Dr Ian Campbell has been honoured in this year’s Princess Royal Silver Medal announcement, recognised for transforming how batteries charge and perform. His work at Breathe Battery Technologies has reshaped the UK’s position in next‑generation energy systems, earning him one of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s most respected awards.
The accolade recognises an exceptional personal contribution to UK engineering by an early to mid‑career innovator whose work has achieved successful market impact. This year’s medallists have advanced technologies that span laser‑based space sensing, sustainable battery optimisation software, and AI‑enabled touch‑responsive materials.
The three outstanding UK engineers who will receive the award this year are: Dr Ian Campbell, Co‑founder of Breathe Battery Technologies, Dr Liucheng Guo, Co‑founder and Chief Technical Officer of TG0 and Professor Robert Thomson FREng, Professor of Photonics at Heriot‑Watt University.
Luke Logan FREng, Chair of the Academy’s Awards Committee, said: “This year’s winners of The Princess Royal Silver Medal have each pushed the boundaries of engineering. Through their research and innovative ideas, they have supported the UK in being a leader in engineering and sustainability, making significant contributions to our national economy through inspiring entrepreneurship and collaboration.”
🧪 Dr Ian Campbell – Breathe Battery Technologies
A PhD graduate from Imperial College London, Ian co‑founded Breathe Battery Technologies in 2019. The company now operates London’s largest battery testing facility and has secured more than $33 million in investment. Partnerships include Volvo Cars, OPPO and Polestar.
Ian said: “I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive the Princess Royal Silver Medal. Climate change and air pollution continue to threaten health and livelihoods worldwide. By combining battery physics simulation with materials libraries built in industrial-scale labs, we can screen millions of potential designs and rapidly optimise the most promising candidates using advanced software. This capability is helping to bring cleaner, quieter, healthier and more affordable cars, trucks and energy storage systems to market faster.”
Professor Ricardo Fernando Martinez‑Botas of Imperial College London added: “Ian’s success in commercialising world-class research from Imperial College London exemplifies how UK academic excellence can translate into real-world impact. His contributions are not only advancing the UK’s position at the forefront of the international battery technology race but helping to shape the future of cleaner transport.”
An exclusive interview with Dr Campbell can be found in the latest issue of BESTmag.
