The 2022 Ingenuity Impact has come to a close and, after a final round of pitching to an expert panel, we have our winners. From Yorkshire and Humber to the South Coast, we saw some amazing ideas for impactful businesses than can change the way we live, and our 2022 National Finalists secured nearly £90,000 of funding to help them in the early stages of their entrepreneurial journeys.

Our 2022 winners received their awards at the National Ingenuity Showcase at the East Midlands Conference Centre, part of the University of Nottingham’s Power of Partnerships Conference on 17 June 2022. The showcase started with a keynote from local entrepreneur and investor, Alex Peace-Gadsby OBE, who spoke about the history and importance of social enterprise. She told the audience:

“Don’t ever fall for the illusion that social enterprise isn’t scalable and sustainable.”

Let’s meet the 2022 winners:

Sponsored by Nuffield Health

Our 2022 Impact Entrepreneur of the Year is Keasha Kellam, who founded Gloucestershire domestic abuse peer support group, Honour Thy Woman.

Inspired by her own lived experience, Keasha will provide drop-in sessions, creative workshops, self defence classes and health and wellbeing workshops to anyone who has experienced domestic abuse.

Brendan Street, Head of Charity at Nuffield Health and a member of the Ingenuity Impact Finals judging panel, said:

“Honour Thy Woman is a truly inspiring multi faceted initiative that will change the lives, and improve the health and wellbeing, of those in underserved groups experiencing domestic abuse. It is scalable, practical and engages individuals, communities and employers. Her passion for this project, stemming from lived experience, is infectious. She is a force of nature. Keasha, and her initiative, will be a formidable  influence for good in the community. Massively deserving of the title Impact Entrepreneur of the Year. Huge congratulations Keasha.”

Sponsored by Nuffield Health

Our 2022 Health Champion Dave Pearson blew the judges away with his Mindminder software, which uses low-cost Amazon Alexa devices to deliver stimulating dialogue to engage dementia sufferers in their own homes or care setting. Carers have access to a web-based dashboard to customise the dialogue and access assessment results which can be analysed and trended over extended periods of time, providing pivotal data to further understand the effects and impacts of age-related mental health in the population for the future.

“I think Mindminder has true potential to improve the lives of many people living with dementia, reduce health inequalities in underserved communities and deliver benefits to the NHS,” said Brendan. “A truly worthy winner.”

Gosport resident Emma Kemp was awarded the 2022 Climate Champion Award. Love Outdoors CIC will break down barriers to accessing the outdoors, particularly for those on low incomes, living with health conditions, not knowing how to access information or concerns over costs. Love Outdoors will focus on community-led projects, and Emma’s passion for delivering meaningful sustainable health and wellbeing benefits shone through.

“Emma’s initiative combines environmental, community and health inequality impact,” said Brendan. “Seeing Emma develop her confidence through the Ingenuity Impact has been inspiring and I know Love Outdoors will continue to grow driven by Emma’s increased knowledge, skill set and self-belief. An inspiring winner.”

In addition to winning Impact Entrepreneur of the Year, Honour Thy Woman founder Keasha Kellam was awarded the 2022 Community Champion Award.

All three will also receive mentoring and legal advice as part of the Shakespeare Martineau Legal Prize.

Supported by Empiric Student Properties

Every year, the Brenda Dean Award gives funding to up-and-coming female entrepreneurs in the Ingenuity Impact, and this year we are celebrating three women doing amazing work in their communities.

Charm Daley’s Global Dance is a practical resource package with easy to follow dance and music from different parts of the globe with cultural attributes, giving children a safe space to talk and learn about difference, race, heritage whilst getting much-needed physical activity.

Part of the Nottingham-based Himmah Group, Caron and Shoana run The People’s Pantry, which will provide affordable, culturally appropriate food to community members from low-income households who are struggling to manage their finances.

Supported by Santander Universities

Ben Keeble, a Witty Entrepreneurial Scholar at the University of Nottingham, has developed the Mobiliaid, a seat raiser product which makes it easier for older people to sit and stand. Having noticed the impact that a lack of socialisation can have on older people’s mental health, Ben wants to make it easier for those struggling with mobility issues to leave the house, giving them back their freedom and a sense of independence.  

Ryan Brown, who studied Architectural Engineering at the University of Nottingham, has developed Cilo with business partner Laurence Collingwood, an app designed to empower positive climate action by allowing users to see the carbon cost of products, track their daily spending, and receive personalised tips to reduce their impact.

Inspired by her own experiences as a cancer survivor, Nottingham Trent alumni Alex Perry’s H.E.R Bodywear aims to create self-esteem boosting lingerie for women who have lost their self-confidence following breast cancer surgery. Alex also won the People’s Choice Award on the day, voted for by the National Ingenuity Showcase audience.

Supported by Abri

NVR South aims to create a UK-wide network for parents/carers to find support through the Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) parenting approach when struggling with their children’s difficulties.     

Bikeables helps the elderly and mobility impaired people fight loneliness and social isolation by offering them rides with the rickshaws and disability e-bikes.

Community Kettle plans to develop fully inclusive intergenerational community hubs which will enable children, young people, parents, carers and older adults to participate in ongoing services and programming concurrently at the same site.

National Climate Champion Emma Kemp is our fourth South Coast Champion for her Love Outdoors idea.

Supported by Santander Universities

Golden Token is focused on early intervention and prevention of young people getting involved in gang violence, and will provide a community hub for local adolescents to learn digital skills.

The Uniform Project aims to empower those from disadvantaged backgrounds and instil confidence in students.  By repurposing uniforms, the project will sustainably equip students with clothing, and reduce the environmental impacts of wastage. 

Supported by Santander Universities

Motion Exercise CIC is a Sheffield-based social enterprise that is on a mission to improve the health and happiness of older adults across the United Kingdom, through inclusive group exercise programmes that seek to reduce social isolation and increase physical activity.

Livingwell will offer applied creative and nature-connection practices and activities to promote better and more sustainable emotional and core wellbeing of the autistic adults community.

Tailored to the English language learning needs of 5–11 year old refugee children and refugee parents, Learning Loved will develop bespoke training programmes for schoolteachers and carers faced with the language learning difficulties of refugee children.

Supported by Santander Universities

In addition to National Challenge Champions Keasha and Dave, Hartpury College’s Josh Pullen was our third South West Champion. His idea, Aspire and Go is committed to reducing barriers to sports participation, allowing users to scan a QR code and rent sports equipment at council facilities, making variety of sports more affordable, accessible, and flexible to the local community.  

Supported by Santander Universities

Inspired by her own experiences of discrimination in the workplace, Shaniqua Mckenzie’s Fairest Futures is an unconscious bias training provider, professional lobbying organisation and employee relations support service, aiming to reduce the amount of discrimination that people from underrepresented groups face in recruitment and in the workplace.

If you’re interested in supporting any of our 2022 National Champions, via mentoring, industry connections or early-stage funding, get in contact with us at ingenuity@nottingham.ac.uk