Accelerator Awards Convening
A culturally inclusive event celebrating winners of the prestigious Accelerator Awards - designed to support researchers of Black, Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage in the UK.
The Challenge
The Wellcome Accelerator Awards are flexible, career-development grants for UK researchers from Black, Bangladeshi, or Pakistani heritage backgrounds, designed to support their progression in academia.
Zentive was tasked to design and deliver a culturally inclusive, accessible event that brought together recipients of these awards. With a diverse and highly accomplished group of attendees, the experience needed to feel seamless, welcoming, and thoughtfully reflective of the cultures represented without being tokenistic or over-designed.
The Approach
Following the venue brief, Zentive quickly proposed a shortlist of suitable venues in Manchester, drawing on prior knowledge of the client’s preferences and event style. This led to the swift selection and contracting of a sustainable venue aligned with the event’s values.
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Accessibility requirements were considered from the outset. Measures were put in place including step-free access, gender-neutral toilets, Blue Badge parking, induction loops, BSL interpreters, costs to cover childcare, access to written materials and presentations, a prayer room, a quiet room, a feeding space and all dietaries catered for. To ensure all needs were met in advance, a clear deadline was set for attendees to share accessibility requirements.
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As all attendees were based in the UK, a self-service train booking portal was integrated into the registration process. This offered a user-friendly solution, giving participants greater flexibility over their travel arrangements.
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A pre-event site visit brought together the client, AV teams, and Zentive to fully understand the space. This led to a strategic change in the plenary room and an upgraded production approach, significantly improving clarity, engagement, and overall attendee experience.
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Zentive worked closely with several suppliers including captioners, the venue, multiple AV teams, photographers and transport specialist to ensure the event was organised smoothly and prepared for success.
The Result
The final event went beyond the expectations of a traditional scientific conference. Across two days, attendees engaged in thoughtfully curated sessions designed to foster meaningful connections, build supportive networks, and encourage reflection on future career pathways.
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The CEO of Wellcome travelled in to provide a keynote speech, highlighting the scheme’s importance to Wellcome’s vision. A standout panel discussion explored “Staying Power in Academia,” featuring leading voices who shared candid insights on sustaining momentum within systems not always designed for minoritised researchers.
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Connections went beyond the main event. Informal group dinners took place across Manchester, with attendees choosing from a range of Nigerian, Ethiopian, Pan-Asian, Pakistani, and Middle Eastern restaurants further reinforcing cultural inclusivity through shared experiences.
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Post-event discussions and the formation of WhatsApp groups highlighted how powerful it can be to bring people together with shared purpose.
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As there was no flight travel and only vegetarian catering, emissions were greatly reduced resulting in one of the lowest carbon footprints of an event for this client.
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Total carbon footprint of this event: 1.78 tCO2e
Average per attendee: 30.70 kgCO2e
Highest contributor to emissions: Travel and Transport 53.8%
This is the CO2 equivalent of carbon sequestered by 8 tree seedlings grown for 10 years.