Leeds Uni graduate earns purple plaque in recognition of pioneering female entrepreneurs

A University of Leeds graduate has earned a purple plaque in recognition of pioneering female entrepreneurs.

Dr Amanda MacCannell, a former PhD student and researcher at the university, won the prestigious UK Women in Innovation Award.

Amanda was recognised for founding a business called Pathways Open and obtained a £75,000 grant. Pathways Open supports biotech start-ups with academic experts, spurring innovation and modernising research through an online space.

The Women in Innovation Award purple plaque at the University of Leeds

Now a researcher in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Leeds, award winners could pick the place they feel most drawn to for their plaque to be publicly displayed.

In Amanda’s case, she chose to place her Women in Innovation award at the University of Leeds’ Helix building, where she spent the majority of her time conducting research.

She said: “Getting a plaque was a surreal moment, but uplifting as it can hopefully it will show other women that they too can pursue innovation”.

‘The Women in Innovation programme is a powerful catalyst for change’

Stella Peace, the executive director of healthy living & agriculture at Innovate UK, said the Women in Innovation programme was about transforming the innovation landscape.

She said: “The Women in Innovation programme is a powerful catalyst for change, not just for the brilliant women entrepreneurs it supports, but for the entire UK innovation landscape”.

When Amanda first joined the University of Leeds, entrepreneurship was not on her agenda.

The researcher said she “didn’t know any women entrepreneurs. It felt like something that belonged to other people, not someone like me”.

Most Read

Father who does OnlyFans with his son explains why they do it, and it honestly just gets worse

‘F**king loser’: One of the Stranger Things cast just dragged Chappell Roan, and people are angry

Meet the fathers who are actually choosing to make OnlyFans content with their real-life sons

However throughout her PhD, Amanda learned to solve problems creatively, put action into her plans, and deal with people and budgets.

Pathways Open on the road to success

Amanda with Sandeep at her PhD graduation

Amanda later co-founded the business alongside her friend Sandeep Sharda, who specialises in building a range of commercial software technologies.

The £75,000 grant helped Pathways Open prototype the AI tool that provided an efficient and unbiased method for finding academic collaborators.

As a result, the Women in Innovation award played a key role in helping Pathways Open gain attention and resources for innovation.

Originally from Canada, Amanda came to Leeds in 2018. She arrived in the UK for an interview with the British Heart Foundation, which funded her PhD.

Benefits of winning the award include personalised business coaching, role-modelling training and networking opportunities.

The plaque was unveiled by Chantelle Reeves, senior innovation and growth specialist for RTC North, Margaret Korosec, dean of online and digital education at the University of Leeds and Brian Baillie, head of Business Start-Up Service.