While on campus, DPM Heng and his delegation explored opportunities for future collaboration, particularly in the space of R&D and innovation. The visit to Swag直播 was the only non-London element of the DPM鈥檚 UK visit, alongside Cambridge; they visited the city due to its effective innovation ecosystem evident in the relationship between the university, businesses and local government.

DPM Heng observed a briefing by the and the before having dinner with President and Vice-Chancellor, Duncan Ivison. He also visited the Swag直播 Fuel Cell Innovation Centre and met with the UK Biobank.

As part of his visit to the city, DPM Heng met with Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Swag直播, to discuss views on how government, academia, finance, industry and talent can come together to grow vibrant and integrated innovation ecosystems.

Swag直播 has a longstanding relationship with Singapore, welcoming many Singaporean students each year. Undergraduate exchange agreements are in place with the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University.

The International Development Division at Swag直播 maintains good relationships with the various institutions across Singapore and arranges several visits to Singapore each year for colleagues from Faculties and Schools.

The International Development Division also has close links with the Singapore Students鈥� Society of Swag直播 who act as ambassadors at events, and there are also close ties with the active University of Swag直播 Alumni Group.

The Alliance Swag直播 Business School (AMBS) has had a presence in Singapore since 1992 and opened the , in Singapore, in 1999; with 400 active students and 1,500 alumni, the Centre offers MBA course and Masters Degrees.

The South East Asia Centre participated in the University鈥檚 bicentenary event, Light Up, in January 2024, by gathering current students and esteemed alumni for a jubilant reception.

The announcement has been made as part of a collaboration agreed between Lilly and UK Government today, unveiled at the Government鈥檚 International Investment Summit. 

The study will evaluate the real-world effectiveness of tirzepatide in weight loss, diabetes prevention, and prevention of obesity-related complications for adults with obesity. 

The evidence generated will seek to increase the global evidence base on the long-term impacts of weight loss medicines and potentially inform the UK's care pathway approach to the treatment of obesity. Significantly, the five-year study will also aim to collect data on healthcare resource utilisation, health-related quality of life and changes in participants鈥� employment status and sick days from work. 

Health Innovation Swag直播 has worked with the University of Swag直播 and local digital trials company NorthWest EHealth to develop the study approach.

Mayor of Greater Swag直播, Andy Burnham, said: 鈥淕reater Swag直播 is worldrenowned as a hub for innovation in health and life sciences. The results of the trial announced today could have a far-reaching impact on how we treat obesity globally, and our city-region is ready to make a significant contribution through our outstanding health data assets, R&D expertise, and the strong partnerships between industry, universities and public sector organisations.

鈥淭he International Investment Summit will provide an opportunity to showcase our local strengths in health innovation to an audience of global business leaders and investors. This partnership could be the first of many and give Greater Swag直播 residents access to other innovative treatments.鈥�

Professor Rachel Batterham, Senior Vice President for International Medical Affairs at Lilly, said: 鈥淎t Lilly, we are deeply committed to improving lives by partnering across the health system to address complex health challenges like obesity. We鈥檙e delighted to partner with Health Innovation Swag直播 on our plans for the SURMOUNT-REAL UK study. This collaboration will add to the evidence base on the real world impact of obesity treatments on the health of people with obesity, and will explore a broad range of outcomes including health-related quality of life and impact on individuals鈥� employment status.鈥�

Martin Rutter, Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine, University of Swag直播, and principal investigator for the Greater Swag直播 study, said: 鈥淭his five-year real-world study aims to demonstrate the long-term efficacy and safety profile of tirzepatide in a primary care setting compared to usual care. It will specifically quantify the medicine鈥檚 long-term effects on obesity, diabetes incidence, and obesity-related complications, as well as its impacts on employment and health economic outcomes.鈥� 

Ben Bridgewater, CEO at Health Innovation Swag直播, commented: 鈥淕reater Swag直播 (GM) is well placed to deliver novel trials and real-world evidence studies to develop a deeper understanding of the impact that industry-led innovation can have on population health. Through this landmark partnership with Lilly we will show how a medicine impacts people鈥檚 long-term health outcomes. This will help us understand its effects people with obesity in GM as well as inform national strategies and pave the way for further research and development in this critical area.鈥�

Mark Britnell, Chair of Health Innovation Swag直播, said: 鈥淥wing to our strengths in life sciences, academia and digital, Greater Swag直播 has all the ingredients to be truly world-leading in health innovation. This is demonstrated through our partnership with Lilly, which will help to propel our sector strengths even further forward for the benefit of local patients.鈥�

Mark Fisher, CEO of the NHS Greater Swag直播 Integrated Care Board, said: 鈥淎round 600,000 adults in Greater Swag直播 live with obesity, many of whom also suffer with other obesity-related illnesses which reduces their quality of life and puts additional pressure on the health and care system. Working collaboratively with industry to solve these problems is paramount, and I am delighted to support the study coming to the Greater Swag直播 integrated care system.鈥� 

Jonathan Wogel, Chief Executive Officer, NorthWest EHealth, said: 鈥淲e are excited to be partnering with our colleagues at Health Innovation Swag直播 to deliver this new study which is aimed at generating data to support patients with obesity. It is not only a milestone for NWEH and Greater Swag直播 (GM), but a significant moment for the UK clinical trials industry. By combining GM鈥檚 well established health system with our innovative technology, we are demonstrating the future of clinical trials, where technology and health data integrate to make research more efficient, helping develop and deliver better care for patients.鈥�

Swag直播 is today launching a new capability, , to rethink how it supports the region鈥檚 innovation economy. With a mandate to drive the University鈥檚 new approach to innovation, Unit M will connect and catalyse the innovation ecosystem in Swag直播 and the wider region to accelerate inclusive growth.

The UK faces a myriad of interlinked urgent economic and social challenges which require faster and more inclusive growth across all parts of the country. Cities like Swag直播, as the UK鈥檚 second largest city, are critical to rebalancing growth - but lower productivity, R&D spend and startup activity currently hinder the region in achieving its full potential. 

鈥淭he transformative potential of fully embracing innovation cannot be understated, both for the region and for the UK more widely鈥� says Duncan Ivison, President and Vice Chancellor of Swag直播.  鈥淯nit M lies at the heart of the University鈥檚 ambition to power an inclusive economy, positioning Swag直播 as a central player on the global stage to accelerate growth for all in society.鈥�

Unit M is designed to address all aspects of the innovation challenge - from R&D through to innovation adoption through to talent and skills - by making the world leading  innovation assets and talents of the University more accessible to all. Unit M will drive a new strategy for the University to create a globally leading innovation ecosystem in the region. This will encompass powering the start up and scale up community, catalysing industry clusters, leading future skills provision, strengthening the University鈥檚 partnerships within the region, and telling Swag直播鈥檚 innovation story.  
 

Examples of some of the activities that Unit M will undertake include:

• Creating accelerator and incubator programmes and building investor networks for the startup and scale up community;
• Developing regional innovation clusters and innovation partnerships to attract new innovation-intensive businesses to the region; 
• A new lifelong approach to skills - from expanding scientific/technological skills provision for students, to training executive leaders on innovation adoption; 
• Rethinking the University鈥檚 approach to R&D to be more flexible and responsive to industry demand

Unit M will have the agility to operate dynamically in response to the most impactful opportunities as they emerge - whether that鈥檚 connecting students into the ecosystem or drawing on expertise from across the whole University to help solve real world challenges from industry. 

鈥淪wag直播 has experienced major change over the past 30 years, but not everyone has benefited from rising prosperity鈥�, said Mayor of Greater Swag直播, Andy Burnham. 鈥淣ow, more than ever, we need to pioneer a new model of regional collaboration that harnesses our industrial strengths and innovation capabilities. Unit M will not only foster inclusive growth throughout Greater Swag直播, but contribute to the broader prosperity of the UK.鈥�

Unit M is live from today, and will be rapidly scaling over the coming months. The team is seeking to connect with entrepreneurs, investors, changemakers and business leaders who are interested in partnering with the University.

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Swag直播 City Council, said: 鈥淪wag直播 has always been a hotbed of innovation. Building on our existing strengths is vital to Swag直播, and Greater Swag直播, accelerating our growth at scale to generate more jobs and investment. With Unit M, Swag直播 is doing exactly that - doubling down on innovation while encouraging even more collaboration with our business community. Further strengthening the city's innovation ecosystem will help create jobs, investment and growth that works for everyone.鈥�

Unit M will align with and complement existing capabilities across the University, including the University鈥檚 tech transfer office, The Innovation Factory,  The Pankhurst Institute for Health Technology and the Turing Innovation Catalyst and its sector leading business engagement, student entrepreneurship, and flexible learning teams. It will also partner closely with external capabilities, including the Greater Swag直播 Combined Authority (GMCA), local councils and other institutions.  

By convening these existing innovation services across the University and its key strategic partners, Unit M will accelerate and drive the development of new opportunities to build a strong innovation economy throughout the region.  

UoMIF has met or exceeded several key performance targets, reinforcing its commitment to fostering innovation in Swag直播 and supporting the commercialisation of cutting-edge research to benefit society.

Innovation Factory is Swag直播鈥檚 commercialisation arm, dedicated to translating research into commercial opportunities while working closely with academics, industry partners and investors to create and support spinout companies and license cutting-edge technologies.

Over the past year, UoMIF successfully launched seven new spinout companies which span a diverse range of sectors, showcasing the breadth of innovative research emerging from Swag直播. These include: Haliogen Power Limited, Plant Organelle Technologies Limited, Oncodrug Limited, VariantValidator Limited, CASA Space Technologies Limited, Kavarney Limited 鈥� with CGSkin recently acquired by Skin Diary Limited as well.

In addition to success in setting up spinouts, UoMIF secured 拢2.3million in licensing income. Future growth in this space looks positive too, with ongoing negotiations and potential deals progressing.

UoMIF has also secured 拢9.2million in first investments for new University spinouts, significantly exceeding its target of 拢5million. This success reflects the growth of investor confidence in high-potential technologies developed within the University.

Commenting on the year-end results, Catherine Headley, CEO of the University of Swag直播 Innovation Factory, said: "This year鈥檚 performance is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team and the remarkable talent within Swag直播.

鈥淭he successful launch of seven new spinouts and the exceptional level of investment secured are clear indicators that our innovation ecosystem is thriving. While there is room for growth in our licensing income, we are confident that the foundations laid this year will lead to significant future opportunities. We remain committed to supporting our researchers in transforming their groundbreaking ideas into impactful, real-world solutions."

Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Swag直播, said: 鈥淭he Innovation Factory plays a crucial role in transforming our academic breakthroughs into tangible societal benefits. The success of this year鈥檚 spinouts and the remarkable level of investment secured are clear evidence of the impact the Innovation Factory is having.

鈥淭hese results demonstrate the University鈥檚 continued commitment to driving technology and entrepreneurship and it highlights the vital place that Swag直播 has in leading the world鈥檚 innovations. I commend the entire team at UoMIF for their outstanding achievements this year ensuring that Swag直播 remains at the forefront of research commercialisation.鈥�

R2I is a bespoke entrepreneurship training programme for final-year PhD students, PDRAs and early-career researchers from across all faculties with ambitions to develop commercial ventures or to create impact from their academic studies.

The programme includes a series of interactive personal and professional development sessions, which introduce the concept of commercialisation, equipping researchers with strategies to take ideas forward and discover new pathways to funding.

Read more about the researchers recently supported to further their ideas.

and register now to attend one of our short  to hear more about the programme and how to apply.

Key Dates

Cohort 1:

• Introductory Sessions: In person and online across 16^th and 17^th October 
• Applications Open: 17th October
• Application Deadline: 28th October
• Programme: 14^th November - 19^th February 2025

Cohort 2:

• Information Sessions: March 2025
• Programme: April 鈥� June 2025

The MEC Researcher to Innovator (R2I) programme is supported by the University鈥檚 Innovation Academy. The Innovation Academy is a pan University initiative and joint venture between the , the  and the Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange team, bringing together knowledge, expertise and routes to facilitate the commercialisation of research.

Swag直播鈥檚 new 拢1.7bn innovation district and neighbourhood opens the doors to its first building, while unveiling its new name as . The district has also announced its first customer, Sustainable Ventures, Europe's leading climate tech hub, which will officially move into the Renold Building in November. 

Previously known as ID Swag直播, Sister is a joint venture between Swag直播 and . The project will see the transformation of the University鈥檚 former North campus into a 4 million sq ft globally competitive innovation district and will help elevate Swag直播鈥檚 position as a national centre for science and technology.

Sister will specialise in advancing innovation across sectors including digital tech, health innovation, biotechnology, advanced materials and manufacturing. It will provide access to state of the art facilities, connecting early-stage high growth potential businesses with investors, while creating a collaborative ecosystem that enables UK and global businesses to benefit from cutting edge innovation. 

Driving economic growth and creating opportunities for local communities

Sister is primed to be a catalyst for economic growth and prosperity across the North of England, and is projected to contribute around 拢1.5bn GVA per annum to Swag直播. More than just a development project, the district aims to create a positive social impact through the generation of a large portion of high-quality employment opportunities, including over 10,000 on-site full-time equivalent jobs and accessible routes to education, training and apprenticeships for local people. 

Over 1,500 new homes will be delivered, alongside over 2 million sq ft of commercial, innovation, retail and leisure space. Within 9 acres of public realm space, Sister will also create a new civic square for Swag直播 and feature a variety of new and enhanced green spaces for local communities to access and enjoy.  

Reinventing a historic educational building for tomorrow's leading businesses

The opening  of the Renold Building marks the first phase of the ambitious 15 year project and is supported by funding through the Greater Swag直播 Investment Zone, of which the district is a key initiative supporting the growth of the advanced materials and manufacturing sector.

The 110,000 sq ft newly renovated building has been transformed into an innovation hub, celebrating its history as a purpose-built teaching facility and centre for science and technology excellence. To support the growth and scale-up of early-stage start-ups and spin-outs, the Renold Building will provide a range of low and no-cost coworking facilities, private office suites, as well as a community cafe and flexible event spaces accessible to local businesses and community groups. 

The first customer to move on site this November is Sustainable Ventures, which helps climate start-ups and entrepreneurs scale through investment, workspaces and venture support. Sustainable Ventures will expand its presence outside of its London headquarters, currently Europe鈥檚 largest climate tech hub, by occupying three floors of the Renold Building. 

It will be joined by a number of University innovation initiatives at the Renold Building, including the Turing Innovation Catalyst Swag直播, accelerating the growth of AI-start-ups;  the Christabel Pankhurst Institute for health technology research and innovation; and the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Catalyst, a cross-sector collaboration to empower the growth of biotechnology businesses.

Following the opening of the Renold Building, Sister will soon announce plans for the district鈥檚 first major development zone, set to include new commercial workspace, a mix of retail and leisure facilities and new public realm spaces.  

A model for successful public-private collaboration

Sister is leveraging successful cross-industry partnerships to become a major economic enabler for the future of the city. The district is one of the key strengths in the GM Investment Zone, which will invest 拢160 million in projects that increase growth and innovation in the region over the next 10 years and sees central and local government work closely with businesses, higher education institutions and other local partners. Key to delivering Sister鈥檚 long-term economic impact is the city region鈥檚 strong local leadership and support from industry investment, including through the Bruntwood SciTech joint venture between Bruntwood, Legal & General and Greater Swag直播 Pension Fund, now the UK鈥檚 largest dedicated property platform dedicated to the growth of the knowledge economy.

Why Sister?

The name, Sister, represents the close bond between industry and academia and expresses an ethos of collaboration, openness and the use of knowledge to solve problems. It builds on the heritage of the former academic campus, once home to the University of Swag直播 Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), and represents a vision to create an ecosystem of like-minded companies, institutions, districts and cities to drive innovation forward and help tackle some of the world鈥檚 greatest challenges.

