When Hayat Sindi landed in London as a teenager in 1991, she had no university place, no money, and didn’t speak English, Hard work and determination got her a place at Cambridge. In 2001, she won a PhD in biotechnology and has been credited with the invention of MARS,, which combines the effects of light and sound for use in biotechnology. She co-founded Diagnostics for All, an organisation developing a disease-diagnosing paper that changes colours when dabbed with the bodily fluids of someone who is ill. Sindi is also a fellow at PopTech, which offers fellowships to scientists promoting innovation. In 2011, she launched the Institute for Imagination & Ingenuity, which helps local scientists create business plans and find investors for their ideas.