A decade ago, The Irish Times began its effort to recognise Irish innovators through annual awards.
The pace of innovative change these days means we sometimes forget how far we’ve come in such a relatively short period of time. So it’s worth casting a glance in the mirror.
Battery power
Remember when electric cars were just glorified golf carts and a mobile phone was a brick with an aerial? All that has changed thanks to dramatic innovation in battery tech. From tiny wearables to the electric car revolution, they are all built upon advances in battery tech. This year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to three pioneers in this field and one, John Goodenough, has laid the groundwork for the next big breakthrough: solid state batteries.
Ilika plc (LON:IKA) is a pioneer in materials innovation and has been inventing new materials for energy and electronics applications for over a decade. Global brands such as Rolls Royce and Toyota have long term collaborations with Ilika’s development teams.
