£50k award for innovator Emma and her game to save planet

release a free version for schools and charities and versions for different sectors will be created when we launch later this year.”

Science Minister Amanda Solloway said: “As we build back better from Covid, it’s a priority of mine to continue equipping our brightest female innovators with the tools they need to succeed, while encouraging a new generation of women to come forward and pursue their ambitions.

“We are backing Leicester’s own

Dr Emma Fieldhouse to scale up her innovative business educating the public and companies about their carbon footprint and the wider impact on climate change, helping the UK to build back greener.”

The funding is part of the government’s flagship Women in Innovation Awards, delivered by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which seeks to boost the number of UK female entrepreneurs, which could deliver £180 billion to the economy.

It forms a key part of the government’s ambitious R&D Roadmap, published in July 2020, which committed to supporting the UK’s innovators and risk-takers by backing entrepreneurs and start-ups with the funding needed to scale up their innovations.

Emily Nott, head of equality, diversity and inclusion at Innovate UK, said: “With 2020 proving to be an incredibly difficult year for everyone, and particularly women, continuing to support female entrepreneurs in 2021 has been a real priority for Innovate UK.

“We have had an enormous response and we can see some positives from the pandemic, with some of our shortlist inspired to start up a business in response to challenges it has brought.

“Working alongside the winners, Innovate UK will help them grow further. We can’t wait to see what else these inspiring women achieve and how they can be an example to inspire the next generation and to encourage more women-led businesses in this country as we rebuild and recover.”

For more details, you can tune into BBC Radio Leicester this morning at 10.15 to hear an interview with Emma.

■ On the road to greener, cleaner highways – Page 22