Promoting sustainable solutions

Phyona, Brunel University of London

Spin-out company Phyona uses pioneering research led by Dr Lorna Anguilano at Brunel University of London to sustainably recover metals from contaminated soil and convert them into high-value nanoparticles for use in manufacturing.

By planting a dedicated combination of seeds, these metals can be 'mined' in a more sustainable manner than some traditional methods. These plants work because the excess of metals in the soil makes them stressed, triggering them to move metals from the soil for their roots to live in a healthy environment. The metals they extract can include lithium and cobalt, which are used in batteries.

In an initiative coordinated by Brunel, innovation experts Impeller Ventures worked with Dr Anguilano to take this idea to market.

In 2023, Dr Anguilano was one of the 50 leading female entrepreneurs selected as £50,000 winners of Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Awards, and Phyona is a partner in a European €1.3 million grant. 

EcotechX, Northumbria University

EcotechX is a Northumbria University spin-out. The company's technologies offer innovative solutions for clean drinking water generation and sustainable cooling using solar energy and water-based operation.

EcotechX products, Solar2Water and Optimum Air Con, provide clean water and help people stay cool using renewable energy.

The start-up has received support from Northern Accelerator, an innovative collaboration between the North East's universities to commercialise research and boost the region's economy.

iCOMAT, University of Bristol

The sum of annual fuel bills for airlines globally can exceed $200 billion. To help bring this down, there is a need to manufacture new materials to produce lighter planes, cars and other vehicles.

iCOMAT is a University of Bristol spin-out that has developed a revolutionary patented process (known as Rapid Tow Shearing or RTS) for making advanced carbon fibre composites. These are lighter, stronger and more cost-effective than the current state-of-the-art processes used in the aerospace, automotive and marine sectors.

iCOMAT’s technology can drastically reduce the weight of components (a 10% to 38% improvement over existing composite parts) and lead to significant economic and environmental benefits.

Their base in the South West puts iCOMAT at the centre of Europe’s composite powerhouse, surrounded by world leading institutes and manufacturers, including the National Composites Centre (NCC).

AEH Innovative Hydrogel, University of Manchester

Agri-tech start-up company AEH Innovative Hydrogel was founded in 2018 by Dr Beenish Siddique, who won initial funding from the Eli and Britt Harari Graphene Enterprise competition.

Beenish’s commitment to innovation and sustainability has garnered her 10 prestigious awards, including £1 million funding from Innovate UK and a £3.5 million funding agreement with Terra Sana Holdings, a Canada-based biotech investor. 

This latest international investment will provide AEH with capability to fully develop its vertical farming system and to set up a manufacturing facility in Greater Manchester, accelerating already-established sales opportunities for its GelPonic systems on a global basis.

GelPonic improves performance for indoor fruit and veg farming, conserves water and filters out pathogens to prevent disease. Moreover, it outputs significantly less CO2 than traditional solutions and can be used in areas with drought conditions and infertile soil. 

The pioneering technology will reduce the use of fresh water in agriculture and therefore enable nations like the UK to grow a wider range of indigenous foods. This will reduce 'food miles' while enabling better yields for farmers in developing nations, where poor quality soils and limited rainfall put pressure on water supply and productivity.

Auxetec, University of Leeds

Auxetec is developing and commercialising novel auxetic polymer technology which was invented at the University of Leeds.

Developed by Professor Helen Gleeson OBE, the material thickens when stretched and can absorb shock.

It enables partners to make more sustainable products providing lightweight strength, durability and impact.

Low Carbon Materials, Durham University

Low Carbon Materials (LCM) aims to decarbonise concrete and asphalt, which contribute hugely to the world’s carbon emissions.

The start-up designs and manufactures carbon-negative aggregates, the essential crushed stone, sand, or gravel components that give concrete and asphalt their strength and stability.

LCM received support through Northern Accelerator, which is a collaboration between North East England’s universities, as well as Durham University directly.

The company was a finalist in the 2022 Earthshot Prize and has recently secured £3 million in growth acceleration funding.

LCM was visited by Prince William to learn more about how they create their innovative, low-carbon construction materials.

Reborn, Brunel University of London

ReBorn takes industrial waste and transforms it into stylish, recyclable homeware products, from washing-up bowls to soap dispensers, in a range that’s available to buy from John Lewis.

ReBorn was launched during the collaboration with Brunel University of London in 2023. The Wiltshire-based company claims to have saved 200 tonnes of carbon emissions and recovered 12 tonnes of plastic waste in its first year of operation – and won 5 awards, including the 2024 Equity-Backed Start-Up of the Year.

By giving new life to discarded materials, ReBorn is advancing circular design principles in the homewares industry. Its approach highlights the economic and environmental potential of rethinking how we use industrial by-products.

PulpaTronics, Royal College of Art

PulpaTronics sets out to replace single-use electronic devices, such as RFID tags, with paper-based, metal-free and fully recyclable alternatives. By developing carbon-based alternatives to products conventionally made of metals, the technology helps eliminate e-waste, cuts CO2 emissions by 67% and costs by 29% allowing for large retailers to deliver on their net zero targets.

PulpaTronics was co-founded by Barna Soma Biro and Chloe So. Barna Soma Biro is a scientist, entrepreneur and inventor, who leads the company's research, product and intellectual property development. Chloe So is responsible for the company's business, financial and commercial development.

Marmoset, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Marmoset is a Glasgow-based scenic construction company founded by RCS graduates Max Gabbott and Fergus Massie. Its mission is to reduce wasteful industry practices by providing an environmentally friendly alternative to existing construction methods, using recycled materials wherever possible to build or modify existing scenic elements.

ZELP, Royal College of Art

ZELP is an agricultural technology company working towards a sustainable future for agriculture.

Founded by Francisco and Patricio Norris, the company is aiming to develop and scale technology to monitor and reduce methane emissions in the livestock sector.

The two brothers are working towards supporting food security, environmental sustainability and animal welfare with ZELP.  

LabCycle, University of Bath

LabCycle, a start-up company co-founded by former University of Bath PhD student Dr Helen Liang, has opened the UK’s first pilot plant that can recycle up to 60% of plastic lab waste to make back into new lab consumables.

Following a successful pilot project recycling single-use plastic waste, the team is working to roll out the service commercially.