Bradley Topps, Project Director, Sister and Chief Commercial Officer, Bruntwood SciTech, said: 鈥�Sister is founded on the belief that it takes a community to raise an idea and that although ideas may appear in a single mind, they flourish when people come together. This new district marks a new chapter in Swag直播鈥檚 history of science and innovation. Over the next 15 years, we鈥檙e dedicated to developing an inclusive space that connects talent, investment, education and enterprise, providing the perfect conditions for ideas to spark, collaboration to flourish, and world-changing innovations to scale.鈥�

John Holden, Associate Vice-President, Swag直播 and Executive Committee Member, Sister said: 鈥淭he opening of the Renold Building is a major milestone in the development of Sister, capitalising on Swag直播鈥檚 research, innovation and education capabilities to catalyse the growth of successful science and technology start-ups. Sister will be home to some of the most exciting businesses in the UK developing solutions to help tackle society's biggest challenges. We're excited to open the doors to a vibrant new innovation district that will drive growth for ambitious start-ups and scale-ups, attract new science and technology companies to Swag直播, and create new opportunities for our staff, students and local communities.鈥� 

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Swag直播 City Council, said: 鈥淭his is a significant moment for Swag直播. The fact that Sister will ultimately create 10,000 jobs and add 拢1.5 billion a year to the city鈥檚 economy underlines its scale and the sheer ambition behind this major new district. This development will add to Swag直播鈥檚 thriving innovation ecosystem and, true to the heritage of a site from which great ideas and innovations have previously sprung, will help keep the city in the forefront of future innovation.鈥� 

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Swag直播, said: 鈥淪ister will be a thriving innovation district at the heart of Greater Swag直播. With the Renold Building opening and welcoming its first occupier, we鈥檙e seeing the first signs of what this area will become 鈥� a home for start-ups, innovation-led businesses, universities, researchers and investors, where the clustering effect helps create jobs and opportunities. Sister is also a key site for our Investment Zone, which is supporting the growth of the advanced materials and manufacturing sector. Our city-region has been a centre of scientific and technological innovation for two centuries and places like Sister are where the next chapter of that story is written.鈥�

CEO of Sustainable Ventures, Andrew Wordsworth, said: 鈥淲e're thrilled to grow Sustainable Ventures' footprint in the UK by establishing a presence in Sister, at the heart of the UK鈥檚 second-largest tech ecosystem. This partnership empowers us to supercharge climate tech innovation across The North, bringing workspace, investment and a wealth of expertise to the region鈥檚 pioneering startups and entrepreneurs. The climate tech companies we鈥檝e supported to date have already created over 6,000 jobs and we hope to replicate that economic growth within the region over the next few years.鈥�

This strategic partnership marks a significant milestone for the brands in their pursuit of dermatological research advancement and skincare innovation.  will be launching the first of the CGSkin products, Night Repair Therapy on 25 October 2024. Night Repair Therapy is a true innovation designed to regenerate and rebuild collagen and elastin in prematurely aged skin without irritation.

Founded in 2023 by leading researchers in skin ageing, The Skin Diary is modernising skincare through its innovative product Chapters. The Skin Diary offers prescription-grade skincare routines that leverage skin cycling to deliver optimal outcomes to patients while minimising irritation. 

CGSkin, a University of Swag直播 spinout, is built on a decade of rigorous research and collaboration between the University and eminent dermatologists Dr Tamara Griffiths and Professor Chris Griffiths. Their suite of anti-ageing products has undergone exhaustive testing to the highest standards, including unprecedented human skin biopsy studies. 

With the acquisition of CGSkin, The Skin Diary is set apart from other skincare brands due to its academic lineage and the expertise of its founders. Professor Chris Griffiths is a distinguished figure in skin research; his seminal research on topical retinoids has made a huge impact on the field of skin ageing. Dr Tamara Griffiths brings invaluable aesthetic science expertise to the partnership.

Only 8.6% of the skincare market is dispensed by physicians, and Chapters provides patients with a fully personalised profile with continuous access to dermatologists through their Skin Diary portal.

Catherine Headley, CEO of the said: 鈥淭his acquisition exemplifies the spirit of innovation, something that is part of the foundation of Swag直播.  Impact like this doesn鈥檛 happen overnight; it can be many years in the making. Everyone at the Innovation Factory is proud to see Professor and Dr Griffiths and their research welcomed into The Skin Diary family and we are honoured to have been able to support them on their journey.鈥�

鈥淭he acquisition of CGSkin by The Skin Diary is a testament to our dedication to providing patients with the most effective and innovative skincare solutions,鈥� said Dr Clare Kiely, Chief Medical Officer of the Skin Diary.  鈥淲e are excited to integrate CGSkin鈥檚 ground-breaking products into our portfolio, furthering our mission to empower individuals with access to advanced anti-ageing treatments.鈥�

Skincare is the leading sector in a thriving beauty market, accounting for 40% in .  Growing awareness of physician-dispensed cosmeceuticals means there is increasing demand for prescription-grade skincare options too.

To find out more about The Skin Diary, visit .

The recognition follows on from the publication of the in November 2023, which highlighted the pivotal role UK universities play in driving economic growth and societal impact through the commercialisation of intellectual property developed from university-based research.

The 2023 review outlined recommendations for building a world-leading innovation ecosystem in the UK. In response, Swag直播 has committed to aligning its spinout practices with these recommendations, reinforcing its dedication to supporting innovation.

Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Swag直播, and the institution鈥檚 lead for innovation, said: "Swag直播 has been and remains committed to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within our faculties and among our students. By adopting the recommendations from the Independent Review, we are aligning our practices with national goals to create a world-class innovation ecosystem.鈥�

The is the commercialisation arm of Swag直播, dedicated to transforming world-class research into commercial ventures that have a positive impact on society.

The Innovation Factory collaborates with academics, industry partners, and investors to develop and support spinout companies, license cutting-edge technologies and drive innovation across various sectors.

The UKRI announcement is available .

The KEF provides information about the broad ranging knowledge exchange activities of English HE Providers, such as the way universities work with external partners, from businesses to community groups, for the benefit of the economy and society. 

Swag直播 supports the full range of knowledge exchange activities through public engagement, supporting businesses and commercialising research towards next generation technologies. Students, staff, partners and local communities all play a key role in ensuring that the University makes a positive societal and economic impact. 

The KEF allows universities to better understand their own performance and fosters a culture of continuous improvement. HE Providers are placed into a cluster of peers, grouping together universities of similar types, with Swag直播 placed in a group of 18 large, research-intensive universities including Oxford and Imperial. 

Swag直播鈥檚 performance in continuous professional development and Graduate Startups, which is supported by the work of the and , received an enhanced rating of high engagement in KEF4, and Swag直播 now sits above the cluster group average.  

Swag直播 also continues to receive the highest rating for Research Partnerships, where the University is placed above the cluster group average. This recognises the work of the University鈥檚 Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange team.  

The excellent performance of the in licensing, IP income, investment and turnover of spinouts continues to be recognised with the highest rating in IP and Commercialisation. 

The University also received the highest rating for Public Engagement, and includes our achievements in volunteering, festivals, citizen science, and engagement with communities through our cultural institutions, , , , and the . 

Professor Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, said: 鈥淜nowledge exchange is a core priority for Swag直播. We shall continue to ensure that our research, teaching and social responsibility activities benefit the economy and society at local, national and global levels.鈥�  

• You can view each university鈥檚 performances on the . 

This prestigious award is designed to support students, postdoctoral researchers, recent graduates, and encourage new student cohorts to engage with MEC, in launching new businesses that involve graphene or other 2D materials. It鈥檚 all about sparking innovation and making a real impact in the commercial world, turning groundbreaking research into real, game-changing solutions for the future.

With awards of 拢50,000 and 拢20,000, we鈥檙e excited to celebrate the individuals or teams who showed how their graphene-related technology can be turned into a business. The applications were judged based on how solid their plans were for creating a new business related to graphene or 2D materials.

This award gives winners the perfect launchpad they need to kickstart their business. Swag直播 understands how crucial flexible early-stage financial support is for these kinds of ventures, to help make these dreams a reality and bring a product or technology to the market.

This year, the top prize of 拢50,000 went to Kun Huang of Solar Ethos. Kun has a Master鈥檚 degree in Corrosion Control Engineering and a PhD in Material Physics. The second prize of 拢20,000 was awarded to Hafiza Hifza Nawaz of Fabstics, who has a PhD in Materials. We also congratulate the other finalists - Mohammadhossein Saberian of EcoTarTech and Ozan Zehni of Dorlion SHM.

The winners, pictured above with Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Deputy President Luke Georghiou:

• Left: First place - Solar Ethos
• Right: Second place - Fabstics

All finalists received support throughout the competition, which included: pitching workshops, help with applications by Scott Dean (CEO of Graphene Trace), and IP advice from Innovation Factory. These resources were key in helping them navigate the challenges of starting a business and turning their groundbreaking ideas into real-world solutions.

Our top-tier judges included Professor Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Swag直播; Lynn Sheppard, Masood Entrepreneurship Centre Director; Jessica McCreadie, Investment Director at Northern Gritstone; James Baker, CEO Graphene @Swag直播 at Swag直播; and Gareth Jones, Project Manager - Electronics at the University of Swag直播 Innovation Factory. Their expertise and dedication to encouraging innovation played a key role in choosing projects that could make a big difference.

We offer a huge congratulations to all the participants! We can鈥檛 wait to see the fantastic impact of their innovative work in the commercial world. By supporting these entrepreneurs, we're not only helping them achieve their dreams but also paving the way for future advancements that can tackle some of the world's most pressing challenges.

Along with the awards, we heard inspiring speeches from high-profile individuals such as Lynn Sheppard, Professor James Baker, Dr. Vivek Koncherry, Liam Johnson, and Professor Luke Georghiou. They shared amazing insights about graphene and other 2D materials, emphasising the transformative potential of these technologies and the importance of ongoing innovation. We were also joined via Zoom from California by Dr. Eli Harari, founder of SanDisk, the memory storage technology company. He encouraged attendees to "Think Big!".

Eli & Britt Harari Award 2021 winner Dr. Vivek Koncherry, the CEO of Graphene Innovations Swag直播, is making significant strides in connecting graphene technology with global business opportunities. Last year, he signed a $1 billion partnership with Quazar Investment Company to create a new company in the UAE aimed at tackling global sustainability challenges. Recognised as Swag直播's answer to Elon Musk, Vivek recently impressed judges to win the North West heat of KPMG鈥檚 Tech Innovator in the UK 2024. With a strong background as an alumnus and researcher from Swag直播, Vivek exemplifies the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation.

Some notable quotes about the competition include Lynn Sheppard's encouragement, "For all the winners and nominees, your journey does not stop here, it goes on," and Prof. James Baker's insight, "Graphene can make a big difference in addressing the climate change challenges." Dr. Vivek Koncherry highlighted Swag直播's entrepreneurial spirit by stating, "Swag直播 is very good for entrepreneurship," while Dr. Eli Harari inspired with, "We need people like you to aspire in making the world better." Liam Johnson appreciated the award's impact, saying, "The award allowed me to turn this idea to something tangible," and Prof. Luke Georghiou emphasised the importance of support with, "It's our duty to build an ecosystem to support the development of graphene."

Their words emphasised the event's theme of driving change and shaping a brighter future through cutting-edge research and entrepreneurship, wrapping up the event on an exhilarating high.

As an active member of the  group of international leaders in university research commercialisation,  and co-author of the and , launched on 20^th May, we recognise the distinction between intellectual property intensive areas such as the life sciences and the simpler pathway for some software commercialisation and sets out practical ways to improve the speed and efficiency of spin out formation. We have therefore initiated a review of intellectual property policies and practice, in collaboration with our partners in the Northern Gritstone investment company, which was established as a positive response to the high concentration of VC funding in London to provide VC funding in the North.

Innovation is a core theme for the University and our ambition is to create a thriving innovation ecosystem, which supports our entrepreneurs, spin outs and partners to start up, secure investment and scale, contributing positively to the prosperity of our region. Working through our technology transfer subsidiary, the , we have produced 29 spinouts in the past three years and remain committed to providing the optimal environment for entrepreneurs to develop their ideas. Our policy review and founder friendly approach and commitment to supporting spin outs, will catalyse growth of a vibrant regional ecosystem which supports companies to grow and scale.

Our joint venture partnership with Bruntwood Scitech to develop our North Campus into an Innovation District, will additionally provide an anchor location for our spin outs to establish and succeed within our own community, with an opportunity to access space, investors, facilities, partners, business support and networks within one location.

Professor Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Vice-Chancellor and lead for Innovation said: 鈥淭he Spin-out Review showed the vital role of universities in generating IP-Rich companies in the advanced areas most likely to revitalise our economy. We will use its recommendations as a platform to double down on bringing leading edge discoveries to the market.鈥�

While existing TEMs can image atomic scale structure and chemistry, the time-consuming nature of the technique means the typical regions of interest (ROI) - areas of the sample selected for further analysis - are very limited. The AutomaTEM will resolve this, improving the ability to find and analyse, reducing time incurred while increasing the ROI. As a result, it will accelerate innovation in materials applications for quantum computing, low power electronics, and new catalysts to support the energy transition, all which are currently held back by the limitations of current technology.

The AutomaTEM development is funded through a 拢9.5 million project supported by Swag直播, The Henry Royce Institute, bp and EPSRC, in collaboration with manufacturer Thermo Fisher Scientific. The Swag直播 team, led by Professor Sarah Haigh, will merge TEM鈥檚 existing atomic scale elemental and chemical mapping capabilities together with emerging developments in automation and data analysis to create the AutomaTEM; an instrument that can acquire huge data sets of local chemical information in days rather than years.

Prof , Professor of Materials Characterisation at Swag直播 and Director of the Electron Microscopy Centre (EMC), said: "Understanding atomic detail at the micrometer or millimeter scale is crucial for developing materials for various applications, from catalysis and quantum technologies to nuclear energy and pharmaceuticals.

"This system is not simply another TEM instrument. It will provide new opportunities for atomic scale investigation of materials with less human intervention. For the first time we will be able to enable atomic resolution analysis of hundreds of regions of interest in a matter of hours, providing unprecedented insights into sparse defects and heterogeneous materials." 

Designed with artificial intelligence and automated workflows at its core, the AutomaTEM boasts several cutting-edge features, including:

• Computer control to automatically adjust the sample stage and beam to address specific regions of interest, enabling detailed high-resolution imaging and diffraction-based analysis without continuous operator interaction.
• Machine learning integration to segment lower resolution data and build functional relationships between experimental results, enhancing the identification of novel features. 
• A world-leading Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) system with exceptional collection efficiency, providing precise compositional analysis.
• A new high-performance electron energy loss spectrometer (EELS) design for chemical analysis of diverse species in complex systems.

Custom built, it is being developed in collaboration with Thermo Fisher Scientific and will arrive in summer 2025. The global laboratory equipment manufacturer has provided Professor Haigh鈥檚 team access to the necessary API control, and will supply an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) system with a world-leading collection efficiency of 4.5 srad.

The AutomaTEM will be housed in Swag直播's state-of-the-art (EMC), one of the largest in the UK. The EMC already has 6 transmission electron microscopes (TEMs), 13 scanning electron microscopes (SEMs), and 6 focussed ion beam (FIB) instruments. It supports more than 500 internal users, from 12 different University of Swag直播 Departments, and welcomes users from institutes across the world, including Cardiff, Durham, Queen Mary and Swag直播 Metropolitan universities, University of Cape Town (SA), Ceres Power, Nexperia, Nanoco, bp, Johnson Matthey, Oxford Instruments, and UKAEA.

AutomaTEM will be available to external users for free proof of principle academic projects for up to 30 per cent of its total use during the first three years to help foster collaboration and advance research capabilities.

, Royal Society University Research Fellow at Swag直播, who is leading co-investigator on the project, said: "The faster, more accurate analysis capabilities of AutomaTEM represent a significant leap forward in materials science research.

鈥淲ith the potential to impact various industries, including aerospace, automotive, and semiconductor, the AutomaTEM aims to support the UK鈥檚 position at the forefront of materials science innovation.鈥�

Today鈥檚 announcement consolidates Swag直播鈥檚 reputation at the forefront of advanced materials research. Home to highest concentration of materials scientists in UK academia, it hosts several national centres for Advanced Materials research including the Henry Royce Institute - the UK national institute for Advanced Materials Research; the bp-ICAM, a global partnership to enable the effective application of advanced materials for the transition to net zero; the National Centre for X-ray Computational Tomography; and the National Graphene Institute, the world-leading interdisciplinary centre for graphene and 2D materials research.

The renewed commitment will help Boots and No7 Beauty Company continue to break new ground in helping people care for their skin throughout their life, whether it is maintaining skin health, helping to combat skin ageing or supporting people through significant skin changes such as those resulting from the menopause. It will also further strengthen their market leading cosmetic science innovation pipeline, which has delivered product innovations generating waiting lists of up to 100,000 people, physical queues outside Boots stores and surges in visits to boots.com. 

