Draft:Bessemer Society

☆ Save On Wikipedia ↗
  • Comment: Read all the above linked information. Corporate websites are not reliable sources and press releases/what those affiliated with the society have said or written are primary sources and not independent. LinkedIn is not a reliable source so should not be used. S0091 (talk) 17:51, 29 May 2025 (UTC)

The Bessemer Society is a UK-based mutual society and forum for entrepreneurs, founders, and CEOs of science and technology companies focused on advanced manufacturing and hard-tech innovation. It fosters collaboration among leaders developing proprietary, manufacturable technologies, with the aim of strengthening the UK's industrial base.[1][2]. The Bessemer Society’s HardTech leaders include many working in innovations that target key emerging markets such as 5G/6G, autonomous vehicles, robotics, EV propulsion, low-orbit satellites, health diagnostics, and energy efficiency for Net Zero goals.[3]

History

The Society was founded by Alex Stewart [4], an investment analyst and publisher of inside:technology. It was created to provide a peer group for entrepreneurs facing shared technical and commercial challenges. The name honours Sir Henry Bessemer, the inventor whose steel-making process revolutionised industrial manufacturing.[5]

Mission, Membership and Activities

The Society supports industrial innovators by offering a network where members, typically founders and CEOs, can share experiences and collaborate. Membership is by invitation and is limited to leaders of companies with novel, scalable technologies.[6][7]

The Society hosts regular events including dinners[8], workshops, and conferences across the UK [9]. Regional chapters such as Oxford [10] and "Bessemer North" [11] in Manchester focus on local industrial policy and economic development, often in partnership with sponsors like Tata Steel and technical marketing firms.[12][13]

Lifetime Fellowship Award

The Lifetime Fellowship Award is presented annually to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, technical excellence, and social impact in the UK hard-tech innovation sector.

Recipients

  • 2019: Dr. Drew Nelson, co-founder and CEO of IQE plc, for leadership in the compound semiconductor industry.[14]
  • 2020: Martin Frost CBE, co-founder and former CEO of CMR Surgical, for pioneering work in medical robotics.[15]
  • 2021: Warren East, former CEO of Rolls-Royce Holdings and ARM Holdings, for advancing UK engineering, innovation and sustainability.[16]
  • 2022: Dr. Graham Cooley, former CEO of ITM Power, for leadership in green hydrogen technology and the clean-tech sector.[17]
  • 2023: Scott White, co-founder and former CEO of Pragmatic Semiconductor, for pioneering work in low-cost flexible electronics[18]
  • 2024: Indro Mukerjee HonFREng, former CEO of Innovate UK, for services to British Innovation.[19]

References

  1. Tata Steel and Bessemer Society support innovative solutions for UK industry and manufacturing https://products.tatasteelnederland.com/corporate/news/tata-steel-and-bessemer-society-support-innovative-solutions-for-uk-industry-and-manufacturing
  2. Rolls-Royce sponsors Bessemer innovation society https://www.pesmedia.com/rolls-royce-sponsors-bessemer-innovation-society
  3. Why the UK needs a semiconductor strategy: now! By Alex Stewart https://www.rwkgoodman.com/info-hub/shorthand_story/why-the-uk-needs-a-semiconductor-strategy-now/
  4. Written evidence submitted by Brian McCann, Tim Harper, and Alex Stewart https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/71502/html/
  5. "Henry Bessemer". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  6. "Aims". The Bessemer Society. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  7. "Membership". The Bessemer Society. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  8. Scott White presents at the Bessemer Society Annual Semiconductor Dinner https://www.pragmaticsemi.com/scott-white-presents-at-the-bessemer-society-annual-semiconductor-dinner/
  9. Bessemer Society convenes materials innovators in Manchester https://www.royce.ac.uk/news/bessemer-society-convenes-materials-innovators-in-manchester/
  10. Bessemer Society drives innovation across Oxfordshire https://thebusinessmagazine.co.uk/companies/immersion-in-oxford/
  11. Northern Powerhouse lacks bite without industry innovation https://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/northern-powerhouse-lacks-bite-without-industry-innovation/
  12. "Meetings and Events". The Bessemer Society. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  13. "Tata Steel confirms sponsorship of Bessemer Society". LinkedIn. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  14. "Dr. Drew Nelson presented with Bessemer Society Lifetime Fellowship Award". Automation Update. 21 November 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  15. "Medical technology pioneer Martin Frost presented with Bessemer Society Lifetime Fellowship Award". Cambridge Network. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  16. "Lifetime Fellowship Award Dinner, December 2nd 2021". The Bessemer Society. 20 January 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  17. "Lifetime Fellowship Award Dinner, December 1st 2022". The Bessemer Society. 1 December 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  18. A New Type of Semiconductor Company | Scott White, Pragmatic https://www.deeptechleaders.com/lab-to-market-leadership-podcast/scott-white-deep-tech-semiconductor-journey
  19. AGM and Lifetime Fellowship Award Dinner https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bessemer-society_steel-is-just-the-start-britain-is-now-incapable-activity-7272641076593659904-W3_E?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAAybegBWh6e49AhUqzeaXOtZD7eWC_4iy4