Jo Rudzki
Head of Partnerships & Events
Aeropod has been crowned the winner of the 2026 TBAT Innovation Challenge, securing a £50,000 cash prize to invest in R&D to accelerate the development of its innovative soil regeneration technology.
On Wednesday 7th October 2026, the Innovation Challenge Finalist Showcase brought together ten of the UK’s most exciting innovative businesses at the British Motor Museum. Marking the culmination of the 2026 programme, the event saw finalists pitch their innovations to a panel of judges, investors and industry experts, while celebrating the creativity, ambition and ingenuity that continues to drive innovation across the UK’s SME community.
Powered by Dains and supported by Headline Sponsor Shakespeare Martineau and Platinum Sponsor Barclays Eagle Labs, the TBAT Innovation Challenge is designed to help ambitious SMEs develop and commercialise innovative products, technologies, and services capable of creating meaningful impact across industries and society.
This year’s finalists represented a diverse range of industries, from agriculture and healthcare to fertility technology and advanced diagnostics. While each business brought something unique to the competition, Aeropod’s innovation stood out for its potential to support more sustainable and productive farming practices.
Alongside Aeropod, Fibraxis and Foveo Fertility were announced as runners-up, with each business receiving a £5,000 cash prize and tailored support from the £100,000 prize support package.
Fibraxis is developing a first-in-class inhalable daily treatment that aims to transform asthma care by addressing the underlying causes of the condition rather than simply managing symptoms. The technology has the potential to halt and reverse structural lung damage while improving long-term lung function.
Foveo Fertility is developing an innovative device that improves the IVF egg retrieval and selection process. By maintaining egg cells at a stable physiological temperature and streamlining laboratory workflows, the technology could help improve both efficiency and patient outcomes.
Several additional awards were presented during the evening to recognise excellence across different areas of innovation and business development.
Foveo Fertility received the Design Award, sponsored by Oxford Product Design, in recognition of its innovative product design and development approach. The award celebrates businesses that demonstrate exceptional consideration for user needs, functionality and commercial viability, highlighting the important role that effective design plays in bringing innovation successfully to market.
New for 2026, the Rising Star Award, sponsored by Sequel Consultants, was introduced to celebrate an early-stage business demonstrating exceptional potential for growth and innovation. The inaugural award was presented to Inbisense.
Inbisense is currently developing what it describes as the world’s first truly closed-loop respiratory treatment system. Its flagship technology combines on-board diagnostics with variable dose delivery, enabling patient-specific precision dosing within a single easy-to-use device.
While the trophies and prizes are important, the TBAT Innovation Challenge has always been about much more than winning.
The programme is designed to give innovative businesses access to the expertise, connections and opportunities they need to accelerate growth and bring new technologies to market.
Reflecting on this year’s programme, Sam Stephens, Commercial Director at TBAT Innovation, said:
“Every year, the Finalist Showcase reminds us just how much innovation is happening within the UK’s SME community. The quality of this year’s finalists has been exceptional and selecting a winner from ten different but equally ambitious businesses was no easy task for our judges.
The Innovation Challenge is about much more than the competition itself. It is about connecting innovative businesses with the expertise, funding opportunities, and networks that can really help them move forward.”
Applications are now open for the 2026 TBAT Innovation Challenge, giving innovative UK businesses, start-ups and entrepreneurs the chance to compete for a £50,000 cash prize*, expert business support worth over £100,000, and valuable industry recognition.
Mavis Technologies has officially launched its new AI‑powered smart glasses, Mavis Viaro and Mavis Itero, designed to support blind and partially sighted people in navigating everyday life with greater confidence and independence. As a TBAT Innovation Challenge 2025 finalist, Mavis Technologies represents the kind of purpose‑driven innovation that delivers real‑world impact through thoughtful, user‑centred engineering.
Assists organisations in accessing research and development grant funding across a range of UK and EU schemes and industry sectors.
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