Adidas link-up shortlisted for prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering award
16 Oct 2023
Collaboration with Loughborough University has contributed to the development of iconic products – many incorporating elastomeric materials
London – A long-standing collaboration between sportswear and sports equipment maker Adidas and Loughborough University has been shortlisted* for a prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering (RAoE) award.
London-based RAoE’s Bhattacharyya Award recognised “inspiring and diverse examples” of innovative and impactful partnerships between industry and universities
Since 2002, the Loughborough University and adidas cross-disciplinary teams have advanced engineering knowledge that has brought iconic products – many incorporating elastomeric materials – to market.
These advances have contributed to making sport safer, more accessible and allowing people to perform at their best whilst developing the adidas talent pipeline, said the Academy.
The collaborative research has influenced all adidas major tournament footballs, and the analysis of short duration collisions in football has benefited other sports.
Another example has been around the development of new international standards for cricket helmet performance that have eliminated facial injuries among players.
The Adidas-Loughborough link-up is one of six industry-academia partnerships from across the UK have been shortlisted for this year’s prize.
The Bhattacharyya Award 2023 and a cash prize of £25,000 will be presented on 24 October 2023 to the team who best demonstrate how industry and universities can work together.
*The shortlist for the Bhattacharyya Award 2023 was presented 13 Oct by Andrew Clark, executive director of programmes, Royal Academy of Engineering – at the First Friday Club for journalists, organised by Cadence Innovation Marketing.
