Recognition, Representation, and Resilience in Women-Led Innovation

By Geovation

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24th August 2026

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Earlier this year, Sandra Go, founder of Emissiv and a member of the Geovation’s Spring 2026 Accelerator Programme, applied for the Innovate UK Women in Innovation Awards, one of the UK’s leading programmes supporting women entrepreneurs with bold, high-impact ideas.

Marking its 10th anniversary, the programme attracted a record 1,590 applications from across the UK and announced its largest-ever cohort of innovators. Against this highly competitive backdrop, Sandra was recognised as one of just 39 Highly Commended applicants, placing her among a select group of women driving innovation across the country.

And while funding often takes the spotlight, this recognition tells a much bigger story.

For Sandra and Emissiv, the recognition reflects the growing importance of innovative approaches to sustainability and environmental impact. As the business continues to develop the adoption of radiative cooling materials, this acknowledgement highlights both the strength of the innovation and the potential for wider impact.

Recognition Beyond the Grant

The Women in Innovation Awards are highly competitive, attracting applications from across sectors, from climate tech and geospatial solutions to AI, health, and infrastructure.

With a record number of applications submitted to this year’s programme, reaching the Highly Commended stage alone represents a significant achievement. The recognition acknowledges not only the quality of innovation, but also the vision, leadership and potential to deliver meaningful economic and societal impact.

The Value of What Comes Next

Alongside this recognition comes 12 months of Innovate UK’s bespoke business support – a tailored package designed to help founders accelerate progress and sharpen their growth strategy.

While grant funding can provide an immediate boost, structured support like this often delivers something just as valuable:

Access to expert advice and mentoring

Strategic guidance on scaling

Introductions to networks, partners, and investors

Dedicated time to refine and stress-test the business

For early-stage and scaling startups, this kind of sustained support can be transformative. It’s a reminder that growth isn’t just powered by capital but by the right guidance, at the right time.

Championing Women in Innovation

Programmes like the Women in Innovation Awards play a critical role in addressing one of the UK’s ongoing challenges: the underrepresentation of women in funded innovation and entrepreneurship.

Since launching in 2016, the Women in Innovation Awards have supported hundreds of women entrepreneurs and helped increase the proportion of successful women-led applications across Innovate UK competitions from one in seven to one in three.

Recognition matters – not just for the individual founder, but for the wider landscape.

Every “Highly Commended” founder contributes to shifting perceptions of what innovation looks like, and who leads it.

A Founder Perspective

Reflecting on the experience, Sandra shared:

“I’m honoured to receive Innovate UK’s support to scale Emissiv’s mission. Two years ago, after more than a decade in finance, I made the decision to retrain as an engineer – a step that pushed me outside my comfort zone. What began as curiosity became research, then a company, and now a technology being deployed in the real world. Innovate UK’s recognition has reinforced my belief that great opportunities often come from embracing uncertainty and lifelong learning.”

Founder Sandra Go presenting at the UCL SustainTech Competition.

Sandra’s story highlights the power of taking bold steps into the unknown. For many founders, progress is rarely linear, and some of the most meaningful breakthroughs come from embracing change and continuing to learn along the way.

Key Takeaways

There are a few important lessons here for others building and scaling startups:

1. Apply – even if you’re unsure of the outcome.
Highly competitive programmes still offer value beyond the final result.

2. Recognition builds credibility.
Being acknowledged by organisations like Innovate UK can open doors to partnerships, investment, and visibility.

3. Support matters as much as funding.
The right advice and networks can be just as impactful as financial backing.

For startups working at the intersection of climate, data and geospatial technology, the direction of travel is becoming increasingly clear. The future of climate adaptation will depend not only on better information, but on better tools, better insights and better ways of turning knowledge into action. And that is where innovation can make the greatest impact.

A Wider Journey of Growth

At Geovation, we see first-hand that building a startup is rarely a straight path. Milestones come in different forms – from investment and partnerships to recognition and validation.

As Emissiv continues to grow, this recognition provides further validation of both the innovation being developed and the opportunity ahead. We’re delighted to see Sandra’s achievements recognised on a national stage and look forward to following the next chapter of her journey.

For founders building ambitious solutions to real-world challenges, Sandra’s story is a reminder that recognition doesn’t always come in the form of funding alone. Sometimes it’s the acknowledgement of potential, resilience and impact that opens the next door.

Learn more: Discover the Innovate UK Women in Innovation cohort announcement, explore the work of Emissiv and connect with the team on LinkedIn.

You can also find out more about the Geovation community and accelerator: