ACES Wins at the LSBU Research and Innovation Festival

ACES was announced as the winner for best Knowledge Exchange or Business Engagement Project of the Year at the recent LSBU Research and Innovation Festival, marking yet another important acknowledgement of this impactful global collaboration.

ACES was founded in a strong partnership between several UK universities (University of Birmingham, London South Bank University, Cranfield University and Heriot Watt University) plus the Government of Rwanda, UK government, UN Environment Programme, and a broad network of academic and private-sector partners. Together, these collaborators connect world-class research with practical, real-world solutions to address the critical need for sustainable, accessible cooling and cold-chain systems in low and middle-income countries.

The ACES project is an example of a successful knowledge exchange and partnership-driven project. The project has created a unique model of engagement where researchers, policymakers, industry, and other stakeholders co-develop fit for market cooling solutions that enhance food and health resilience while supporting sustainability. Through initiatives such as the Festival of Cooling, international cold-chain conference, and multiple hands-on training courses, ACES has turned complex scientific research into accessible, scalable solutions, empowering local entrepreneurs, technicians, farmers, school children and many other stakeholders with practical skills and technologies to enhance their communities and livelihoods. For example, during the Festival of Cooling, a first of its kind festival organised by ACES, 5 thematic days were allocated, each with a distinct stakeholder category, to communicate the value of clean cooling and cold-chains in the context of developing countries. This partnership-driven approach demonstrates how collaborative research and intentional capacity building can deliver measurable societal and economic benefits, positioning ACES as a leading example of an impactful global knowledge exchange project.

This award highlights the power of partnership-driven innovation and demonstrates how collaborative research can generate long-lasting societal and economic benefits.