The Thames Valley Tech Awards, a glittering gala evening attracting a large audience, were hosted by comedian Lucy Porter at The Select Car Leasing Stadium in Reading, and celebrated outstanding achievements in the region across various categories, including: Cyber Security, Emerging Tech, Start-Up, Leadership Team, Innovation, and Sustainability.
On winning the Sustainable Tech Company of the Year award, which recognises pioneering technology to help combat the climate crisis, the award sponsor Mike Reeves, Associate Partner at EY said: “Reaction Engines are developing and producing pioneering technology that will accelerate the journey to net zero. This Thames Valley-based company is bringing cutting edge technology to their chosen markets, with their innovative solutions in high-speed flight, a transformational approach to space flight, all alongside a solution that will provide significant performance benefits in the EV market.”
Carrie Lambert, Head of Sustainability, and Tom Burvill, Director of Applied Technologies, Reaction Engines said: “In the last couple of years, we have optimised our heat exchanger propulsion technology for single-stage to orbit to enable net zero carbon applications. One of the key areas is transportation. Currently, we are working on a twin-prop aircraft running on hydrogen. Our expertise and capabilities in hydrogen-powered technology are key differentiators for us at a time when interest in low carbon travel is growing.”
On Reaction Engines’ second win of the night, the Innovative Tech Company of the Year award, which recognises exceptional use of new and ground-breaking technology, award sponsor Liz Bell, Corporate Partner of Blake Morgan said: “We were particularly impressed with the entire step change their ultra-lightweight heat exchangers, or precoolers, have achieved, and how their application is enabling long-distance zero-emission transport to be viable. In their own words, we believe innovation runs through the culture at this company and their technologies are disrupting industries through true innovations, applied in a greener, cleaner and more sustainable way.”
Felix Newman, Senior Aerothermal Engineer, and Dominic Hall, Deputy Sector Lead for Aerospace, Reaction Engines, said on the win: “Our company culture is about recruiting people who are enthusiastic about what they do, where we are empowered to bring ideas to the table – people don’t feel they need to be at a certain level in the company to do this. That’s true for our engineers and developers as well as those running processes like HR, finance, sales and marketing. We have a culture that fosters innovation and once you have got this it is a virtuous cycle. We are interested in solving difficult problems but recognise that innovation is the combination of invention and commercialisation – you need both to succeed.”
To find out more about our pioneering technology to accelerate net zero, click here.
