Sunamp co-founder Andrew Bissell has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Science by The University of Edinburgh, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to science, innovation, and sustainability.
Andrew’s relationship with the University goes back to 1989 when he graduated with a BSc in Computer Science. Since then, his entrepreneurial spirit has seen him co-found Voxar, a pioneering medical imaging company, together with Susan Lang-Bissell, before both establishing Sunamp in 2006.
Sunamp’s groundbreaking Plentigrade heat battery technology, now powering over 35,000 installations worldwide, was born out of a longstanding and successful partnership with The University of Edinburgh’s School of Chemistry. This partnership was recognised by the Royal Society of Chemistry, winning the Industry-Academia Collaboration Award in 2022.
Collaboration has always been central to the Sunamp story, from hosting students and employing PhD graduates to co-supervising research projects.
Speaking at the ceremony in Edinburgh on Wednesday 9 July 2025, Andrew said: “I am really thrilled to be awarded this Honorary Doctorate. I am truly appreciative that the University of Edinburgh has been the cradle for both Voxar and Sunamp. In Sunamp, I learnt that deep academic-industry collaboration can be transformative to achieving ambitious goals. Thank you for honouring that collaboration today.”
Andrew also encouraged graduates to stay curious, challenge assumptions, and experiment fearlessly: “If I hadn’t tested that early PCM at home, Sunamp might never have taken off.”
- Find out more about our patented Plentigrade phase change material
- Read about the collaboration between Sunamp and The University of Edinburgh
Photo credit: Douglas Robertson
