Wales STEM Awards: Cardiff Ceremony Finalists 2026

Key Points

• Wales STEM Awards 2026 has named finalists from businesses, universities, schools, charities and community organisations across Wales.
• Cardiff Metropolitan University is sponsoring the awards.
• The winners will be announced at Techniquest in Cardiff on Thursday, 1 October 2026.
• Now in its sixth year, the awards recognise achievements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
• Two new categories have been introduced for 2026: STEM Collaboration of the Year and the Shaping the Future Award.
• The STEM Community Impact category will recognise projects that use STEM activities to support communities.
• Martin McHugh will chair the panel responsible for selecting the winners.
• The event will move from a traditional black-tie dinner to an immersive theatre-style ceremony featuring demonstrations, exhibits, speakers, street food and networking.

Cardiff (Wales Times) August 25, 2026 – its report on the Wales STEM Awards 2026 shortlist, has named businesses, educators, universities, community groups and individuals as finalists ahead of an awards ceremony at Techniquest on Thursday, 1 October 2026. The awards, sponsored by uk/local/cardiff/">Cardiff Metropolitan University, are in their sixth year and recognise work across science, technology, engineering and mathematics in Wales.

Which organisations and individuals are on the Wales STEM Awards 2026 shortlist?

The Wales STEM Awards 2026 shortlist covers established employers, start-up businesses, higher-education institutions, public bodies, not-for-profit organisations and individual STEM advocates. According to Business News Wales, the finalists have been selected across categories linked to innovation, education, skills development, sustainability, community activity and leadership.

The finalists in each category are:

Who has been shortlisted for Ambassador of the Year?

• Josephine Grech, Cardiff and Vale College
• Tony O’Sullivan, NOVA Outreach Ltd
• Dr Geertje Van Keulen, Swansea University

Which programmes are shortlisted in the public sector education category?

The Educational Programme of the Year – Public Sector shortlist includes A Welsh Coal Mining Experience at Rhondda Heritage Park Museum; BBC Women in STEM Network at BBC Wales WiSTEM Hub; e-sgol; the Office for National Statistics; the University of South Wales’ Building Wales’s Future Space and Edge AI Capability; CyberFirst; and the National Cyber Security Academy.

Which not-for-profit and private-sector programmes made the list?

For Educational Programme of the Year – Not-for-profit, the finalists are CSconnected, Engineering Education Scheme Wales, Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum CiC2, Royal Academy of Engineering, STEM Untapped CIC, The Darwin Centre and Theatr na nÓg.

The private-sector education category includes Ogi, Panasonic Connect, SparkLab Cymru, Tata Steel UK, The Big Science Project, Wild Connect and Wynne Construction.

Which businesses are finalists for innovation and start-up awards?

The Innovation in STEM category, sponsored by Wynne Jones IP, includes Afon Technology Ltd, Configur, Cyber Innovation Hub, EA Global AI, Elements Technik Limited, Hidden Strength and MeOmics Precision Medicine Ltd.

Amy Hubbuck of Hidden Strength and Nirmani Fonseka of Ogi are shortlisted for Rising Star of the Year, sponsored by CSA Catapult.

The Start-up of the Year finalists are Elements Technik Limited, Tony O’Sullivan of NOVA Outreach Ltd and MeOmics Precision Medicine Ltd.

Who is competing in the new Shaping the Future Award?

Configur, Driverly, lemmiout Activities and the University of South Wales’ Building Wales’s Future Space and Edge AI Capability have been shortlisted for the Shaping the Future Award. Sony UK TEC sponsors the new category, which is intended to recognise emerging technologies and innovative solutions.

What new categories have been introduced for 2026?

Business News Wales reported that the Wales STEM Awards 2026 has introduced two categories: STEM Collaboration of the Year and the Shaping the Future Award. The collaboration category is designed to recognise partnerships involving industry, academia and the third sector, while the Shaping the Future Award focuses on people and organisations developing new technological or practical approaches.

The STEM Collaboration of the Year finalists are Aspire 2Be and Bouygues; e-sgol; Ipsen Biopharm; STEM Untapped CIC; Vishay Newport Limited x Dragons RFC; Wynne Construction; and NRS.

