EvoPhase was named Frontier Tech Champion 2026, recognising its breakthrough technology which optimizes industrial designs and processes using AI. The technology has applications in many industrial sectors, and helps customers improve efficiency, reduce energy and waste, and accelerate design and processing time.
At the same award ceremony, EvoPhase’s co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Professor Kit Windows-Yule won Tech Leader of the Year for his leadership across research, industry and the wider technology community.
The double win follows EvoPhase’s Startup of the Year award at the 2025 Birmingham Tech Week, reflecting the progress of the University-supported venture over the past year.
EvoPhase was founded in 2023 by four researchers from the University of Birmingham’s School of Chemical Engineering and School of Physics, and is currently an Operating Division of University of Birmingham Enterprise. The venture uses evolutionary AI and advanced simulation to generate and test thousands of designs and identify the most efficient high-performance solution for real-world conditions.
EvoPhase’s projects include the Birmingham Blade, an AI-designed urban wind turbine developed with Birmingham manufacturer KwikFab. Simulations indicated that its design could be up to seven times more efficient than existing designs in Birmingham’s wind conditions, which feature relatively low wind speeds but high levels of turbulence, caused by surrounding buildings.
Dr Dominik Werner, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of EvoPhase said: “To be named Frontier Tech Champion just one year after winning Startup of the Year is an incredible achievement for our team. These awards recognise our progress in turning advanced academic research into technology that can address real industrial challenges. Seeing Kit recognised for his leadership on the same evening makes the achievement even more special. His expertise and vision have been instrumental in EvoPhase’s development.”
Leadership across the University and industry
Professor Windows-Yule is Professor of Digital Particle Technology and Director of Innovation for the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Birmingham. Alongside his role at EvoPhase, he works to connect researchers, businesses and industry to turn scientific advances into practical solutions.
He is Deputy Director of Baskerville, a major advanced computing facility, and Deputy Director (Innovation) of the Birmingham Plastics Network. In September 2026, he was appointed Deputy Chair of the West Midlands Regional Defence and Security Cluster Advisory Board and was recognised in the Environment 100 awards for his contributions to sustainability.
Professor Kit Windows-Yule, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of EvoPhase: “It’s a tremendous honour to receive Tech Leader of the Year, particularly alongside EvoPhase being recognised as Frontier Tech Champion. My work at the University of Birmingham and EvoPhase has brought me together with exceptional researchers, engineers and industry partners. For me, innovation is about connecting scientific discovery with real-world challenges, and this recognition reflects the collective efforts of those talented colleagues and collaborators.”
David Coleman, CEO of University of Birmingham Enterprise, said: “EvoPhase is a venture with huge potential to shorten R&D times in industrial process engineering, deliver efficiencies, and ultimately help make many industrial sectors greener.”
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