Brooklands BIA 2026
Designing and launching rockets was just one of the challenges met by students (Brooklands Museum)

Brooklands BIA 2026
Hands-on experience was central to the day at Brooklands (Brooklands Museum)

Haleon
Healthcare company and lead sponsor Haleon is proud of its scientific expertise (Brooklands Museum)

Brooklands BIA 2026
Imaginative ideas at the Your Energy Your Way solar science workshop (Brooklands Museum)

WORLD land speed record holder Andy Green OBE encouraged young people to be curious, work together and take on ambitious challenges when he delivered a keynote speech at Brooklands Innovation Academy (BIA) LIVE last week.

The event brought more than 500 pupils from 42 schools from across the South East to Brooklands Museum for a day of practical workshops, talks and conversations with people working in science, technology, engineering and maths.

Moving between sessions across the museum, students tested ideas and solved problems inspired by the work of researchers, engineers, healthcare professionals and businesses.

They explored challenges spanning robotics, satellite design, aerospace, healthcare, sustainable energy and precision engineering.

Activities included coding robots, designing and launching rockets, learning how products such as toothpaste and medicines are developed, and investigating the science behind flight.

Andy said: “I hope students take away that a world record is never one person’s achievement. It takes people with different skills asking questions, testing ideas, learning from setbacks and working together. I saw plenty of that spirit in the workshops today.”

Now in its fifth year, Brooklands Innovation Academy connects young people with industry and education partners at events run throughout the year. Before the BIA LIVE event, its 2026 programme had welcomed over 300 pupils from more than 20 schools.

Alex Patterson, CEO of Brooklands Museum, said: “Brooklands has always been a place where people turned bold ideas into real achievements. Today, students did more than hear that story - they worked alongside people solving challenges in the world around us.

“Andy’s achievements show what determination and collaboration can make possible.”

Brooklands Innovation Academy LIVE is presented by Brooklands Museum in partnership with Bourne Education Trust as part of the National Science Summer School programme.

Lead sponsor Haleon, sponsors BAE Systems and Stanhope-Seta, and a wide range of workshop providers and supporters helped bring the day to life.