRL6 will be reached before the end of 2027. Nominations are welcomed from companies of all sizes.

Nominations will require the following information:​

  1. A description of the technology
  2. Which company(s) is developing the technology – lead & partners
  3. Where in the UK the work is located
  4. Current TRL level and anticipated development timeline
  5. Why this technology is innovative
  6. How this technology will contribute to UK aerospace.

Nominated technologies do not need to have received funding through the ATI Programme to be eligible.

Nominate here

Criteria

This award celebrates zero-carbon emissions technology being developed in the UK for future commercial aircraft types. The technology should be at TRL6 or below. The technology can be relevant to any zero-carbon fuelled aircraft and should represent a step change in UK capability in this area.​​ Nominations are welcomed from companies of all sizes.

Nominations will require the following information:

  1. A description of the technology
  2. Which company(s) is developing the technology – lead & partners
  3. Where in the UK the work is located
  4. Current TRL level and anticipated development timeline
  5. What impact this technology will have on CO2 emissions
  6. How this technology is a step change in UK capability.

Nominated technologies do not need to have received funding through the ATI Programme to be eligible

Nominate here

Criteria

This award celebrates the impact of small research projects. The nominees will be able to demonstrate that their project, valued at £1m or less, has made a difference to UK aerospace – either by developing a key technology, showing agility in manufacturing or supply chain processes, or through some other innovation that helps the sector towards net zero.

Nominations will require the following information:​

  1. A description of the project
  2. Which company(s) is involved in the project – lead & partners
  3. Where in the UK the work is located
  4. Value of the project
  5. How this project has helped the company (e.g. growth, new expertise, new skills)
  6. How this project has an impact on UK aerospace​.

The project does not need to have received ATI (or NATEP) funding to be nominated.​

Nominate here

Criteria

This award celebrates UK-based startups that have been active in the aerospace sector since 2020. Their focus should be on supporting the journey to net zero for commercial flight.

Nominations will require the following information:​

  1. Name and location of the startup
  2. Current status of the startup (e.g. employees, funding)
  3. The technology on which the startup is focused
  4. How the startup demonstrates innovation
  5. The market need and potential the startup is addressing
  6. How the startup will contribute to UK aerospace.

Nominated startups do not need to have engaged with the ATI Hub to be eligible.

Nominate here

Criteria

This award celebrates the teams who are making the journey to net zero together. They could be working on a project, collaborating across companies, shaping decision making or driving change. They are high-performing, stretching themselves and those with whom they engage, and are delivery focused. They have strong relationships and navigate the ecosystem well. Nominations are welcomed for teams of all sizes who display exemplary collaboration and partnership behaviours.

Nominations will require the following information:​

  1. The composition of the team, including lead and partners
  2. Why the team was assembled, including the need being addressed by the collaboration/partnership
  3. The approach and method used to collaborate
  4. Where in the UK (or beyond) the teams are based
  5. The results that were achieved by the team
  6. How the team shares its approach with others.​

The team does not need to have received ATI funding to be nominated.

Nominate here

Criteria

This award celebrates the successes of the ATI Programme. We are looking for projects that have challenged conventional wisdom, taken risks and learnt valuable lessons to support the journey to net zero. The projects will be world-leading and contributing to the future of the UK aerospace industry.​ Projects must have finished or reached a significant milestone in the period from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025.

Nominations will require the following information:

  1. A description of the project/technology
  2. Current status of the project and the milestone reached in the qualifying period
  3. Which company(s) are involved in the project – lead & partners
  4. Where in the UK the work is located
  5. Why this project is innovative
  6. How this project will contribute to UK aerospace.

Nominations for this category must have received funding from the ATI Programme.

Nominate here

Terms & Conditions

Full terms and conditions for the ATI Awards 2025 can be found here.

Terms & Conditions

ATI Conference 2025

Join us on 4th & 5th November 2025 for our flagship event at the ICC Wales, Newport.

We will be hosting over 400 experts from across aerospace and beyond to discuss advancements in the ultra-efficient and zero-carbon technologies powering our journey to Destination Zero, as well as the advanced manufacturing technologies needed to bring them to market. Hear from expert speakers and panellists in our world-class plenary programme focused on the urgent issues affecting the sector globally.

Visit our conference page to find out more about the agenda, how to purchase tickets and our sponsorship and exhibition opportunities.

Secure your place

Discover the winners of the Aerospace Technology & Innovation Awards 2023…

Innovation Award

Adaptix and its robot-mounted 3D X-ray digital inspection technology.

Developed in collaboration with Cranfield University, the innovative system utilises Adaptix’s Digital Tomosynthesis 3D X-ray technology to enable the inspection of large and next-generation aerostructures directly on the production floor.

The project also has the potential to allow the inspection of airplane wings on the runway or helicopter blades in situ. This unique technology will enhance accuracy and efficiency in aerospace manufacturing and inspection, and represents a world first.

Making the Difference Award

This award celebrates the impact of small research projects and this year goes to Sensor Coating Systems for their novel technology that can measure temperatures of up to 1,500 degrees centigrade with an impressive accuracy of plus/minus 25 degrees.

The project successfully demonstrated that thermal mapping technology can be utilised under multi-cycle test conditions where engine load conditions are changing.

Existing thermal paints and coatings today usually contain toxic materials, and the judges were particularly pleased to see that the Sensor Coating Systems solution is fully REACH compliant.

ATI Project of the Year Award

ZeroAvia and the HyFlyer II project has challenged conventional wisdom, taken risks and provided valuable lessons to support the aerospace sector’s journey towards Net Zero.

During HyFlyer II, ZeroAvia grew its UK full-time employees from below 40 to over 250 and contributed to substantial job creation in the supply chain. The project was integral to ZeroAvia successfully securing Series C investment and established partnerships with world-leading OEMs including Textron and De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited.

Team Award

The Team Award for collaboration and partnership celebrates the teams who are making the journey to net zero together.

The ASCEND project team led by GKN Aerospace were able to show how they had embedded collaboration from the start and throughout the project with a real focus on knowledge sharing and lesson learning.

By embracing constructive challenge this team, which stretched across the UK, achieved their objectives while taking their community with them. And they had real project success too.

ATI Hub Breakthrough Award

ToffeeX is a startup that is revolutionising the design of heat exchangers. Effective thermal management and efficient coolant systems are critical for, among other areas, the electrification of aircraft systems and hydrogen fuel cells.

Originating from Imperial College London, ToffeeX’s software has enabled the design of heat exchangers that are 31% to 50% more efficient than current solutions, resulting in more compact designs, reduced weight, and a volume decrease of over 50%.

The company now employs 27 people and has successfully secured seed and Series A funding from investors.

Shaping the Future Award

Vertical Aerospace has achieved a step change in battery technology through its innovations. The Vertical Aerospace team is 'shaping the future' for the UK to have a strong position in not only this new market segment for eVTOLs, but also the wider battery-electric aircraft market with high potential for spillover and collaboration with other sectors. Vertical Aerospace has a put a strong focus on developing the UK supply chain, therefore having a positive impact on the UK economy, creating high value jobs and developing leading capability in the UK. They are also leading the charge for the UK in the development of the regulatory regime for the eVTOL segment.