The announcement was made at a special event held at the University, which celebrated some of the partnership鈥檚 most significant scientific milestones, including the launch of its biggest scientific breakthrough to date; the ground-breaking No7 Future Renew skincare range. The range was launched exactly one year ago this week and was developed following 15 years of research and development between scientists at both organisations, resulting in the discovery of a world-first super peptide blend formulated into a best-selling range and serum that is clinically proven to reverse visible signs of skin damage.  This innovation has taken the beauty industry by storm, with the Future Renew serum becoming a global bestseller and the biggest ever beauty launch in the UK.  In the UK, there were more than 500,000 transactions in the first four weeks, and a year later, one product is still sold every seven seconds.

The collaboration renewal also coincides with both institutions celebrating landmark anniversaries; with Boots marking its 175th anniversary and Swag直播 reaching its 200 year milestone in 2024.

Mark Winter, Managing Director, No7 Beauty Company, said: 鈥�We are incredibly proud of our longstanding partnership with the UoM鈥檚 Centre for Dermatology Research and excited for the next phase of our collaboration.  Scientific innovation is part of our DNA and by working with world-leading partners like the University of Swag直播 we are committed to using our unrivalled research expertise to be at the forefront of skincare and cosmetic innovation, developing ground-breaking, clinically proven, affordable products that work for everyone.鈥�

The event was attended by representatives from both institutions, including Ornella Barra, Chief Operating Officer, International, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc and Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor, Swag直播.  

from Swag直播 said: 鈥淲e are delighted to be able to continue our partnership with Boots and to pursue our shared aims of uncovering new insights into skin biology and applying this knowledge to repairing accumulated damage.鈥� 

, also from Swag直播  said: "Our longstanding partnership with Boots has enabled us to explore the depths of skin science while delivering real-world benefits to consumers through clinical translational research. We are thrilled to continue this collaboration, advancing innovation and enhancing skin health for all individuals."

Where it all began
The partnership was established twenty years ago by a small team of No7 and University of Swag直播 scientists. The ambition was to come together to create cutting-edge skincare solutions that could be taken from the laboratory straight to the high street.  One of the first innovations was the renowned No7 Protect & Perfect serum. The serum famously featured in a BBC Horizon programme in 2007, where the efficacy of the serum was verified by independent dermatologists, leading to the product selling out in Boots stores throughout the UK.

Fast forward to 2024 and today, the collaboration has caught the eyes of the scientific community and the Government.  It has also:  

• Led to 10 patents being filed, with more in the pipeline
• Resulted in over 100 academic publications including 60 peer reviewed papers published in scientific journals
• Helped to upskill thousands of beauty advisors and pharmacists within Boots stores
• Supported a UK talent pipeline of brilliant entrepreneurial scientists 鈥� many of whom are female
• Significantly raised the reputation of bioscience research in the UK and in particular in the North West
• Helped put No7 on the global map with distribution now extending to over a dozen countries including Australia, the Nordics and the US
• Created effective collaborations both in the UK and internationally with the likes of Imperial College London, Kings College, Newcastle, York and Liverpool universities, as well as internationally with Johns Hopkins.

Millie Kendall OBE, CEO, British Beauty Council, comments: 鈥淭he launch of No7 Future Renew was somewhat revolutionary.  The teams took a ground-breaking scientific discovery straight into an affordable, accessible skincare range available to all on the British high street, whereas traditionally you would see cutting-edge scientific innovations trickle down to high street products several years after launching in premium products or clinics. It is testament to the rigour and strength of the partnership between Swag直播, Boots and No7 Beauty Company that they have created truly world-leading skincare innovation together.鈥�

New era of discovery beckons
The renewal of the partnership establishes a ground-breaking five-year research programme that will explore peptides, clinical testing, skin immunology, and the skin microbiome. It includes a pioneering project to investigate skin across the pigmentary spectrum, aiming to develop more inclusive and effective technologies suitable for all skin tones. The project has already secured multi-million-pound funding from The BBSRC鈥檚 Prosperity Award, marking a significant investment in advancing skin science.

Samantha Dover, Mintel Category Director of Beauty and Personal Care research, said: 鈥淏eauty consumers are increasingly discerning and want to know more about the products they buy. This is exemplified by the 71% of UK adults who believe beauty brands should provide more scientific evidence to validate their claims. Showcasing the research and development behind a product can provide brands with a powerful point of difference in a crowded market. Moreover, partnerships that elevate and spotlight the R&D process will undoubtedly appeal to consumers who want brands to validate their claims, and therefore can build brand trust and loyalty.鈥� 

Investing in the next generation of British scientists
Throughout the partnership, Swag直播, Boots and No7 Beauty Company will support the next generation of scientists through the following initiatives:

• Funding from BBSRC Collaborative Training Partnership in 2021 to train 15 PhD students, addressing skills gaps in the UK bioscience industry.
• Co-investing with UKRI since 2019, with UKRI recognising the No7 Future Renew story as an exemplar of business and university collaboration.

An event is being held at Swag直播 on April 11^th (the one year anniversary of the No7 Future Renew launch) to celebrate the impact and success of the partnership and look ahead at the next phase. 

The evolution of solutions is creating new opportunities to transform patient care and personal health outcomes. From remote monitoring and wearables, to artificial intelligence and machine learning, digital technologies are enabling health data collection and analysis and offering new insights, diagnosis and therapies.

Here is an overview of the Citation Impact on Digital Health Top 25 Rankings. The complete list can be accessed in 鈥檚 article.

Research into digital health has grown massively nowadays, whereas the scale of growth in digital health research is remarkable. Based on Clarivate data, publications on digital health topics 鈥� which include everything from wearable devices and mobile apps to AI analytics, telemedicine and 3D printing of drugs 鈥� have risen nearly 70-fold between 2013 and 2022, from a mere 39 Web of Science-indexed papers to 2,641 鈥� while UK researchers were involved in 20 per cent of all papers.

The statistics demonstrate that the University currently has 75 digital health papers in the Web of Science, 1582 citations, 32 per cent of papers in the top 10 per cent by citation, scoring 2.50 category normalised citation impact (CNCI). It showcases Swag直播鈥檚 consistent efforts to advance digital health research that benefits the public.

Previously, the immense volumes of medical data from numerous wearable devices or mobile phones might have overwhelmed even the most data-savvy researcher. However, artificial intelligence now enables researchers to effectively navigate such vast amounts of information without requiring advanced coding skills. Likewise, hospitals and health centres worldwide are sharing patient records in a manner that allows algorithms to detect trends, including identifying emerging pandemics at their onset.

Recent University of Swag直播 research, alongside Oxford University and Cancer Research UK used Artificial Intelligence to reveal a new form of aggressive prostate cancer which could revolutionise how the disease is diagnosed and treated in the future.

For more information:

This marks the initial phase of ID Swag直播鈥檚 ambitious plan to transform the University鈥檚 former North Campus into a welcoming and accessible new 拢1.7bn innovation district.  

The new vision for the Renold Building will celebrate its history as an educational hub by hosting the next wave of science and technology innovators and building an inclusive, purpose-driven community. The building will provide a range of coworking, office and meeting facilities to accommodate and support collaboration between researchers, entrepreneurs, businesses and partner organisations.  

New events and exhibition spaces, including lecture theatres and a community caf茅, will be accessible to local businesses, community groups and arts and culture organisations to host and participate in events and activities. 

An application to convert the building from educational to commercial use has been submitted to Swag直播 City Council by joint venture partners Swag直播 and Bruntwood SciTech. Pending application approval, the building is set to open in late 2024.  

Built in 1962, the Renold Building was the first of its kind in the UK to be entirely comprised of lecture theatres and seminar rooms. It is a building of note for many due to its striking features, including the faceted facade and stair tower, and the impressive internal mural on the lower ground floor. The redevelopment will retain and protect these elements as part of the application, as well as being sympathetic to the building鈥檚 exterior facades. Design interventions in the building鈥檚 interior will also be light touch, preserving the current condition as far as practically possible. This will allow for further conservation and restoration to be undertaken at a later date, ensuring the building will remain viable for future generations. 

Bradley Topps, Chief Commercial Officer for Bruntwood SciTech and Project Director for ID Swag直播, said: 鈥淭he transformation of the Renold Building into an innovation hub marks an important first step in the development of the trailblazing science and technology ecosystem we鈥檙e building at ID Swag直播. We recognise the importance of the Renold Building to many in the local community and beyond, and we are committed to reactivating the building in a way that celebrates the rich heritage and architecture of the building. We鈥檙every excited to be creating a new home for the next generation of Swag直播 innovators.鈥� 

John Holden, Associate Vice-President, Swag直播 and Executive Committee Member for ID Swag直播, said: 鈥漈he Renold Building will be an invaluable place to bring together like-minded organisations and partners to collaborate, develop and test new ideas. We鈥檙e building our innovation ecosystem from the ground up and the Renold Building will be a place that not only accelerates the growth of our city鈥檚 most promising entrepreneurs, SMEs and university spin-outs, but also provides the spaces and opportunities to allow our local communities to participate, experience and benefit from innovation too.鈥�  

The expertise and experience of ID Swag直播鈥檚 respective partners will be instrumental to the creation of its innovation ecosystem. Bruntwood SciTech, a joint venture between Bruntwood, Legal & General and Greater Swag直播 Pension Fund, is the largest dedicated property platform serving the UK鈥檚 innovation economy and brings its expertise in developing partnerships across academia, local authorities, cities and the NHS. This year marks Swag直播鈥檚 bicentenary, celebrating 200 years of key discoveries, world firsts and incredible people, and ID Swag直播 will build on this storied history of learning, innovation and research.

He also toured the site of , a joint venture between the University and Bruntwood SciTech, which will transform the North campus into an innovative 拢1.7 billion tech and science location.

Mr Kane, the Member of Parliament for Wythenshawe and Sale East, was briefed by Professor Alice Larkin and Dr Simon Bullock whose research sets out immediate actions required to cut shipping emissions by 34% to stay on course to achieve the Paris Agreement鈥檚 goal of limiting global heating to 1.5掳C above preindustrial levels.

The discussions took place following Mr Kane鈥檚 comments in the House of Commons last month in which he expressed concerns that the Government is yet to publish a refreshed Clean Maritime Plan to drive down UK shipping emissions.

Following a meeting with , the University鈥檚 Vice President for Civic Engagement, the Shadow Minister was shown around the nine-acre ID Swag直播 site and updated on the latest project plans by Tanya Graham, Head of Policy@Swag直播, alongside Brad Topps, Chief Commercial Officer, and Sam Darby, Development Director, of Bruntwood SciTech.

The initiative is set to create over 10,000 new jobs and bring significant economic, social and environmental benefits to the city including more than 2 million square feet of commercial and retail space, and over 1,500 homes.

Professor Richard Jones said: 鈥淚t was a pleasure to brief Mike on the numerous exciting initiatives Swag直播 is currently involved in, and to hear his perspectives on the direction of public policy across a broad range of topics.

鈥淥ur ongoing research on shipping emissions is directly relevant to his brief as Shadow Minister for Aviation and Maritime and will inform debates nationally and internationally as policymakers strive to meet the 1.5掳C Paris Agreement limit.

鈥淲e are also proud and excited to be working in partnership with Bruntwood SciTech to deliver ID Swag直播, a place where offices, laboratories and creative studios will stand shoulder to shoulder with a world-class university to drive positive economic, social and environmental change.鈥�

Mike Kane MP said: 鈥淚 am grateful to Policy@Swag直播 for arranging such a fascinating visit.

鈥淎s a Swag直播 MP, I take great pride in the quality of research and teaching happening here. The work on shipping emissions, led by Professor Larkin and Dr Bullock, is of especially high quality and it was useful for me to drill down into their findings in my meeting with them.

鈥淚D Swag直播 will have a transformative impact across the city region and far beyond, making a positive difference to the lives of entrepreneurs, students, professionals and families.

鈥淟ife continues to tough for many as the cost of living crisis endures, but better times for the people of Swag直播 lie ahead.鈥�  

Their Wellcome Trust funded study, published in Nature Microbiology could spell disaster for patients with aspergillosis - a dangerous fungal disease responsible for the deaths of millions of people worldwide.

With few treatment options for patients, aspergillus has developed widespread drug resistance to one class of drugs, known as the azoles.

The resistance is caused by the use of fungicides in agriculture, known as DMIs, increasing the risk of mortality from aspergillosis from 40% to up to 80%.

However, F2G Ltd 鈥� a spin out company from Swag直播 鈥� invested more than 拢250 million over 20 years on a new antifungal drug called olorofim, which is in late-stage clinical trials and aims to be clinically deployed within the next few years.

The scientists argue that because olorofim works against azole resistant infections it could save many lives of affected patients.

However, a newly developed fungicide crop spray called ipflufenoquin has been approved for use in the USA, under the trade name Kinoprol, and could severely impact on the new drug because it has the same biological target and kills the fungi the same way as olorofim.

Exposure of Aspergillus in the environment to Kinoprol could make it resistant to olorofim, rendering the treatment ineffective before it can even be deployed in the clinic, say the scientists.

The research team exposed Aspergillus to ipflufenoquin in the lab and then assessed resistance to olorofim. Genetic mutations that cause changes in the antifungals target gene provide resistance to ipflufenoquin but also provide resistance to olorofim.

Scientists have long known that environmental use of fungicides 鈥� which farmers need to keep their crops free of fungal infection 鈥� has the potential to drive resistance to other clinical antifungals.

Researchers also believe that composting of waste from farms is causing accumulation of fungicides in environments where Aspergillus likes to grow.

Wind currents, intensive farming, and transport of commercial composts can disperse the drug-resistant fungal spores further into the environment and end up in our gardens, bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms.

Most healthy people are unaffected by Aspergillus, but population groups including the elderly, cancer patients, and the immunosuppressed of all ages are at greater risk of serious illness which destroys the lungs.

Lead author , a Wellcome Trust research fellow at Swag直播 said: 鈥淲e are all very excited about olorofim but when we found out that regulatory approval was sought for ipflufenoquin and its mode of action was same as olorofim, we immediately felt alarmed.

鈥�Making a novel fungicide for humans is very difficult and costs millions of pounds.

鈥淏ut it is desperately needed, as the few classes of drugs for Aspergillus infection available at present don鈥檛 give all of the seriously ill patients a viable treatment option.

鈥淭hat is why olorofim is such an exciting prospect for patients and why we must lobby the regulatory authorities to implement a risk assessment strategy for the dual use of antifungals in agriculture and clinic.鈥�

But indirect implications to human health are not taken into account during the approval process, which is why researchers, collaborators, and clinical teams are lobbying hard for the authorities to risk assess any new fungicide.

Corresponding author Prof Mike Bromley, who is a former employee of F2G Limited and co-lead of the Fungal AMR and One Health Network, said: 鈥淚t is devastating that the efforts that so many have made in development of olorofim are being put at risk by the lack of appropriate legislation that would prevent the release of fungicides without consideration of the risks to driving drug resistance in human pathogens.

鈥淲e have made our views clear to the Environmental Protection Agency in the USA and hope they will re-evaluate their approach to environmental release of fungicides.

Politicians in the House of Lords recently a question by Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle, which asked the Government what assessment they made of how the UK鈥檚 current agricultural fungicide use will affect long-term food and biological security.

Baroness Bennett, a former leader of the Green Party, told the chamber: 鈥淢anaging fungal crop disease has always been essential to our ability to feed the population, but we cannot afford a haphazard, piecemeal approach that will hurt our public health and our NHS.

鈥淲e need integrated, 鈥渙ne health鈥� considerations of the impact of the climate emergency and responsible fungicide legislation.鈥�

Baroness Hayman of Ullock and Baroness Walmsley also spoke in the debate, and highlighted the specific case of olorofim and ipflufenoquin as they called for more robust risk assessments in the licensing of new agricultural antifungals.

• F2G carried out a single assay in the study that the researchers would otherwise have not been able to facilitate. However, the vast majority of the study was carried out independently.
• The paper Aspergillus fumigatus strains that evolve resistance to the agrochemical fungicide ipflufenoquin in vitro are also resistant to olorofim is available

The Chancellor visited the High Voltage Lab 鈥� the largest university high voltage laboratory in the UK - where he was given a guided tour by Ian Cotton, Professor of High Voltage Technology, to showcase the University鈥檚 work in the areas of operation, planning and analysis of energy networks.

The tour started with a demonstration of the Lab鈥檚 2MV impulse generator, which allows researchers to stress test equipment used on the grid by creating real-life lightning voltages. He then moved on to discuss the work of the lab, addressing three critical issues:

• Fast-tracking network upgrades by developing and testing new, innovative technologies ready for deployment onto the live electricity networks.
• Ensuring the power system is ready to transfer increased amounts of generation from new, renewable sources like wave power.
• Making the grid secure and ensuring the UK has access to reliable, affordable, and environmentally sustainable energy.

