Brunel University of London Product Design Engineering graduate Jonny Parker has been recognised for his innovative impact in making STEM education more accessible for visually impaired students.
His venture, Braille Forge, was awarded £2,500 at this year’s Ford Family Foundation’s Ignite Competition 2025 final, held at the Barclays Innovation Hub powered by Barclays Eagle Labs in Shoreditch, London. Jonny’s innovation focuses on developing affordable braille technology designed to improve access to tactile learning materials, an essential component for visually impaired learners pursuing studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Through a 3D braille printer, Braille Forge empowers teachers to produce bespoke, subject-specific learning materials on demand. By reducing the prohibitive costs of existing solutions, Braille Forge aims to open long-term educational and employment opportunities for students who are currently excluded from these fields. 
The Ignite programme, run in partnership with Barclays Eagle Labs, provides bespoke accelerator support, digital resources, and pitching opportunities for social entrepreneurs tackling some of society’s most pressing challenges from social to environmental challenges. Ignite helps scale the impact of ambitious social enterprises emerging from UK universities with funding, expert mentoring and connections.
This year, six finalists were selected from 70 applications from across the UK. The finalists shared a £50,000 prize pot, with Jonny’s Braille Forge among those celebrated for its innovation and impact. Jonny’s achievement highlights Brunel University’s continued reputation for nurturing innovative thinkers committed to driving positive social change through technology.
Congratulations to Jonny Parker on his well-deserved win!