Dr Dave Hughes of the University’s  Institute of Thin Films, Sensors & Imaging has won the prestigious Converge Challenge 2017.

Dr Hughes was presented with the award by Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, at a ceremony on Thursday 28 September at the Glasgow Science Centre.

Converge Challenge is a high profile pan-Scotland company creation competition and entrepreneurship development programme for staff, students, and recent graduates of Scottish Universities and Research Institutes aimed at creating a new generation of entrepreneurs in Scotland.

Dr Dave Hughes, a Research Fellow within the Institute, won this highly prestigious award for his project novosound – technology that will allow expectant parents to see their unborn child with the image quality of MRI.

The revolutionary sensors, systems and software allow for low cost, high resolution imaging for the medical, dental, industrial and veterinary markets. The first place prize, valued at £78,000, includes £50,000 in cash and £28,000 worth of business support that includes mentoring from Royal Bank of Scotland, automatic entry to pitch on-stage at EIE17 and an opportunity to match a Scottish Enterprise SMART Feasibility Award. All main Converge Challenge category winners also gain automatic entry to the semi-final of Scottish EDGE.

Commenting on the award Dr Hughes said: “”It’s amazing for Novosound to be awarded this prize and the prestige that comes with it. It boosts the profile of not only the company, but the University as a whole.”

Professor Craig Mahoney, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of UWS, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and everyone at UWS is rightly proud of Dave and his novosound project. Novosound is a hugely important development and it is great that Dave’s work is being recognised in this significant way.”

In addition to Dr Hughes, Professor Des Gibson, founder and director of research Institute of Thin Films, Sensors & Imaging, was shortlisted for the Converge Challenge with SpectralSense, a supplier of infrared sensors for the detection and identification of multiple gases in one instrument

For more information on the Converge Challenge visit www.convergechallenge.com