EnsiliTech® Founders Honoured at Leadership South West Awards
Bristol, UK, 18th July – EnsiliTech is proud to announce that two of its co-founders, Asel Sartbaeva (CEO) and Matt Slade (COO), were honoured with prestigious awards at the Leadership South West Awards last night in Bristol.
Asel Sartbaeva received the Emerging Entrepreneur Award, recognising more than a decade of scientific research and entrepreneurial leadership. Asel’s work on Ensilication® technology—developed over 10 years, most recently at the University of Bath—underpins EnsiliTech’s mission to transform the way biological materials are stabilised and delivered around the world. In addition to her scientific achievements, Asel is a UNICEF Girls in Science Goodwill Ambassador for Kyrgyzstan, advocating for greater representation of women and girls in STEM. She has also taken part in several high-impact accelerator programmes, helping to bridge her cutting-edge research with commercial application.
Matt Slade was named Young Leader of the Year, in recognition of his entrepreneurial drive and strategic leadership in scaling EnsiliTech’s operations. His work has been instrumental in translating early-stage research into a developing biotech venture with global potential. Matt’s commitment to accessible healthcare and sustainability continues to shape EnsiliTech’s vision and values.
"This recognition is a testament to the passion and dedication that drives everything we do at EnsiliTech," said Asel. "We are honoured to be part of a vibrant innovation ecosystem here in the South West."
“I’m incredibly proud to receive this award,” said Matt Slade. “It means a great deal to be recognised individually, especially as part of a journey I’ve helped shape from the very beginning. Co-founding EnsiliTech has been the most rewarding challenge of my career, and I’m lucky to work alongside people who share a commitment to meaningful, science-led impact.”
The South West Leadership Awards celebrate the people that are role models within their organisations, demonstrating impactful and extraordinary leadership.
About EnsiliTech:
EnsiliTech is a pioneering biotechnology company dedicated to enhancing the stability and accessibility of biopharmaceuticals through its proprietary Ensilication technology. EnsiliTech is a Bristol-based startup, which spun out from the University of Bath in July 2022. In December 2022, EnsiliTech had finalised a first, oversubscribed, pre-seed investment round of £1.2M/$1.5M. This consisted of an Innovate UK grant and private investment from Science Angels Syndicate, Fink Family Office, QantX, and angels.