The STEM Community Impact category is also part of this year’s awards. Its finalists are the University of South Wales’ Biology in the Park 2026; Broadlands Community Hub and Laleston Community Council; Techniquest’s DNA Uncoded; A Welsh Coal Mining Experience at Rhondda Heritage Park Museum; The Darwin Centre; and The Big Science Project.

Which finalists are recognised for company, sustainability and team work?

The STEM Company of the Year – Under 50 Employees category includes Afon Technology Ltd, Aspire 2Be, EA Global AI, Nellie Technologies Ltd, SparkLab Cymru and Techniquest.

Dragons RFC Limited, Kenfig Nature Trust, Nellie Technologies Ltd and Nightingale HQ have been named in the Sustainability Award category.

The Team of the Year finalists are Driverly, Ipsen Biopharm and the University of South Wales’ Applied Sciences team.

The Woman of the Year shortlist comprises Emma Wride of AstroCymru Ltd; Josephine Grech of Cardiff and Vale College; Katerina Kaouri of Cardiff University; Steph Locke of Nightingale HQ; Dr Geertje Van Keulen of Swansea University; Beth Nurse of the University of South Wales; and Rhian Kinsella of the University of South Wales.

What did the awards organisers say about the shortlist?

Liz Brookes, co-founder of the Wales STEM Awards, said the finalists reflected activity taking place across the Welsh STEM sector.

As reported by Business News Wales, Brookes said: “Every year the shortlist gives us a fantastic snapshot of the talent, ambition and innovation within Wales’ STEM community, and this year is no exception.”

She added: “We’ve seen entries from established businesses and exciting start-ups, universities and education providers, community organisations and individuals who are going above and beyond to inspire others. What really stands out is the breadth of work taking place across Wales and the impact STEM is having not just on our economy, but on our communities and future generations.”

Brookes also referred to the revised awards format and said the organisers were looking forward to gathering finalists at Techniquest in October. “The evening will be a real celebration of the people and organisations shaping the future of STEM in Wales, and we can’t wait to share their stories,” she said.

Martin McHugh, chair of judges, said the standard of entries showed both the variety and scale of STEM work across Wales.

As reported by Business News Wales, McHugh said: “The quality of this year’s entries demonstrates the strength and diversity of STEM in Wales. From organisations developing new technologies and tackling some of society’s biggest challenges to those addressing skills shortages, widening participation and inspiring young people, there is an enormous amount to celebrate.”

He added: “Being shortlisted is an achievement in itself and I would like to congratulate all of this year’s finalists. Our judging panel now has the difficult task of selecting the winners, and I look forward to celebrating with everyone at Techniquest in October.”

When and where will the winners be announced?

The Wales STEM Awards 2026 winners are scheduled to be announced at Techniquest in Cardiff on Thursday, 1 October 2026. The ceremony will take place during the science discovery centre’s 40th anniversary year.

Business News Wales reported that the event will use a redesigned format rather than a traditional black-tie awards dinner. The programme is expected to include a theatre-style presentation, interactive exhibits, science-themed entertainment and demonstrations, guest speakers, street food and networking opportunities for people working across Wales’ STEM community.

The Wales STEM Awards are jointly organised by Grapevine Event Management and communications agency jamjar. Finalists will next be considered by a judging panel chaired by McHugh before winners are selected.

Background: What are the Wales STEM Awards?

The Wales STEM Awards recognise people and organisations involved in science, technology, engineering and mathematics across Wales. The awards highlight work in areas including technological innovation, research, education, skills development, widening participation and community engagement.

For the 2026 programme, the shortlisted entries include organisations working in cyber security, artificial intelligence, health and precision medicine, digital technology, engineering education, environmental projects and public engagement. The range of finalists also includes universities, colleges, specialist community projects, commercial businesses and cultural organisations.

Prediction: How could the shortlist affect Wales’ STEM community?

For the finalists, the announcement may increase visibility ahead of the October ceremony, particularly for smaller companies, community initiatives and education programmes seeking to demonstrate their work to prospective partners, learners, funders or employers.

For pupils, students and early-career professionals, the shortlisted organisations and individuals may provide examples of STEM routes available in Wales, from research and engineering to digital technology, outreach and sustainability-related work. For the wider STEM sector, the event will bring finalists and attendees together at Techniquest, creating an opportunity for professional networking before the winners are announced.