LONDON — Dr Ian Campbell, co-founder of Breathe Battery Technologies, has been named one of the recipients of the 2026 Princess Royal Silver Medal, a top individual honour from the Royal Academy of Engineering. The award recognises outstanding personal contributions to UK engineering by early- to mid-career professionals whose work has achieved successful commercial application.
Campbell is being honoured alongside Dr Liucheng Guo, co-founder and chief technical officer of TG0, and Professor Robert Thomson FREng of Heriot-Watt University. The medals will be presented by HRH The Princess Royal at the Academy Awards Dinner in London on Wednesday, 8 July 2026.
Software-Driven Battery Optimisation
Through Breathe Battery Technologies, a 2019 spin-out from Imperial College London, Campbell helped develop physics-based battery simulation software designed to improve charging efficiency and refine cell design. The software models the internal electrochemical behaviour of a cell, giving manufacturers insight into the factors that reduce efficiency — and, crucially, it can be integrated without any hardware changes.
By drawing better performance from existing battery chemistries, the approach is designed to limit electronic waste and accelerate the shift to cleaner, electrified transport and devices. That matters for EV makers and consumer electronics brands alike, where battery performance, charging speed and durability remain central to product competitiveness.
Since its founding, Breathe Battery Technologies has grown into a significant battery software business, built what it describes as London’s largest battery testing facility, raised more than $33 million, and worked with companies including Volvo Cars, Polestar and OPPO.
Academic Excellence to Commercial Impact
Luke Logan FREng, chair of the Academy’s Awards Committee, said this year’s medal recipients have pushed engineering boundaries while supporting the UK’s strength in sustainability and entrepreneurship.
“Climate change and air pollution continue to threaten health and livelihoods worldwide,” Campbell said in a statement. “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, head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London, said Campbell’s commercialisation of academic research shows how UK technical 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,” Martinez-Botas said.