The Chancellor also had the chance to chat to a number of PhD students, whose work is also actively contributing to the reform of the system and find out how the University is contributing to the skills pipeline integral for the future of the power network.

In a closed-door meeting, energy experts at the University got the chance to ask the Chancellor questions and share their feedback about the government鈥檚 plans for the power network, including putting forward their own ideas for the future.

, Professor of High Voltage Technology at Swag直播, said: 鈥淚t was a pleasure to host the Chancellor at the High Voltage Lab to showcase the work we are doing to solve the real-world challenges associated with ensuring the grid is ready to transfer the increased amounts of electrical energy we need to deliver net-zero.

鈥淲e really enjoyed sharing our unique skills, knowledge and equipment that we use to solve these problems and show how we are training a new generation of engineers to transform our energy system.

鈥淭he visit provided an invaluable opportunity to engage in insightful discussions regarding the Government's latest initiatives aimed at reforming the UK鈥檚 power network.鈥�

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, added: 鈥淲e are committed to transforming the Great British electricity network. The changes announced at Autumn Statement make it quicker and easier to build new infrastructure and could bring in upwards of 拢90 billion of global investment.

鈥淐utting edge facilities at our world-beating universities, such as the fantastic High Voltage Lab, will be at the forefront of this effort, leading the charge on the UK鈥檚 transition to Net Zero.鈥�

The High Voltage Lab at Swag直播 is the largest electrical infrastructure test and research facility in UK academia. From the 拢9m lab, researchers collaborate with small businesses, large industry organisations and governments worldwide, sharing skills, knowledge and equipment to solve critical, real-world problems.

The lab uses the very latest equipment, capable of testing components that will be used on 400 kV power systems, enabling researchers to find new ways to innovate at pace.

The University is home to the largest power and energy system group in the UK, training 300 electrical engineers a year and supporting 150 PhD researchers in electrical power ensuring a new generation of engineers skilled to transform our energy system.

,  Senior Lecturer in Electric and Electronic Engineering, said: 鈥淭he High Voltage Lab and our expertise plays a major part in the technology, innovation and skills supply chain needed for our net zero future.  From finding innovative ways to maintain the thousands of pylons across the grid, to de-risking superconductors for future power transmission, we work on a range of projects at all technology readiness levels to make sure we maximise the potential of both the equipment and our research expertise, to accelerate the development of our future electrical network.鈥�

Find out more about the and .

鈼�&苍产蝉辫;     拢160 million of public funding to boost growth of city-region鈥檚 advanced manufacturing and materials sector.

鈼�&苍产蝉辫;     Investments worth over 拢10m from manufacturers Kadant, Werit, First Graphene and Hydrograph unveiled as part of Investment Zone.

A new Investment Zone for Greater Swag直播, announced by the Chancellor in today鈥檚 Autumn Statement, is expected to create 32,000 jobs and leverage 拢1.1 billion of private sector investment.

The Investment Zone will provide 拢160 million in public funding over 10 years to support initiatives and interventions agreed between Greater Swag直播 and Government, which will include new research and innovation, sector-focussed skills programmes, local infrastructure enhancements, and targeted business support.

Greater Swag直播鈥檚 Investment Zone will focus on the advanced materials and manufacturing sector. The package will support established strengths, including, a joint venture between Swag直播 and and other assets in the city-region core, and build on longer-term ambitions to be able to scale up and deploy innovations in our growth businesses, for example through Atom Valley.

ID Swag直播 will become a world-class innovation platform that drives inclusive and sustainable economic growth for the city by leveraging the unique experience and expertise of its joint venture partners, combining Swag直播's long history of industry collaboration and world-class research strengths with Bruntwood SciTech's experience of working in strategic partnership with city councils, universities and NHS Trusts to deliver connected science and technology infrastructure.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Swag直播, said: 鈥淭he Investment Zone will help us attract investment and create jobs and opportunities that will benefit people across Greater Swag直播. Our city-region has been a centre for manufacturing and materials innovation for centuries, from leading the Industrial Revolution right through to the development of graphene, and the Investment Zone will ensure that continues.

鈥淚t鈥檚 also a vote of confidence in devolution and its ability to deliver levelling up. Providing more flexibility and local control over spending can help unlock Greater Swag直播鈥檚 potential.鈥�

, Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement at Swag直播, said: 鈥淪wag直播 has been at the forefront of research in advanced materials and manufacturing, from the industrial revolution to the discovery of graphene, and we have a strong culture of innovation which builds on that research to create economic benefit. This announcement gives further impetus to the work we do with our partners in business and the city-region, to improve people鈥檚 lives through economic growth and improved productivity throughout Greater Swag直播.鈥� 

Greater Swag直播鈥檚 advanced manufacturing and materials sector comprises hundreds of innovative companies and the city-region鈥檚 universities host world-leading research and development. Advanced manufacturing alone employs approximately 110,000 people and generates around 拢8bn of economic output each year.

Government has also confirmed plans to extend the Made Smarter Adoption programme following its successful pilot in Greater Swag直播 and the North West, with a view to expanding the programme across the UK by 2027. The programme helps SME manufacturers adopt digital technologies to help improve productivity and reduce carbon emissions.

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Swag直播 City Council and Greater Swag直播 Lead for Economy, Business, and Inclusive Growth, said: 鈥淕reater Swag直播 has an attractive proposition, with world-leading advanced manufacturing and materials research at our universities, a strong skills base, and an existing ecosystem of innovative companies.

鈥淭he Investment Zone will build on that cluster, linking and investing in different sites across the city-region, and helping us translate research and development and new discoveries into business growth.鈥�

Speaking on behalf of ID Swag直播, John Holden, Associate Vice-President at Swag直播, said: "We鈥檙e delighted that ID Swag直播 will be part of the Greater Swag直播 Investment Zone plans to put the region at the forefront of advanced materials and manufacturing innovation in the UK and globally. The ecosystem we鈥檙e building at ID Swag直播 will leverage Swag直播鈥檚 world-class R&D strengths to help scale and commercialise new ideas, driving new jobs across the city region in future-facing industries. We look forward to working closely with our neighbouring centres of innovation in Greater Swag直播 to create valuable new opportunities for local residents and businesses across the North.鈥�

They have recognised the multiple set of actors and processes that need to combine in a successful innovation ecosystem to support founders in the journey from invention to forming a spin-out and then successfully scaling up the company. The Review鈥檚 recommendations provide important guidance on the pathway to building a world-leading innovation ecosystem that takes full advantage of national strengths across all of our areas of research excellence and of our regions.

The University will review its intellectual property policies and practice, in collaboration with our partners in the Northern Gritstone investment company, which was established as a positive response to the high concentration of VC funding in London to provide VC funding in the North. We recognise the distinction the report makes between intellectual property intensive areas such as the life sciences and the simpler pathway for some software commercialisation. We welcome the recommendation that the starting point in negotiations should be terms set out in the produced by the group of national and international leaders in university research commercialisation (of which Swag直播 is a member).

Innovation is a core theme for the University. Working through our technology transfer subsidiary, the , we have produced 16 spinouts in the past two years and were in equal first place for this number in 2021/22.

Examples of successes include:

路&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫; founded in 2021 to develop the treatment of a leading cause of blindness and other complement-related diseases. The company has been through two funding rounds raising 鈧�77m to work on clinical proof-of-concept. This recently won the

路&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫; , founded in 2018 which develops processes to manufacture sustainable biosurfactant products for use at commercial scale and has recently opened a commercial plant on a 90,000 sq ft site in Wallasey.

路&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫; currently in its second investment round which produces advanced membranes and innovative filtration systems for the production of valuable minerals (including Lithium) and clean water.

The University also supports student start-ups (typically 35 a year with 280 in operation, an 80% long-term survival rate) through our e. Students own their IP so concerns about equity stakes are irrelevant for this important part of the landscape.

A recent example of success is:

路&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫; , this month awarded The Spectator鈥檚 Innovator of the Year Award for Excellence in Sustainability recognising its groundbreaking developments in the use of graphene to produce a form of polymer-based concrete which reduces carbon emissions by 88%. The company has secured a $1 billion plus joint venture with the Qazar Investment Company to build a factory in the United Arab Emirates.

Our spin-outs benefit from the innovation ecosystem the University is working with partners to build including:

路&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫; which has raised 拢312m to invest in IP-rich start-ups (principally from the three founding universities: Swag直播, Sheffield and Leeds) in the North of England;

路&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫; , a 拢1.7 billion innovation district which will provide an ideal base for spin-outs and scale-ups to interact with large corporates; and

路&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫; Our extensive range of business-friendly facilities which give start-ups access to equipment and expertise normally only available to multinationals. These include the , , the , the and the .

The Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) is an annual assessment by Research England of the ways English universities engage with society and the economy, locally, nationally, and internationally. This is the third iteration, known as KEF3. 

Intellectual property and commercialisation 

This year, the University achieved the maximum possible rating of very high engagement for intellectual property and commercialisation . 

The achievements of the University鈥檚 in licensing, intellectual property income, investment and turnover of spinouts, maintains Swag直播鈥檚 performance as a leading university for creating new businesses from research and other activity. 

Research partnerships and public and community engagement 

In both research partnerships and public and community engagement, Swag直播 was highly rated..  

Swag直播鈥檚 performance in research partnerships, working with business, and working with the public and third sector recognises the work of its Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange team through collaborative research with partners, contract research and consultancy. 

The University鈥檚 leading position in is demonstrated through our sustained commitment to , our Greater Swag直播 Civic University Agreement, innovative GM Citizens鈥� Panel, achievements in volunteering, festivals, mutual partnerships, citizen science, policy engagement, patient involvement in research, and engagement with communities through its cultural institutions 鈥� Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, John Rylands Library, Swag直播 Museum, and the Whitworth Art Gallery.

The results in continuous professional development and graduate start-ups are underpinned by the work within the and . 

Professor Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, said: 鈥淜nowledge exchange is a core priority for Swag直播. We are delighted to see our achievements continue to be recognised in the KEF3 profile. We shall continue to ensure that our research, teaching and social responsibility activities benefit the economy and society at local, national and global level.鈥� 

Research England has published each university鈥檚 performance on on its website. 

Local residents, businesses and stakeholders are being invited to review the plans online from today, Friday 14 July. Throughout the summer, the public will have the opportunity to ask questions and share feedback through online channels and in-person community consultation events run by the ID Swag直播 partnership, a joint venture between Swag直播 and Bruntwood SciTech.

The ID Swag直播 partnership will be popping up in the city centre over the summer and holding a community event at Brunswick Parish Church on Wednesday 6 September. More information on the project and consultation activities can be found on the , along with an online questionnaire to submit feedback.

The newly published draft SRF sets out the scale, ambition and opportunities that ID Swag直播 brings to the city and includes a series of place-based principles that will guide detailed plans for development and future planning applications, and ensure the vision for ID Swag直播 to be recognised as one of the world鈥檚 leading applied innovation districts is realised.

Illustrative images of what the district could look like are shared in the SRF, including a new civic square, a revitalised Vimto Park and the repurposing of key heritage assets such as the Sackville Street and Renold buildings.

The SRF also details ID Swag直播鈥檚 aim to build a diverse and inclusive community of innovators, and transform what was a purpose-built academic campus into a welcoming and accessible new area of the city. Through creative repurposing of existing buildings and spaces, such as the Pariser and Renold buildings, a 鈥渕eanwhile鈥� use strategy has been implemented to bring early activation to the site ahead of redevelopment, with a mix of commercial office, lab and makerspace premises, pop-up retail and leisure spaces, events and programmed activities focused on science, technology, arts, culture and innovation.

Once completed, ID Swag直播 will create over 10,000 new jobs and bring significant economic, social and environmental benefits to the city. Totaling over 4 million sq ft, the illustrative masterplan has the potential to accommodate over 2 million sq ft of commercial and retail space, and over 1,500 homes.

The draft SRF for ID Swag直播 was approved for public consultation by Swag直播 City Council鈥檚 Executive Committee on 28 June 2023. The public consultation will run from 14 July 2023 until 8 September 2023. Feedback and responses gathered through the ID Swag直播 and events will be reported to Swag直播 City Council as part of the consultation process. Responses to the consultation can also be made directly to Swag直播 City Council via its .

Project partners Swag直播 and Bruntwood SciTech, a 50:50 joint venture between Bruntwood and Legal & General, have produced the SRF in collaboration with a world-class design team and specialist consultants, including: Allies and Morrison, SLA, Stanhope, Deloitte, ARUP, Stephen Levrant Heritage Architecture, Useful Projects, Ekosgen and Arcadis.

Speaking on behalf of Bruntwood SciTech, Lou Cordwell OBE, ID Swag直播 Director said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e very excited to share our proposed plans for ID Swag直播 and hear from the public on their ideas for this new district, particularly on how we can start to build a community through ID Swag直播 and bring early life to the site through our 鈥榤eanwhile鈥� activity. As well as becoming a world leading tech and science location that helps to put Swag直播 on the global innovation map, we want to create an exemplar for inclusive innovation. Close collaboration with local residents and businesses will be integral to ensuring communities across Greater Swag直播 benefit from the future success of ID Swag直播.鈥�

John Holden, Associate Vice-President for Major Special Projects, Swag直播 said: 鈥淭his is a key milestone in delivering our vision for ID Swag直播 and we鈥檙e excited to share our plans with the public. ID Swag直播 will see the transformation of the University's North campus, breathing new life into the site with a renewed purpose to drive positive economic, social and environmental change through innovation. For over a century, the site has been a centre for science, teaching and innovation, and ID Swag直播 will build on that history. We look forward to engaging with the public and the University鈥檚 stakeholders to hear their views on how ID Swag直播 can benefit residents and businesses across Greater Swag直播.鈥�

Bev Craig, Leader of Swag直播 City Council said: 鈥淪wag直播 remains a fast growing and constantly changing city that puts people at its heart. ID Swag直播 will add to the collective strength, innovation and learning that has ensured the wider Oxford Road Corridor is a place of global renown. This is an opportunity for our residents to input and help guide this development through the pre-planning stages and influence the birth of a new neighbourhood in our city centre. I would urge our residents and businesses to make their voices heard.鈥�

Leading investors and universities have come together to launch the USIT Guide which aims to put rocket boosters under the way that the Higher Education sector spins out new companies that take advantage of research breakthroughs.

Many of this country鈥檚 most successful technology firms 鈥� Solexa, Oxford Nanopore, ARM 鈥� started off life as spin-outs from a university, and the publication鈥檚 authors believe many more will now be forthcoming.

This is an area that the UK already excels in. London鈥檚 universities, for example, are more efficient in turning research and development expenditure into spinout companies than many others. They produce a spinout for every 拢35.35 million invested in research and development compared with 拢60.42 million, 拢42.6 million and 拢54.5 million for Boston, Los Angeles and New York, respectively.

Between them the group behind the new guidance 鈥� which includes venture capitalist firms Abingworth, Sofinnova and Cambridge Investment Capital, and universities Oxford, Imperial and UCL 鈥� has helped set up 376 new companies in the last five years, raising over 拢8.6 billion in investment.

But the USIT Guide鈥檚 backers believe it can build on this success and allow both universities and venture capitalists to ramp up the whole process of setting up spin-outs by providing direction and advice in such areas as equity share and IP. As it stands, many of these deals are created from scratch, which is both inefficient and sometimes fails to learn the lessons from previous success stories.

The publication, which is supported by TenU, a group of university technology transfer offices in the UK and US, including MIT, Stanford and Columbia, reflects successful practice around the world.

Diarmuid O鈥橞rien, Chief Executive of Cambridge Enterprise and chair of the USIT Guide working group, said: 鈥淭he USIT Guide can unlock the full potential from UK universities research, helping to create more spin-outs faster and attracting increased venture investment. USIT can support our universities create the companies that can contribute to solving the great challenges of our time, from climate to health and the digital revolution.鈥�

Jessica Corner, the Executive Chair of Research England, which funded the initiative, said: 鈥淭he USIT Guide has come out of the deep professionalism and commitment of UK tech transfer offices to collaboration: sharing approaches internationally, and working with others 鈥� particularly investors 鈥� to make our ecosystem more effective.鈥�

Andrew Wilkinson, CEO of the University of Swag直播 Innovation Factory said: 鈥淭enU provides an invaluable informal platform to understand how national governments, investors and the Universities can collaborate together more effectively to ensure that the fantastic research from our world-leading institutions can create positive social, economic, and environmental impact.  Having members from the UK, the USA and mainland Europe enables us to identify the differences and similarities between the approaches we all take to IP commercialisation and dispel some of the misunderstandings about the way things are done and challenges in different geographies.鈥�

In the past three years, the University of Swag直播 Innovation Factory has helped UoM academics create 32 IP-rich spinouts (9 in 2019-20, 13 in 20-21, 10 in 21-22) and has generated licensing income of 拢13.85M from third party non-spinout licensees.  In addition, 拢9.8M in first-time investment into UoM spinouts has been secured, helping to grow these Swag直播-born spinouts.

