Ploughshare’s 2024 in Review: Driving Innovation for a Better Future

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Published 27th December 24

As 2024 comes to a close, we at Ploughshare are reflecting on a year of turning innovative ideas into real-world solutions that transform our society, people’s lives, and the environment. This year has been defined by collaboration and impact: from furthering our work in improving sepsis and infection diagnostics, to smarter digital solutions that extend the life of hardware; we have worked at the intersection of cutting-edge research and real-world application.

In our annual review video, Hetti Barkworth-Nanton CBE, our CEO, and our VPs of commercialisation: Mark Gostock, our VP of Health and Wellbeing, Hannah Askew, Interim Lead – Digital and Data, Helen Waugh, Interim Lead – Defence and Security, and Kalyan Sarma, VP of Climate, Environment, and Sustainability, highlight and discuss Ploughshare’s milestones accomplished this year – taking the steps to create meaningful change.

Revolutionising Health and Wellbeing

Our team worked closely with Presymptom Health, one of our spin-out companies, as they made significant progress this year towards transforming the way sepsis and other infections can be diagnosed. This includes securing a £1.5million investment round, and being accepted onto the IDAP programme (the Innovative Devices Access Pathway), which helps to launch innovative technologies into the NHS – laying the foundation for broader adoption of this transformative technology.

Building Resilience through Digital and Data

In a rapidly evolving world, adaptability is everything. Our Digital and Data team have been driving solutions that enhance flexibility and longevity in the defence sector and beyond. By integrating smarter software with existing hardware platforms, they’ve unlocked the potential for these systems to thrive in new and emerging environments – offering long-term value and security.

Accelerating Innovation in Defence and Security

The journey from lab to field has become more efficient this year. By improving timelines in bringing cutting-edge technologies to users, Ploughshare is helping to reshape how innovation supports defence. These advancements are not just about security – they’re about ensuring our technologies remain relevant, effective, and impactful in a changing world.

Prioritising People, Planet, and Profit

Sustainability is a core aim for Ploughshare. Over the past year, our Climate, Environment, and Sustainability team forged new partnerships with the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) and the UK Met Office, and focused on building an intellectual property (IP) portfolio that aligns with global market needs. This approach ensures that the innovations we bring to market can make a real difference while delivering economic prosperity.

A Vision for the Future

Across all areas, Ploughshare’s guiding principle remains clear: to transform cutting-edge research into practical solutions that deliver lasting benefits. As CEO Hetti Barkworth-Nanton CBE emphasises, this is about more than just breakthroughs – it’s about creating prosperity for the economy, society, the environment, and individual people’s lives. Learn more in our latest Impact Report.

Looking ahead to 2025, our commitment to meaningful change continues. Together with our partners, we’re driving innovation that not only solves today’s challenges but also lays the groundwork for a brighter, more sustainable future.