A UNIVERSITY of Brighton graduate has won a national award for her bike safety invention.

Emily Brooke, 28 (pictured right) collected the 2014 NatWest everywoman Iris Award for a female technology entrepreneur who is “providing solutions and building a smarter planet”, sponsored by IBM.

She graduated in product design and developed Laserlight, a bike light hailed as a major breakthrough in tackling one of the biggest causes of cycling deaths.

Almost 80% of cycle accidents happen as vehicles turn into them.

Laserlight projects a laser image of a bicycle from handlebars onto the road ahead, alerting motorists to the cyclist.

Richard Morris, principal lecturer at the university’s school of computing, engineering and mathematics, said: “It’s great to see Emily and other enterprising graduates from our courses doing so well. Emily has been passionate about the lifesaving potential of her design and has brought great dynamism and intelligence to the building of a business around this product so she deserves all of the plaudits she receives.”

Richard and Emily attended the Road Safety GB conference at The Grand hotel, Brighton.

Emily visited due to her Laserlight invention and Richard attended over road safety ideas resulting from the university’s partnership with Brighton and Hove City Council.

Emily initially raised £55,000 via a kickstarter campaign to launch Laserlight, now exported to 45 countries.

Her company Blaze has raised £500,000 in investment from sources including Richard Branson’s family and another round of investment for £1m is being finalised.