Research from Swag直播 and other UK universities promises to be the engine room of the new economy. If universities partner effectively with business and government, these spinouts will generate significant wealth throughout the north of England, creating companies, employing people and raising productivity.

With a team of 44 and drawing on the research and expertise of the University鈥檚 academics and students, the Innovation Factory assesses and scopes research with IP potential and advises startups on critical legal, investment and asset management issues as they scale up.

A copy of The USIT Guide is .

UK-based Graphene Innovations Swag直播 Ltd (GIM), founded by University graduate Dr Vivek Koncherry, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with to create a new company in the UAE.

This exciting UK-UAE partnership - which highlights potential opportunity for UK innovators to access global investment and international markets and supply chains - will be one of the most ambitious projects to date to commercialise graphene as it fast-tracks cutting-edge R&D into large-scale manufacture 鈥� an investment vision worth a total of $1billion.

This new venture will develop and produce premium, environmentally-friendly products using advanced 2D materials, including breakthrough graphene-enhanced concrete that does not need cement or water and can be made using recycled materials.

Dr Vivek Koncherry, CEO of Graphene Innovations Swag直播, based in Swag直播鈥檚 (GEIC), said: "We are proud to be associated with Quazar so that we can assemble a powerful world-class team to provide us the opportunity to massively deploy our graphene-based technologies.鈥�

Waleed Al Ali, CEO of Quazar, who will be active in helping bring the new company to successful, large-scale commercialisation, said: "The new graphene company will take a global lead in making environmentally friendly concrete and other products. We are glad that Quazar can play an active role in helping fulfil the UAE's His Highness Sheikh Saeed Bin Hamdan Bin Mohamed Al Nahyan's support for the UAE Vision 2030鈥�.

James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Swag直播, added: 鈥淭his agreement with our GEIC partner Graphene Innovations Swag直播 and Quazar is a seminal moment for the commercialisation of graphene as it demonstrates huge confidence in the potential for this advanced material to help lead our transition into a net zero world.

鈥淚t is also a very proud moment for the Graphene@Swag直播 community as it confirms that our innovation ecosystem is providing exactly the right platform to nurture pioneering R&D into graphene and other 2D materials that is world-class.

鈥淪wag直播 is known as the 鈥榟ome of graphene鈥� 鈥� but increasingly, it鈥檚 also being recognised as the home to its commercialisation potential. We are therefore able to form international partnerships, such as those in the UAE, based on this reputation; and from this position of strength we can place our city-region and the UK more generally into graphene鈥檚 global economy.

鈥淎s Greater Swag直播 further develops its innovation and manufacturing potential 鈥� all underpinned with the University鈥檚 leadership in advanced materials - this city-regional will have great opportunities with access to international supply chains, foreign investment and global markets.鈥�       

As part of this ambition a new 鈥楽ustainable Materials Translational Research Centre鈥� is set to be created by the multi-million pound Greater Swag直播 Innovation Accelerator programme. The new centre is a partnership with the University鈥檚, the, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, and Rochdale Development Agency, and aims to connect local businesses to national opportunities, all underpinned with outstanding materials research.

The scheme is linked  to the zone and a said 鈥溾�� Swag直播's expertise in material science鈥� could potentially support a northern economic powerhouse.

Furthermore, the graphene innovation ecosystem at Swag直播 has recently been cited as an exemplar in attracting inward investment into the local regional economy 鈥� and therefore helping to boost the UK鈥檚 鈥榣evelling up鈥� agenda. The spotlight comes in a report entitled,   published by universities think-tank the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI).

A strategic partnerships that is highlighted is the ambitious agreement between the University and Abu Dhabi-based Khalifa University of Science and Technology which aims to deliver a funding boost for graphene innovation to develop new sustainable technologies. Attracting international funding to the North-West is also helping the UK government level-up R&D spending across the nation.

The discovery follows 15 years of research and innovation using scientific methods and approaches that are more akin to medical research and rarely seen in cosmetic product development. The new peptide blend was developed using cutting edge British R&D across several fields of science and technology including advanced robotics, mathematical modelling, bioinformatics, machine learning, cell biology and cosmetic science.

鈥淲ith 87 years of innovation and scientific firsts, No7 prides itself on ensuring its products provide customers with exceptional results,鈥� said No7鈥檚 Head of Science Research Dr Mike Bell.  The new peptide blend effectively tricks the skin into thinking that it has been damaged to signal renewal of key proteins such as collagen and fibrillin to boost skin鈥檚 natural self-repair mechanisms, targeting signs of cumulative damage both on and under the surface. The result is a brand-new peptide blend which we believe will be a game changer for our consumers.

鈥淯nderpinning this discovery is No7鈥檚 long-standing research partnership with brilliant scientists at Swag直播. Together we utilised new state-of-the-art methodologies and techniques such as machine learning and bioinformatics to identify and screen naturally-occurring skin efficacious peptides 鈥� a first for the cosmetics industry.鈥�

Mike Sherratt, Professor of Biochemistry at Swag直播, comments: 鈥淭oday the field of peptide technology research is booming, with exciting new discoveries and applications being used in therapeutic medical settings as well as in cosmetic science. This novel and revolutionary peptide innovation could only have been developed from having a deep understanding of skin damage.鈥�

Five peer reviewed papers form the science backdrop to this latest innovation from No7 and Swag直播, with a further manuscript recently submitted to high impact science journal. Research presented at the American Academy of Dermatology鈥檚 annual conference in Louisiana revealed the new peptide blend is proven to enhance the expression of over 50 key skin proteins, including collagen and fibrillin, which support skin function and natural self-repair.  

No7鈥檚 new super peptide is set to be one of the most effective and tolerated skincare ingredients on the cosmetic market. Unlike retinoic acid, which is known by dermatologists to cause tolerance challenges such as skin sensitivity and redness, No7's new super peptide is both highly potent and also highly tolerated, being suitable even for those with sensitive skin. This paves the way to making gold standard skin repair available to even more people.

Cutting-edge Technology

Machine learning was utilised to identify naturally-occurring peptide sequences released from key skin molecules including collagens and elastic-fibre proteins, which were then tested using state-of-the-art omics techniques to characterise their skin remodelling activity and find the most powerful for deep down skin repair. 

Scientists evaluated thousands of possible peptide combinations to identify this new super peptide, a blend of two novel synthetic tetra-peptides, pal-GPKG and pal-LSVD, which mimic naturally occurring peptides in the skin to boost the skin鈥檚 natural self-repair function.

Robotic technology at the University of Liverpool鈥檚 Materials Innovation Factory and mathematical modelling techniques were used to optimise the formulation textures and delivery system for penetration of the peptides to where they are needed and work the best. As a result, penetration is predicted to be 50% better than existing formulations. 

The new super peptide technology has been met with excitement from the global scientific community with the technology due to be presented at three world leading scientific conferences this Spring including the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Conference in Louisiana, the British Society for Investigative Dermatology (BSID) Annual Meeting in Glasgow and the International Societies for Investigative Dermatology (ISID) meeting in Tokyo. 

Dr Matiss Ozols, formerly of Swag直播 and now based at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, comments: 鈥淎pplication of this peptide discovery pipeline to other tissues could profoundly advance the treatment of age-related diseases, providing novel treatments inspired by the body鈥檚 natural self-repair mechanisms. I鈥檓 excited by the possibilities!鈥�

This discovery builds on a long history of scientific innovation for No7; the brand was the first to prove that non-medical cosmetic products worked when the scientific efficacy of the No7 Protect and Perfect Serum was verified on BBC Horizon in 2007. In 2009 No7 was the first to publish a 12-month study on an anti-ageing cosmetic product showing clinical wrinkle improvements in a paper published in the British Journal of Dermatology.

Patent applications have been submitted and are pending for both the new peptides and the delivery system.

The ambitious innovation projects will provide critical insight and research to help inform the future development of a net zero energy system at the same time as delivering significant benefits to consumers. 

National Grid Electricity Transmission has been awarded 拢396,000 to fund the following projects, in which Swag直播 will be playing a vital role: 

• Superconductor OHLs: This project will investigate technology to increase power flow capability on existing overhead lines. Novel high temperature superconductor (HTS) technology could be implemented on existing lines, increasing power flow capability up to ten-fold at the same voltage level.  
• SF6 replacement strategy: Development of a long-term strategy to expedite the efficient rollout of SF6 replacements and remove the gas from the network at minimum cost to the consumer, with new builds and retro filling options considered across different asset profiles.  
• WELLNESS: A project to assess whole energy system resilience and develop a framework suited to the energy transition whilst protecting consumers 鈥� ensuring the network is reliable to known and credible threats, but also resilient to less frequent but more extreme disasters.  

Dr Vidyadhar Peesapati at Swag直播 said: 鈥淭he SIF programme provides a unique opportunity for us to continue our engagement with National Grid, in evaluating and de-risking a range innovations and solutions that will expedite the transition to net zero.鈥� 

Nicola Todd, Head of Strategy and Innovation at National Grid Electricity Transmission, added: 鈥淚t鈥檚 great to see National Grid leading the way with the sort of ambitious thinking needed to tackle some of the biggest challenges in energy. This funding will help drive progress on a raft of innovative projects, from new technologies to boost network capacity, to how we reduce our dependency on the greenhouse gas SF₆. 

鈥淲ork on these initiatives is helping to shape the future of Britain鈥檚 energy networks and accelerating the transition to net zero, at lowest cost to consumers.鈥� 

At Swag直播, our energy experts are committed to delivering an equitable and prosperous net zero energy future. By matching science and engineering, with social science, economics, politics and arts, the University鈥檚 community of 600+ experts address the entire lifecycle of each energy challenge, creating innovative and enduring solutions to make a difference to the lives of people around the globe. This enables the university鈥檚 research community to develop pathways to ensure a low carbon energy transition that will also drive jobs, prosperity, resilience and equality. 

Full details of the funding for Ofgem鈥檚 SIF scheme, which is managed in partnership with Innovate UK, can be found on its website at:  

The list is in , Europe鈥檚 influential media monitor of European tech start-ups.  Backed by the Financial Times, Sifted is the leading media brand for the European start-up community.

Two of the top ten highlighted start-ups 鈥� and 鈥� have been created and nurtured within the University of Swag直播 Innovation Factory (UoMIF).

Sifted says: 鈥淭here鈥檚 a new generation of entrepreneurs taking the European tech scene by storm.  From Madrid to Milan, Bucharest to Berlin, startup innovators are rewriting the economy鈥檚 rules and making waves across the continent. With some 98 cities producing at least one tech unicorn (so far) 鈥� Europe has created a decentralised Silicon Valley.鈥�

Under UoMIF鈥檚 CEO Andrew Wilkinson, the technology transfer organisation has created 32 IP-rich spinout companies in the three years.

Sifted鈥檚 鈥榯op ten university spinouts to watch out for鈥� says: 鈥淲atercycle Technologies is a University of Swag直播 (UoM) climate tech spinout. The company has patented a filtration process that can extract lithium from sub-surface waters 鈥� which could be huge for the EV space, which needs lithium in huge quantities for making batteries. It鈥檚 also working with Cornish Lithium, which focuses on environmentally responsible lithium extraction.鈥�

 鈥淔OTENIX is another UoM spinout, which uses its IP-protected machine learning and 3D imaging tech to detect diseases and pests and improve harvest quality. Brexit, climate change and the Ukraine war are putting unprecedented pressure on crop yield, and we鈥檙e seeing a growing demand for tech in this space.鈥�

Andrew Wilkinson, CEO of Swag直播 Innovation Factory said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 great that these two innovative University of Swag直播 spinout companies have been recognised as being among the very best European tech startups. Both these businesses are led by brilliant young entrepreneurs and have the potential to make an enormous environmental, social and economic impact in their target markets, as well as fantastic returns for their investors.鈥�

As part of the government鈥檚 Innovation Accelerator Fund, the four projects focus on the very latest technology around genomics, medical diagnostics, advanced materials and artificial intelligence. The bids were coordinated by the Greater Swag直播 Combined Authority and funding is for two years.

The funding, awarded by the (DSIT), has been allocated to innovative projects in sectors where Greater Swag直播 has existing research strengths,

The projects are:

The Swag直播 Turing Innovation Hub, is led by the University of Swag直播, working with a consortium of business, academic and public sector organisations. The project aims to accelerate Greater Swag直播鈥檚 拢5bn digital economy by supporting existing start-ups and creating new ones 鈥� especially in the field of artificial intelligence. It will also help to develop skills in the region with a particular focus on women, and under-represented groups in the industry. The Hub will bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and business, and will have centres across the region from which to coordinate activity. With no city having a global lead in AI commercialisation, the project aims to position Greater Swag直播 at the forefront, which would have a transformative effect on the regional economy and jobs.

Residents in eight out of the ten local authorities in GM spend more of their life in poor health, and instances of smoking and obesity and associated health issues are more prevalent than the national average. The Greater Swag直播 Advanced Diagnostics Accelerator aims to address this. It is led by Health Innovation Swag直播, hosted by Swag直播 University NHS Foundation Trust and partnered with the University. Focussing on liver, heart and lung disease, programme outputs are designed to open market opportunities for local businesses and support NHS cultural change from reactive acute care to proactive community prevention, resulting in better health outcomes and reduced demand for hospital services.

The Development and Validation of Technology for Time Critical Genomic Testing (DEVOTE) programme will be led by Swag直播. It focuses on biomarkers, which are chemicals or signals in the body which can be used to diagnose disease or predict future health. At the moment there is a bottleneck between the discovery of new biomarkers, and their use as a tool to help patients. DEVOTE aims to change all that by developing raid tests which can be used at the bedside by clinicians. This will be done through a partnership between the University, Health Innovation Swag直播 and local businesses. Greater Swag直播 is already a leader in this field and the new funding will create a legacy not only in people鈥檚 health but in a culture which makes new advances in future years.

The Sustainable Materials Translational Research Centre is a partnership between the University of Swag直播, including the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre and the Henry Royce Institute, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, and Rochdale Development Agency. Sustainable materials are urgently needed to help reach global climate goals but there is a lack of capacity to produce these, and to scale up production of new products which use them. Greater Swag直播 is well positioned to solve this problem, with a rich history of developing materials (notably at Swag直播). The project will help connect local businesses to the national supply chain, and to the outstanding materials research in the city, it will support the creation of new businesses, and attract inward investment, with a particular focus on the Atom Valley Mayoral Development zone, bringing new jobs and opportunities to Rochdale, Bury, Oldham and beyond.

Professor Richard Jones, Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement at Swag直播 said:  鈥淭he Innovation Accelerator is about taking the great research in GM鈥檚 universities, and translating that into good jobs, inclusive economic growth, and better health outcomes for citizens across the whole of Greater Swag直播. 

鈥淭hese four projects highlight the University of Swag直播鈥檚 research strengths in advanced materials, in digital technologies, and in health sciences, and demonstrate our commitment to working together with business, the NHS, the other GM universities and FE colleges, and local government in the city region for the benefit of the people who live here.

鈥淲e are very much looking forward to working with our partners on these projects, and we welcome the funding to all of the other projects in Greater Swag直播 that has been announced.鈥�

Mayor of Greater Swag直播, Andy Burnham, said: 鈥淕reater Swag直播鈥檚 selection as one of three Innovation Accelerator regions demonstrates the Government鈥檚 confidence in our innovation ecosystem. The projects being backed are undertaking world-leading research to address some of the biggest challenges we face.

鈥淭hey also align with the sectors where Greater Swag直播 has emerging or established strengths, like advanced materials, artificial intelligence (AI) and diagnostics. We look forward to working with partners to ensure this funding supports the growth of our future industries and delivers greater prosperity for our people.鈥�

Minister of State for Science Research & Innovation at DSIT George Freeman said:

鈥淭hrough Record investment in our UK science, technology & innovation sectors, the Innovation Economy is creating new career opportunities in the campuses, clusters & companies of tomorrow.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 why UKRI is putting clusters at the heart of its of its 拢25bn budget up to 2025, and why our 拢100m Innovation Accelerator Program provides 拢33m each to 3 emerging clusters to attract industrial co-investment and become major, globally competitive centres for research and innovation.

