Our team was pleased to attend the final of this year’s TBAT Innovation Challenge this week, which was sponsored by Forresters. The overall winner of this year’s competition was A&B Smart Materials, a company that develops sustainable, bio-based superabsorbent polymers (SAPs). They create biodegradable alternatives to traditional petroleum-based SAPs, contributing to a sustainable future.
A&B Smart Materials took home the grand prize of £10,000 in cash, as well as part of a support package worth £80,000.
They were up against tough competition, including runners-up Nafura Advanced Technologies and Snowball, who will each receive a support package to assist them as their projects and services develop further.
Forresters was proud to sponsor the Innovation Challenge for another year, supporting and stimulating the growth of SMEs by drawing on support from a unique expert partner network.
Partner Jagvir Purewal and Senior Associate Greg Smith delivered a workshop on intellectual property protection as part of the educational sessions available to entrants. Jagvir was also on the judging panel this year, and had this to say:
“I was once again blown away by the high standard of entries at this year’s Innovation Challenge, as I am every year. It has been truly rewarding to contribute to the future development of such exciting projects, and it was difficult to pick a winner with so much quality on display. A&B Smart Materials is a worthy winner; their pitch really stood out to the judges, and I look forward to seeing them go from strength to strength in years to come.”
Congratulations to A&B Smart Materials from the team at Forresters. For more information about how to apply for the 2026 Innovation Challenge, please visit the TBAT website.
All photographs courtesy of Nutkins UK Corporate Photography.