鈥淭he Greater Swag直播 Cluster is becoming a world class hub of R+D in AI and advanced computing, advanced manufacturing and Net Zero Cleantech and associated technologies.

鈥淚鈥檓 delighted that local leaders have come together to use our 拢33m to launch such exciting programs with industry and Universities in this exciting area.鈥� 

The spotlight comes in a report entitled, which has been authored by Dr Alexis Brown for the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI). Dr Brown is Head of Global Education Insights at the British Council and is calling for UK universities to leverage global connections to help drive local growth.

The report highlights where this collaboration is already being achieved. For example, the strategic, long-term relationship-building between Swag直播 and regional civic stakeholders plus international partners, such as those based in Abu Dhabi.

This type of relationship has, for example, led to an ambitious agreement between the University and Abu Dhabi-based Khalifa University of Science and Technology which aims to deliver a funding boost to graphene innovation that will help tackle the planet鈥檚 big challenges. This project has also won praise from senior figures in the UK government.

Much of the focus of this international collaboration on advanced materials has been around the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) which is a unique innovation accelerator based at Swag直播.

And, as well as supporting collaboration in the Middle East, the HEPI report also points out that the 鈥溾�� GEIC鈥檚 development has in turn generated further funding from a range of international and domestic partners, including the Australian-based supplier of graphene products First Graphene, the Brazilian graphene startup Gerdau Graphene, surface-functionalised graphene specialists Haydale and advanced engineering materials group Versarien.

鈥淕EIC will also form a cornerstone element of the new 拢1.5 billion , alongside the University鈥檚 , which focuses on industrial biotechnology and industry-facing biomanufacturing鈥︹��

James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Swag直播, said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 fantastic to see that Swag直播鈥檚 graphene innovation ecosystem has been highlighted in a national policy report that outlines how universities can bring inward investment into the regional economies they serve.

鈥淚t has been five years since the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre opened its doors and our success in taking 2D materials from lab-to-market is clearly demonstrated by the many international partnerships we have formed - and the significant investment that these partners are making to drive graphene-inspired R&D in our region.

鈥淭hese international research and innovation collaborations are creating new products, new businesses and new jobs. This all adds new value to our regional economy - so boosting the UK鈥檚 鈥榣evelling up鈥� ambitions.鈥�

Advanced materials is one of Swag直播鈥檚 research beacons - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships tackling some of the planet's biggest questions. #ResearchBeacons

Haydale were early adopters and among the very first partners to sign up and join the GEIC when it opened its doors and embarked on its journey of commercialisation in 2018. At the time interest in graphene was growing in the commercial world; but it remained to be seen just how ready industry was in adopting graphene into existing products 鈥� or go one step further and use it to develop new and disruptive technologies.

Now, as the partnership enters a sixth year both organisations are delighted to see the progress working in collaboration has brought to the industry, particularly through the adoption of plasma functionalisation technology and commercialisation of graphene and other 2D materials, as James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Swag直播 explains:

鈥淭oo often graphene has been seen as a magic dust that can be sprinkled into a product to transform its performance. Even if you鈥檙e lucky and achieve positive results, this ad hoc approach is usually non-replicable or able to be developed with a reliable quality control to earn market confidence.

鈥淗aydale鈥檚 pioneering work to functionalise graphene has created a supply of material that is industry-ready and is tuned to optimise performance in the specific application requested by the end-user and we are delighted that the partnership has been part of this journey.鈥�

Alongside their industry leading test facilities, as part of the partnership agreement, the GEIC will continue to use one of Haydale鈥檚 HT60 plasma reactors, which has been fundamental in growing the knowledge of functionalisation and its importance in unlocking the potential of graphene and other 2D materials. The clean chemistry process offers a way of activating inert materials, so they perform in application but in an environmentally-friendly way.

Access to unique engineering knowhow, world-class science and specialist R&D capability has seen the maturity of joint developments between Haydale and the GEIC most notably the graphene-enhanced carbon composite body panels for the BAC Mono R road-legal sports car, technology that Haydale has now seen application in composite tooling with Prodrive and resin infusion for sports and leisure. More recently, the teams have developed novel coating processes combining Haydale鈥檚 prepreg and ink products and helped to optimise Haydale鈥檚 3D printing product range for volume application.

Commenting on the continued partnership, Keith Broadbent CEO of Haydale said: 鈥淲e have been working with the GEIC from the very beginning to enhance graphene and nanomaterials and bring them into a commercial space. I am excited to see what the next stage of the partnership will bring. We have seen a seismic shift from graphene push to market pull as more customers know what they want. Customers are driving momentum and together we can continue the commercialisation journey.鈥�

This is a sentiment shared by James, who added: 鈥淔ive years on from the opening of the GEIC the market landscape for nanomaterials has matured quickly, and advanced materials are recognised as being critical in providing solutions to the big global challenges.

鈥淗aydale鈥檚 vision has always been to provide the graphene supply chain with a premium product that can add real value 鈥� and they know exactly how to do this.鈥�

The ongoing partnership will continue to build trust with wider industry and provide a solid foundation for the adoption of graphene and other 2D materials as advanced materials become increasingly critical in providing solutions to some of the biggest global challenges.

Grant Shapps, The Secretary of State for the UK鈥檚 Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), has recently been on a visit to the Middle East, which included the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he met representatives from a partnership between Swag直播 and UAE鈥檚 Khalifa University.

The ambitious Swag直播-Khalifa partnership is part of the Research & Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC-2D) which is looking at ways to apply graphene and related advanced materials to technologies that will help make our world more sustainable, including water desalination, emission-busting construction materials, energy storage and lightweighting applications.

Grant Shapps visited the state-of-the-art research facilities and on his , the Secretary of State said: 鈥淕raphene can be used in everything from touchscreens to reinforcing steel. Made first in Swag直播, its importance is now being realised around the world. I enjoyed seeing how Khalifa University is further developing graphene uses for the future, in partnership with Swag直播.鈥�

James Baker, CEO at Graphene@Swag直播, said: 鈥淚t was great to co-host the Secretary of State and the UK delegation on their visit to meet our partners at Khalifa University.

鈥淚t was a very positive meeting that focused on graphene products and applications. Our conversation covered the heritage of the right through to the creation of the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre, a Swag直播 facility set up in partnership with UAE-based Masdar to accelerate the commercialisation of graphene and related 2D materials.

鈥淲e also discussed our joint work with the RIC-2D programme and the ambitious commercial opportunities that are supporting the drive towards a sustainable future, including our latest project around creating membrane technology in support of clean water.鈥�

The Kahlifa delegation meeting the Secretary of State also included Professor Sir John O鈥橰eilly, President of Khalifa University; Dr Arif Al Hammadi, Executive Vice President; Dr Steve Griffiths, Senior Vice President for Research and Development and Professor of Practice; Fahad Almaskari, Engagement Director; Fahad Alabsi, Associate Director, Commercialization, RIC-2D Research Center.

During Grant Shapps鈥� visit to the region the . The Clean Energy Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has now been signed by the two nations and will support the .

Advanced materials is one of Swag直播鈥檚 research beacons - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships tackling some of the planet's biggest questions. #ResearchBeacons

NERD is a standalone company, spun out from , formerly Tier 2 partners of the GEIC and responsible for the initial development of Concretene, a graphene-enhanced admixture for concrete that saves significantly on CO2 emissions and overall project costs.

In December, to help drive the programme of research and development required to bring Concretene to full commercial use.

The Tier 1 agreement provides for use of a dedicated lab within the Masdar Building, state-of-the-art concrete testing facilities and access to the unrivalled academic and engineering expertise in nanomaterials housed at Swag直播, the home of graphene.

Co-founder of NERD Alex McDermott is a civil engineering graduate of the University and is excited about his return to North Campus to deliver what he hopes will be the start of a new generation of sustainable construction materials.

鈥淚鈥檓 a Swag直播 lad from Failsworth and I did my degree here, so it鈥檚 great to be back and helping to design solutions for an industry that urgently needs to decarbonise,鈥� he says.

鈥淲e鈥檙e looking to build on the work we鈥檝e already done with the GEIC in lab trials and real-world projects and take Concretene on to the next stage of full commercial rollout. There鈥檚 still a journey to go on - R&D in this area is challenging - but the partnerships we鈥檙e building with the University and with high-profile industry clients give us the best chance of success.鈥�

James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Swag直播, said: 鈥淲e have been working with Nationwide Engineering from the very beginning to help develop Concretene 鈥� and therefore delighted to welcome NERD to the GEIC as a Tier 1 partner. This is an important milestone in this ambitious project and one we can all be very proud of.

鈥淚n the past 18 months, we have rapidly gone from lab to pilot stage - and then scaled up to create 鈥榣iving labs鈥�, including a pioneering pour just outside the GEIC. But we are still at a relatively early stage along the road to commercialisation.

鈥淭his new Tier 1 partnership will greatly help Concretene achieve its full potential to deliver a game-changing material to help us build more sustainably in the future 鈥� we look forward to taking this programme to the next stage of delivery.鈥� 

NERD envisions a three-year journey to the roll-out of Concretene to the wider construction industry, alongside technical partner Arup 鈥� the globally renowned provider of engineering and design services for the built environment - and leading infrastructure bodies including Heathrow and Swag直播 Airports, Network Rail, National Highways and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

These early adopters will see immediate benefits through reductions in embodied carbon, while assisting in the programme of laboratory work and large-scale field trials that will ultimately prove the reliability and reproducibility needed for successful commercial deployment of Concretene.

Matthew Lovell, Director at Arup, said: 鈥淐ontinued innovation in the production of concrete and leaner design techniques are needed to support the construction industry鈥檚 journey towards net zero carbon emissions.

鈥淎rup is extremely interested in Concretene鈥檚 potential to support transformative change in the built environment. Imagine what concrete with both enhanced engineering performance and substantially reduced carbon impact could contribute to our industry.鈥�

Professor Bill Sampson, Chief Scientific Officer, GEIC, said: 鈥�I鈥檓 delighted to see Nationwide joining the GEIC as a Tier 1 partner. I look forward to working with them, with the support of academic colleagues from across the University鈥檚 Faculty of Science and Engineering, to better understand and deliver the full potential promised by graphene-enhanced cementitious materials.鈥�

Main picture: (l-r) Matthew Lovell, Director at Arup; Alex McDermott, co-founder NERD; Rob Hibberd, co-founder NERD; Dave Evans, Chief Financial Officer, NERD; Alan Beck, Head of Communications, NERD

, with its mission to enable cleaner water supplies for the world's growing demand, has developed an energy-efficient and highly versatile membrane coating based around a material called modified molybdenum disulphide (MoS₂) to create an innovative water filtration solution.  

The technology comes from research led by  and , at Swag直播, working in partnership with innovation experts at the University鈥檚 (GEIC).  

This team has used a two-dimensional version of MoS_2, part of which is a natural crystal with physical properties that are complementary to those of , the world鈥檚 first 2D material, originally isolated at Swag直播. 

Molymem and its filtration application has been awarded an investment funding package of 拢500,400. Among the private sector investors are , Swag直播 Angels and NorthInvest.

Ray Gibbs, Chairman and Director at Molymem, said this new funding would enable the company to scale up and deliver on its mission. He said: 鈥淣ew 2D materials for membranes are needed to improve sustainability, accessibility and tackle one of the world鈥檚 greatest problems 鈥� delivering clean fresh water for all.鈥�

鈥淭he application of 2D advanced materials into water filtration technologies will, we are confident, help provide solutions to this critical global challenge.鈥�   

Working with businesses and utility companies Molymem has coated a variety of membrane systems and tested the rejection of various salts and other organic molecules, such as nitrates. The performance is equal to or better than existing commercial solutions - but at much lower cost, making the Molymem system a 'greener and cheaper' option.鈥�

Dr Mark Bissett Chief Scientific Officer (Molymem Limited), Reader in Nanomaterials, Dept. of Materials (University of Swag直播) commented 鈥淚t鈥檚 incredibly exciting to see our technology, which was developed here in the labs at the University of Swag直播 as a fundamental research project, be successfully spun out into a company and receiving this funding. Going forward I look forward to seeing our technology have real commercial impact and see our products improving sustainability in multiple industries.鈥�

Richard Lydon, a leading filtration expert and senior advisor to Molymem explained: 鈥淎ccess to clean fresh water is one of the greatest problems we face in the world. Factors that impact on the availability of clean water include climate change, water quality, pollution, and population growth.

鈥淎t the same time, water and wastewater treatment plants across the world need to be upgraded to keep pace with legislation and the ever-growing demand for drinking water. This unique technology is an added value to existing membrane systems reducing particulate 'clogging' of the current filter, enabling improved life, reducing the use of chemicals and increasing flux (water flow). The Molymem platform is robust in any environment and can be tailored (through specific functionalisation of the coating) to reject target particulates such as nitrates, phosphates, PFAS/PFOS, dissolved organics, heavy metals and other pollutants, offering unique selling points to meet the needs of the water industry.鈥�

Rajat Malhotra, Managing Partner, Wren Capital and a member of Cambridge Angels commented, 鈥� We liked the sustainability aspect of Molymem and the strong management to apply novel technology into a significant market in need of new membranes to deal with the increasing threat of particulate pollution (especially nitrates) in the water course. We, therefore, wanted to lead a SEED funding round on behalf of Cambridge Angels who were subsequently joined by investors from Swag直播 Angels and NorthInvest. This first tie-up makes a strong strategic link between Swag直播 and Cambridge to enhance co-syndication between the investor groups and the hope of more to come.鈥�   

David Levine, Principal of Swag直播 Angels said: "We're very excited to have participated in Molymem's recent raise. Swag直播 Angels was established specifically to fund early-stage, game-changing technologies and technology businesses and help support levelling-up for the North."

Jordan Dargue, Board Director of NorthInvest said: ''We were so impressed with the Molymem team's expertise and passion.  The technology is innovative and solves a real market problem so I was thrilled to be able to help the company access funding at this crucial stage.  What鈥檚 more, this round of investment for Molymem is a perfect example of how angel networks can collaborate to help Northern entrepreneurs access investment.  I鈥檓 so pleased for Richard and the Molymem team and look forward to seeing what the future holds. 鈥�

Notes to Editor

1) Richard Lydon is a leading figure in the filtration, separation and membrane markets and is providing valuable advice and guide the Molymem team as it embarks on its commercial journey in wider areas of the clean and deep tech market sectors.

 2) Molymem is a University of Swag直播 spin-out and has developed and patented a new class of novel nano-coating applied to membranes for ultra-high filtration performance. The 2D functionalised materials can be retrofitted easily to existing membranes, utilising existing infrastructure and a large installed base. The initial focus is in the demand-driven space of clean water, water reuse and species selectivity but with potential across numerous other industry sectors including air, gas cleaning and future clean energy sectors. Chosen routes to market will be via licence and royalty deals with Membrane suppliers, Original Equipment Manufacturers and System Integrators.

3) Cambridge Angels is a leading UK business angel network providing smart capital from entrepreneurs to entrepreneurs. The collaborative Cambridge-based group, actively mentors and invests in innovative teams and their ideas, equipping generations of entrepreneurs to generate returns and help realise their full potential. The group has a strong ethos of backing merit and supporting entrepreneurship. Cambridge Angels members, most of whom are successful entrepreneurs, invest in a wide range of start-up and scale-up businesses with a particular focus on deep-tech, and tools and technologies supporting healthcare.

Swag直播 researchers, based at Saint Mary鈥檚 Hospital, part of Swag直播 University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), worked with Swag直播 and Swag直播-based firm genedrive Plc on the Pharmacogenetics to Avoid Loss of Hearing (PALOH) study. Together, they developed the pioneering, rapid bedside genetic test which was .

Using a cheek swab, the test can identify in 26 minutes whether a critically ill baby admitted to intensive care has a gene change that could result in permanent hearing loss if they are treated with a common emergency antibiotic, Gentamicin.

While Gentamicin is used to safely treat approximately 100,000 babies a year, one in 500 babies carry the gene change that can lead to permanent hearing loss when given the antibiotic.

The new test means that babies found to have the genetic variant can be given an alternative antibiotic within the 鈥榞olden hour鈥� and could save the hearing of 200 babies in England every year.

PALOH study lead, Professor Bill Newman, Consultant in Genomic Medicine at MFT and Professor of Translational Genomic Medicine at Swag直播, said: 鈥淚 am delighted for the team to receive this recognition of their fantastic efforts and their innovative approach in bringing this test to fruition.鈥�

The new swab test technique, which was piloted at MFT, replaces a test that traditionally took several days and is the first use of a rapid point of care genetic test in acute neonatal care.

Dr Ajit Mahaveer, Consultant Neonatologist, Rachel James, Senior Research Coordinator and Nicola Booth, Research Nurse Manager on the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at Saint Mary鈥檚 Hospital, attended the awards ceremony in London and accepted the award on behalf of the team.

Dr Mahaveer said: "I am incredibly proud to be part of the team who made this study a reality and to be recognised at this year鈥檚 New Statesman Positive Impact Awards. It鈥檚 an honour to accept the award on behalf of the team, knowing the work we have put into delivering this research will truly make a difference to hundreds of babies鈥� lives each year.

鈥淎s a doctor dealing daily with infection, my main concern was how easy and quickly the test was to conduct, as it鈥檚 important that we do not delay antibiotic treatment. Our experience of using this test has been very positive. It鈥檚 straight-forward, non-invasive and will have a huge impact on our patients鈥� lives.鈥�

Professor Newman, Theme Co-Lead Lead for Rare Conditions, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Swag直播 Biomedical Research Centre, continued: 鈥淚 am absolutely thrilled with the success of the study and that this test is now being used in routine clinical practice. This test will make a real difference, helping to ensure babies are not going to lose their hearing for a preventable reason.鈥�

It is expected the test could save the NHS 拢5 million every year by reducing the need for other interventions, such as cochlear implants.

Professor Dame Sue Hill, Chief Scientific Officer for England and Senior Responsible Officer for Genomics in the NHS said: 鈥淭his ground-breaking bedside test for detecting whether an antibiotic could cause deafness in babies in intensive care is another example of how the NHS is harnessing the power of genomic medicine to transform patient care. This award is a tribute to the hard work of Professor Bill Newman and his team in Swag直播.鈥�

Dr Gino Miele, R&D Director, genedrive plc, said: 鈥淭he collaboration of our company with the research and clinical team at MFT is a shining example of the NHS working with a commercial company to deliver real improvements in patient outcomes in a cost-effective way.鈥�

Caption: Rachel James, Senior Research Coordinator; Nicola Booth, Research Nurse Manager, Newborn Intensive Care Unit and Dr Ajit Mahaveer, Consultant Neonatologist at Saint Mary鈥檚 Hospital, part of MFT receiving the award on behalf of the PALOH team. (Photo credit: New Statesman Positive Impact Awards)

SF₆ is a gas commonly used in the power industry to provide electrical insulation and arc interruption. However, SF₆ is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential that is 25,200 times greater than CO₂.

This award reflects the significant steps taken by Swag直播 experts and National Grid to address this issue, closing the gap between an unsustainable present and a more sustainable future.

Celebrating an initial project delivered in 2020, today鈥檚 award comes as Swag直播 and National Grid confirm their commitment to addressing the challenge. Earlier this year, the team announced a 拢1.9m project that will see experts at Swag直播 help determine how National Grid can develop a retrofill solution to replace SF₆ with an environmentally friendlier alternative 鈥� without having to replace or otherwise modify the existing equipment.

This solution 鈥� to be demonstrated at National Grid鈥檚 test facility the 鈥� will mean National Grid can avoid the environmental impact and cost of replacing equipment otherwise fit for many more years鈥� service.

Together the University and National Grid will create a physical demonstration, complete with an inbuilt condition-based monitoring system, that will focus on the applicability of SF₆ retrofill techniques. It will be developed in Swag直播鈥檚 High Voltage Research Laboratory, equipped with facilities that can test up to 600 kV DC, 800 kV AC, and 2 MV impulse, and has been the testbed for developing pioneering solutions such as and .

In a separate pilot project last year National Grid and Hitachi Energy developed and deployed a world-first solution at Richborough substation in Kent to replace SF₆ with a greener alternative, marking a key step in National Grid鈥檚 ambition to reduce its SF₆ emissions by 50% by 2030.

Nicola Todd, head of strategy and innovation at National Grid Electricity Transmission, said: 鈥淭his is a proud moment for the teams involved and is testament to the combined expertise and innovation capability of National Grid and Swag直播 colleagues on this project. The initiative is deepening our understanding of SF₆ retrofill solutions, and could boost our progress in the decarbonisation of the grid while achieving a significant cost benefit for consumers.鈥�

Energy is one of Swag直播鈥檚 five research beacons, examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest challenges facing the planet. This project reflects the commitment of Swag直播鈥檚 energy experts in delivering a just and prosperous Net Zero energy future.

By matching science and engineering, with social science, economics, politics and arts, the University鈥檚 community of 600+ experts address the entire lifecycle of each energy challenge, creating innovative and enduring solutions to make a difference to the lives of people around the globe. This enables the Swag直播 research community to develop pathways to ensure a low carbon energy transition that will also drive jobs, prosperity, resilience, and equality.

National Grid鈥檚 Deeside Centre for Innovation in North Wales is the first of its kind in Europe, where electricity network assets can be tested under real life conditions, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The facility provides a controlled test and demonstration environment to collect data, including a high voltage substation and overhead line test area simulating real network conditions.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Greater Swag直播 Combined Authority (GMCA), Innovation Greater Swag直播 and Innovate UK commits the parties to closer collaboration to support business innovation.

The agreement seeks to strengthen research and innovation clusters across Greater Swag直播 and to accelerate investments around long-term innovation developments.

The region鈥檚 universities will be at the heart of the city鈥檚 innovation ecosystem. Swag直播 will continue to build on its existing world class tradition of commercialisation of research in step with GMCA and Innovate UK. This past year alone has seen the University create ten new spin-out companies.

The parties have also agreed to work on a shared plan for the period to 2030, which will set out how the development of innovation assets in Greater Swag直播 will inform Innovate UK activities.

The agreement was signed by Mayor of Greater Swag直播, Andy Burnham, Innovate UK CEO, Indro Mukerjee, and Chair of Greater Swag直播 Business Board (GM LEP), Lou Cordwell, at a special event held today (Friday 2 December) at the (GEIC) at Swag直播. The GEIC is a facility which helps companies develop new technologies, products and processes that exploit the properties of .

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Swag直播, said: 鈥淭his agreement will strengthen collaboration between Greater Swag直播 and Innovate UK, and in doing so help deliver a high-growth, high-wage economy powered by innovation.

鈥淕oing back to the first Industrial Revolution, Greater Swag直播 has a proud history of industry and innovation. More recently we pioneered the development of graphene, and have emerging strengths in areas like advanced manufacturing, health innovation and the digital and creative industries.

鈥淟evelling up the country means rebalancing R&D spending so that regions can realise their potential. Innovation stimulates sustainable growth, which leads to better quality jobs and increased wages, raising the living standards of people across Greater Swag直播.鈥�

Professor Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice Chancellor, Swag直播, said: 鈥�This is another important step for Greater Swag直播鈥檚 innovation ecosystem which is all about partnership. Swag直播 will keep working to ensure that we are a globally- renowned hub for creating innovations that meet society鈥檚 greatest challenges.鈥�

Indro Mukerjee, CEO of Innovate UK, said: 鈥淚nnovate UK is building strong regional partnerships across the UK to support local innovation and commercialisation. The agreement with Greater Swag直播 is a good example of that and our commitment to levelling up the UK.

鈥淚 am pleased to be working closely with Mayor Andy Burnham, Cllr Bev Craig and Lou Cordwell to help deliver growth and productivity through innovation across Greater Swag直播.鈥�

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Swag直播 City Council and GMCA Portfolio Lead for Economy and Business, said: 鈥淥ur agreement with Innovate UK will help businesses and residents in Greater Swag直播 benefit from the opportunities presented by innovation.

鈥淏usiness innovation creates good jobs in more places. It drives economic growth, accelerates our transition to net zero, and helps reduce health inequalities. We look forward to working with Innovate UK to strengthen Greater Swag直播鈥檚 innovation ecosystem.鈥�

Professor Richard Jones, Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement, at Swag直播 (and independent science advisor for Innovation GM), said: 鈥淭he partnership will provide an innovation blueprint for Greater Swag直播 鈥� and therefore is a major milestone in boosting the economic development and prosperity of this city-region.

鈥淪wag直播 has been a driving force in getting this project launched so it was fitting that the agreement was formally signed in the University鈥檚 Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre. This facility demonstrates how new science and innovation can be commercialised, so attracting new investment; supporting some of this region鈥檚 great innovative businesses; as well as creating new commercial opportunities on our own doorstep.鈥�     

Through Innovation Greater Swag直播, the city-region is pioneering a new approach to strengthening and broadening its innovation ecosystem 鈥� the network that comprises businesses of all sizes, universities, local and national government, funding providers and investors, and entrepreneurs.

Greater Swag直播鈥檚 outlines how sustainable growth powered by innovation could deliver a 拢3.8bn economic benefit and over 100,000 jobs across Greater Swag直播.

Greater Swag直播 was one of three areas in the country chosen to develop an Innovation Accelerator. Launched as part of the Levelling Up White Paper, Innovation Accelerators will support businesses and research in Greater Swag直播, the West Midlands and Glasgow city-region with a share of 拢100m of Government funding.

This followed the , published in July last year, which set out Government鈥檚 vision to make the UK a global hub for innovation by 2035, and .

In addition to forming these new IP-rich businesses, the Innovation Factory, which is dedicated to driving the commercialisation of innovations and intellectual property originating from Swag直播 (UoM), secured an impressive 拢6.4M of first investment into Swag直播-based spinout companies as well as 拢4.9M in UoM licensing income.   

Andrew Wilkinson, Innovation Factory Chief Executive, said: 鈥淥ver the past three years the Innovation Factory has worked hard to meet our ambitious targets and fulfil our commitment to create positive social, environmental and economic impact by helping UoM academics and student inventors commercialise their research.

鈥淲e are proud to help the nation鈥檚 most visionary researchers and scholars transform their ideas and theories into a form that can be used to benefit people from all parts of the world.  Swag直播 has always been the birthplace of great ideas and that pulse of innovation is as strong as ever.鈥�

In 2021, the Innovation Factory was instrumental in facilitating the formation of Northern Gritstone through a partnership with the Universities of Leeds, Swag直播 and Sheffield. Northern Gritstone is an investment vehicle determined to be one of the largest investors into academic spinouts in the UK. 

Wilkinson continued: 鈥淭his year the Innovation Factory continued to perform well and exceeded most of its key targets, placing it firmly in line with the top technology transfer offices in the world.  Our team works tirelessly to identify opportunities and maximise investment in the innovations originating from Swag直播, and this year further secures our positive trajectory.鈥�

The newly formed businesses are:

• Apini Therapeutics Ltd 鈥� Novel Small Molecule Therapeutics for the treatment of inflammatory diseases without induction of immune suppression
• Holiferm Ltd 鈥� Fermentation technology with initial focus on biosurfactants
• Imperagen Ltd 鈥� An AI prediction of enzyme optimisation
• Mi-Trial Ltd 鈥� Clinical trial companion system and app
• Music in Mind Remote Ltd 鈥� Digital platform for providing music to people with dementia
• Nexsys Ltd 鈥� Online platform for water management and planning
• Polynerve Ltd 鈥� Synthetic polymer nerve conduit
• Recon2 Ltd 鈥� System for measurement of recycled plastic content in packaging
• Sebomix Ltd 鈥� A rapid, non-invasive test for the diagnosis of Parkinson鈥檚 Disease and a wide range of other indications
• Urban 360 Ltd 鈥� Intelligence to improve urban sustainability

To find out more about the Innovation Factory鈥檚 work and the projects they are supporting, visit

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President & Vice-Chancellor of Swag直播, and Professor Sir John O鈥橰eilly, President, Khalifa University (pictured above) officially signed a contract between the two institutions during a VIP visit by a Swag直播 delegation to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Senior officials from both universities were present at the signing (pictured below).

This international partnership will further accelerate Swag直播 and Abu Dhabi鈥檚 world-leading research and innovation into graphene and other 2D materials. The Research & Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC-2D), based in Khalifa University, is part of a strategic investment programme supported by the Government of Abu Dhabi, UAE. 

Growing international partnership

This partnership will support expediting the development of the RIC-2D at Khalifa University as well as help building capability in graphene and 2D materials in collaboration with Graphene@Swag直播, a community that includes the academic鈥搇ed National Graphene Institute (NGI) and the commercially-focused Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), a pioneering facility already backed by the Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company Masdar.

The historic agreement will bring together the vision of the two universities to tackle some of the globe鈥檚 biggest challenges, such as providing clean drinking water for millions of people and supporting a circular 鈥榞reen economy鈥� in all parts of the world.

Graphene 鈥� originally isolated at Swag直播, the global 鈥榟ome of graphene鈥� 鈥� has the potential to deliver transformational technologies. The focus of the Khalifa鈥揝wag直播 partnership will be on key themes, with a priority to meet the most immediate of global challenges, including  climate change and the energy crisis. These flagship areas are:

鈼�&苍产蝉辫;         Water filtration and desalination 鈥� graphene and 2D materials are being applied to next generation filtration technologies to significantly boost their effectiveness and efficiency to help safeguard the world鈥檚 precious supply of drinking water

鈼�&苍产蝉辫;         Construction 鈥� graphene is helping to develop building materials that are much more sustainable and when applied at scale can expect to slash global CO2 emissions

鈼�&苍产蝉辫;         Energy storage 鈥� applications are being developed across the energy storage sector to produce more efficient batteries, with greater capacity and higher performance, and other energy storage systems vital to a circular 鈥榞reen economy鈥�

鈼�&苍产蝉辫;         Lightweighting of materials 鈥� the use of graphene and 2D materials to take weight out of vehicles, as well as large structures and infrastructure, will also be a key to building a more sustainable future.

The investment is expected to be allocated towards joint projects. The full scope and budgets for projects under this new framework agreement remain to be determined in the months ahead. The proposal will see dedicated space for the Khalifa University鈥檚 RIC-2D within the GEIC, which is based in the Masdar Building at Swag直播, to deliver rapid R&D and breakthrough technologies. Researchers from Khalifa University will have dedicated lab space in the GEIC where they can work alongside Swag直播鈥檚 applications experts and access in-house facilities and equipment.

Knowledge exchange

As well as the research and innovation activity, the RIC-2D programme will support the development of people, including early-career researchers who will benefit from the real-world experience of working on the joint R&D programme. Also, there will be opportunities for post-graduate students, including the exchange of PhD students and researchers (see Fact File below).

Professor Sir John O鈥橰eilly, President, Khalifa University, said: 鈥淭his Khalifa University-University of Swag直播 collaboration is greatly to be welcomed. It has all the hallmarks of a most successful approach to inspiring and nurturing outstanding research, innovation and enterprise in graphene to be taken forward to the benefit of the wider community.鈥�

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President & Vice-Chancellor of Swag直播, said: 鈥淲e look forward to a long and productive partnership with Khalifa University that will realise the potential of graphene to address global challenges including water and energy security and, above all, sustainability.鈥�

Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University, said: 鈥淲e are delighted to enter into this partnership with Swag直播 and encourage innovation in graphene through a pipeline of projects, as well as focus on transferring technology towards commercialization. Through this agreement, we will continue to not only focus our research activities on existing flagship projects in water filtration, construction, energy storage and composites but also expand to new areas. This combination of virtual and in-person collaborations will also include exchange of PhD students and sponsored labs within the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) at Swag直播.鈥�

Professor Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Swag直播, said: 鈥淥ur excellent relationship with our partners in Abu Dhabi, including Khalifa University and Masdar, has been vital in the success of the world-leading graphene research and innovation activities at Swag直播, especially in driving forward the commercialisation of 2D materials in our facilities based in the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre. This new investment will deliver a game-changing step change in our lab-to-market ambitions - and will accelerate the translation of graphene in an unprecedented way.鈥�

Professor Hassan Arafat, Senior Director, RIC-2D, said: 鈥淭he overarching goal of RIC-2D is to be a catalyst for economic growth in the UAE, by enabling industrial and public entities within the country to utilize graphene and other 2D materials in new technologies that add economic value and solve pressing societal challenges such as water scarcity and greenhouse emissions. Therefore, the center will support a range of fundamental and translational research projects, in addition to commercialization and technology transfer activities. Graphene@Swag直播 has accumulated significant experience doing the same in the UK over the past decade. Hence, they were naturally identified as one of RIC-2D鈥檚 most strategic partners.鈥�

James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Swag直播, explained: 鈥淲e have built a unique model of innovation for advanced materials in Greater Swag直播 by successfully attracting regional, national and international investment.

鈥淭he RIC-2D programme will be a significant funding boost for UK-based graphene research and commercialisation. It is set to significantly accelerate the work that is already happening in our ecosystem and help with the application and commercialisation of 2D materials at a rate much faster than you would normally expect for a revolutionary new material like graphene.

鈥淭his provides an opportunity to fast-track technologies that are urgently needed to tackle immediate challenges like climate change or the energy crisis. Swag直播 and Khalifa University will play a key role in connecting our ambitions by synchronising new research with key industry and supply-chain companies across a range of sectors.

鈥淥ur lab-to-market model will link up fundamental research with applied research and ultimately be part of a pipeline delivering new, market-ready technologies.  The programme will also provide industry-standard equipment and capabilities for the rapid scale-up and pilot production of prototypes.鈥�

Graphene@Swag直播鈥檚 world-class facilities and resources are supported by internationally renowned academics and industry-experienced engineers and innovation experts, working across a very broad range of novel technologies and applications.

James Baker added: 鈥淭ogether, these experts will focus on industry-led 2D material development and look to help companies design, develop, scale-up and 鈥榙e-risk鈥� the next generation of innovative products and processes,鈥�

Fact File - joint R&D programme

The joint R&D programme between Swag直播 and Khalifa University  will provide a pipeline of projects from the near to long-term to ensure that RIC-2D development activities remain world-leading and are based upon a strong scientific foundation.

Part of the R&D programme will focus on Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 1-3 鈥� i.e. early stage research and development - beyond which the research teams will collaborate with applications experts at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) in a bid to transfer the technology for commercialisation.

The shared R&D platforms are designed to support existing flagship projects, including those involved with water filtration, construction, energy storage and composites 鈥� but there will be an expectation to develop new streams. Finally, the R&D programme will produce high quality academic publications that will add to the prestige and international reputation of RIC-2D.

The joint programme will be a combination of virtual and in-person collaborations, through the exchange of PhD students and researchers and having Khalifa University sponsored labs based within the GEIC.

About Khalifa University of Science and Technology

Khalifa University of Science and Technology, the UAE鈥檚 top-ranked research-intensive institution, focuses on developing world-leading critical thinkers in science, engineering and medicine. The world-class university endeavours to be a catalyst to the growth of Abu Dhabi and the UAE鈥檚 rapidly developing knowledge economy as an education destination of choice and a global leader among widely acknowledged international universities.

For more information, please visit:

 is one of Swag直播鈥檚  - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons.

The Swag直播 will be based at the engineering and materials facilities at Swag直播 which will provide a state-of-the-art home for industry-leading research in AI-powered devices and be an 鈥渋nterface between robotics, autonomy and AI鈥�.

Swag直播 has built a modern reputation of excellence in AI and robotics, partly based on the legacy of seminal thought leadership begun in this field in Swag直播 by legendary codebreaker Alan Turing (1). The creation of the new Swag直播 centre also follows robotics and AI being identified by UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt as the most critical drivers for 21^st century economies (2).

To mark the opening of the new robotics centre, the Swag直播 group will host its first conference on Wednesday, Nov 23. Topics under discussion will include applications of robotics in extreme environments.

For the past decade, a specialist Swag直播 team led by Professor Barry Lennox has designed robots to work safely in nuclear decommissioning sites in the UK. A ground-breaking robot called Lyra that has been developed by Professor Lennox鈥檚 team - and recently deployed at the Dounreay site in Scotland, the 鈥� 鈥� has been listed in .

Other world-leading Swag直播 applications include foldable drones to characterise subterranean mines or for the inspection of offshore wind turbines. And Swag直播 leads on designing the verification technologies to ensure that we can trust these robots when working autonomously in hazardous conditions.

A conference highlight will be a joint talk by robotics expert Dr Andy Weightman and theologian Dr Scott Midson which is expected to put a spotlight on 鈥榩osthumanism鈥� 鈥� a future world where humans won鈥檛 be the only highly intelligent decision-makers.

Dr Weightman, who researches home-based rehabilitation robotics for people with neurological impairment, and Dr Midson, who researches theological and philosophical critiques of posthumanism, will discuss how interdisciplinary research can help with the special challenges of rehabilitation robotics 鈥� and, ultimately, what it means to be human 鈥渋n the face of the promises and challenges of human enhancement through robotic and autonomous machines鈥�.

Delegates will also have a chance to observe a series of robots and autonomous machines being demoed at the conference.

Angelo Cangelosi, Professor of Machine Learning and Robotics at Swag直播, said the University offers a world-leading position in the field of autonomous systems 鈥� a technology that will be an integral part of our future world. 

Professor Cangelosi, co-Director of the Swag直播 , said: 鈥淲e are delighted to host our inaugural conference which will provide a special showcase for our diverse academic expertise to design robotics for a variety of real world applications.

"Our research and innovation team are at the interface between robotics, autonomy and AI 鈥� and their knowledge is drawn from across the University's disciplines, including biological and medical sciences 鈥� as well the humanities and even theology. 

鈥淭his rich diversity offers Swag直播 a distinctive approach to designing robots and autonomous systems for real world applications, especially when combined with our novel use of AI-based knowledge.鈥�

Swag直播鈥檚 Centre for Robotics and AI will aim to: 

路&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫; design control systems with a focus on bio-inspired solutions to mechatronics, eg the use of biomimetic sensors, actuators and robot platforms; 

路&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫; develop new software engineering and AI methodologies for verification in autonomous systems, with the aim to design trustworthy autonomous systems; 

路&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫; research human-robot interaction, with a pioneering focus on the use of brain-inspired approaches to robot control, learning and interaction; and 

路&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫; research the ethics and human-centred robotics issues, for the understanding of the impact of the use of robots and autonomous systems with individuals and society.

This project will develop and validate a novel and inexpensive game-changing hydrogen separation technique that builds upon Powerhouse Energy's expertise in waste treatment and the international track-record of Dr Amir Keshmiri鈥檚 in fluid dynamics and thermochemical analysis.

This potential breakthrough in advanced thermal treatment to recover hydrogen from unrecyclable wastes could make a significant contribution to the UK鈥檚 net zero targets and reduce project costs compared to existing recovery methods - also, as well as being 鈥漡reener and cheaper鈥�, this new technology would be an important asset to help secure UK energy security at a time of major crisis and uncertainly.  

The rapid development and commercialisation of the invention, that the collaboration will directly support achieving the installed capacity target by 2030.

The project, which is initially funded by the grant, effectively encourages the swifter adoption of local, cleaner, low carbon energy - while addressing a growing unrecyclable waste issue, working within the existing waste hierarchy framework.

Mr Paul Emmitt, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director at Powerhouse Energy (PHE), said the project will allow PHE to edge closer to overcoming significant cost barriers through innovation to deliver the next generation of cleaner energy technology. The pioneering technique, once commercialised, will enable the faster rollout of inexpensive hydrogen.

He added: 鈥淭he invention has the potential to overcome a significant cost prohibitive factor for commercial hydrogen extraction from Syngas [ie synthesis gas, a hydrogen-based mixture that can be used as a fuel not just for PHE, but all next generation advanced thermal technologies, potentially allowing more facilities to be developed for the same available capital, enhancing production towards and even beyond the ambitious 5GW target. Quantifying the impact for PHE, the proposed hydrogen separation technique has the potential to reduce project costs by up to 17.5%, or over 拢400m for 59 facilities.鈥�

Dr Amir Keshmiri, Associate Professor in Computational Fluid Dynamics at Swag直播, said: 鈥淭he collaboration allows Swag直播 to be at the forefront of high-impact, game-changing technology development within the emerging clean hydrogen energy sector - and allows the academic team to capitalise on the bespoke hydrogen models developed to a wider audience.

Dr Kashmiri said clean energy from hydrogen 鈥� dubbed 鈥榞reen hydrogen鈥� - will be have a flagship spotlight at COP27, the climate change summit currently being hosted in Sharm el-Sheikh. He added: 鈥淧roduction and storage of low-carbon hydrogen is one of the key themes of COP27 which is hosted by Egypt as part of the .鈥�

Watercycle鈥檚 patented filtration process can selectively extract lithium from sub-surface waters, such as those found in the South West of the UK. Given lithium鈥檚 essential role in battery technologies, the ability to obtain it from water cost-effectively and establish a domestic supply of the mineral is vital for the UK鈥檚 Net Zero strategy. 

is a mineral exploration and development company focused on the environmentally responsible extraction of lithium from geothermal waters and hard rock in the historic mining district of Cornwall.

Earlier this year, Watercycle Technologies became a Tier 2 Partner of the University's , allowing for access to lab space, state-of-the-art equipment and engineering and academic expertise at the UK鈥檚 leading institute for R&D and commercialisation of applications around graphene and 2D materials.

The 鈥楽mart鈥� grant is Innovate UK's responsive funding programme. It has focused eligibility criteria and scope to support SMEs and their partners to develop disruptive innovations with significant potential for rapid economic return to the UK.

Under the terms of the agreement, Watercycle will deliver a containerised filtration system to extract lithium from Cornish Lithium鈥檚 project in Cornwall at a pilot scale. The project, which includes an environmental impact assessment, is anticipated to complete in October 2023.  

Watercycle CEO Dr Seb Leaper said: 鈥淗aving already proven that our proprietary filtration membranes and systems work in lab conditions, we are excited to be working with Cornish Lithium to demonstrate their scalability and accelerate the creation of a resilient, domestic lithium supply chain in the UK.  

"This agreement marks the next step in our development strategy as we look at the commercialisation of our technology, which is capable of treating a wide range of water types and can deliver dramatic reductions in costs, carbon emissions and water consumption compared with current processes.鈥�

Watercycle co-founder and CTO Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim added: 鈥淚t is great to be working with like-minded partners, Cornish Lithium and Innovate UK, which, like us, are focused on making a positive impact on the global transition through advancing innovative technologies. 

"Lithium is a critical element with EV demand set to grow 418% from 468 GWh this year to 2.4 TWh by 2030 and we are delighted to be part of that chain, offering a British solution to the challenge of primary lithium production, which is the first link within the wider EV supply chain.鈥�

Dr Rebecca Paisley, Lead Geochemist at Cornish Lithium, said: 鈥淐ornish Lithium is keen to support projects from UK-based universities and the companies commercialising them, which we believe have the potential to be both game-changing and contribute to the UK鈥檚 Net Zero strategy. 

"Working with Watercycle in the development of a pilot system aligns strongly with our Research and Innovation strategy, as well as our continued efforts to trial multiple DLE technologies at pilot scale in Cornwall to establish the most effective and responsible process flow sheet. We have a good relationship with the Watercycle team and look forward to progressing the project over the next 12 months.鈥�

For more information, visit . To discover how Swag直播 Innovation Factory helps academic and student inventors create social, economic and environmental impact with their work visit .

 is one of Swag直播鈥檚  - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons.

SF₆ is a gas commonly used in the power industry to provide electrical insulation and arc interruption. However, SF₆ is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential that is 25,200 times greater than CO₂.

The 拢1.9m project will see experts at Swag直播 help determine how National Grid can develop a retrofill solution to replace SF₆ with an environmentally friendlier alternative without having to replace or otherwise modify the existing equipment.

This solution 鈥� to be demonstrated at National Grid鈥檚 test facility the 鈥� will mean National Grid can avoid the environmental impact and cost of replacing equipment otherwise fit for many more years鈥� service.

It is not the first time National Grid and Swag直播 have teamed up on a project exploring SF₆ alternatives 鈥� a previous initiative which concluded in 2020 is for 鈥楤est Innovation in Net Zero and Sustainability鈥�.

In a separate pilot project last year National Grid and Hitachi Energy developed and deployed a world-first solution at Richborough substation in Kent to replace SF₆ with a greener alternative, marking a key step in National Grid鈥檚 ambition to reduce its SF₆ emissions by 50% by 2030. The new demonstrator with Swag直播 will explore how the retrofill solutions might be applied across more of the network.

This project will bring together the interdisciplinary expertise of Swag直播鈥檚 and the , led by with .

Together the university and National Grid will create a physical demonstration, complete with an inbuilt condition-based monitoring system, that will focus on the applicability of SF₆ retrofill techniques. It will be developed in Swag直播鈥檚 High Voltage Research Laboratory, equipped with facilities that can test up to 600 kV DC, 800 kV AC, and 2 MV impulse, and has been the testbed for developing pioneering solutions such as and .

The project builds on Dr Tony Chen鈥檚 established expertise in SF₆, and it is anticipated its findings will give asset managers the information required for retrofilling significant quantities of SF₆-filled equipment across the transmission network, bridging the current gap between established feasibility, and long-term, real-world implementation.

Mark Waldron, Technical Lead at National Grid Electricity Transmission, said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting to be following the world-first SF₆ retrofill in Richborough substation with this initiative taking us a step closer to a solution to replace the gas in more of our assets. The potent combination of Swag直播鈥檚 expertise in this area and the innovation and demonstration capability at our state-of-the-art Deeside facility will deepen our understanding of retrofill solutions, and could boost our progress in the decarbonisation of the grid while achieving a significant cost benefit for consumers.鈥�

Energy is one of Swag直播鈥檚 five research beacons, examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest challenges facing the planet. This project reflects the commitment of Swag直播鈥檚 energy experts in delivering a just and prosperous Net Zero energy future.

By matching science and engineering, with social science, economics, politics and arts, the University鈥檚 community of 600+ experts address the entire lifecycle of each energy challenge, creating innovative and enduring solutions to make a difference to the lives of people around the globe. This enables the Swag直播 research community to develop pathways to ensure a low carbon energy transition that will also drive jobs, prosperity, resilience, and equality.

National Grid鈥檚 Deeside Centre for Innovation in North Wales is the first of its kind in Europe, where electricity network assets can be tested under real life conditions, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The facility provides a controlled test and demonstration environment to collect data, including a high voltage substation and overhead line test area simulating real network conditions.

The study, published today in the , have found that there are lipids of high molecular weight that are substantially more active in people suffering from Parkinson鈥檚 disease.

The researchers from Swag直播 used cotton swabs to sample people and identify the compounds present with mass spectrometry. The method developed involves paper spray ionisation mass spectrometry combined with ion mobility separation and can be performed in as little as 3 mins from swab to results.  

Professor Perdita Barran at Swag直播, who led the research said: 鈥淲e are tremendously excited by these results which take us closer to making a diagnostic test for Parkinson's Disease that could be used in clinic.鈥�

The research used a sample group of 79 people with Parkinson鈥檚 compared with a heathy control group of 71 people.

The study has arisen from the observation of Joy Milne, who discovered that she can distinguish PD in individuals from a distinct body odour before clinical symptoms occur.

Joy has hereditary Hyperosmia 鈥� a heightened sensitivity to smells 鈥� which has been exploited to find that Parkinson鈥檚 has a distinct odour which is strongest where sebum collects on patient鈥檚 backs and is less often washed away.

Sebum is an oily secretion from sebaceous glands under the skin which are connected to the endocrine system. The scientists have found that sebum can be used as a diagnostic biofluid, which is rich in hydrophobic endogenous metabolites.

Altered sebum production is a well-recognised feature of Parkinson鈥檚. The sampling procedure they have developed is simple and non-invasive; sebum is collected in clinics from the upper back of patients and posted in the regular mail to the lab.

Describing the new technique Dr Depanjan Sarkar said: 鈥淭he sebum is transferred to filter paper from sampling swab, and we then cut this to a triangle, add a drop of solvent, apply a voltage and this transfers compounds from the sebum into the mass spectrometer. When we do this, we find more than 4000 unique compounds of which 500 are different between people with PD compared to the control participants.鈥�

The Swag直播 team now see this as a major step forward towards a clinical method for confirmatory diagnosis of Parkinson鈥檚, for which to date there is no diagnostic test based on biomarkers.

Professor Monty Silverdale, Clinical Lead on this study said: "This test has the potential to massively improve the diagnosis and management of people with Parkinson鈥檚 disease".

The current and future focus is to translate these findings into a test of clinical utility. This exciting new work also opens the door to possibly diagnosing other diseases through non-invasive sebum analysis and the team along with the University of Swag直播 have launched a spin out company Sebomix Ltd. to develop this further.

The charities and the as well as the funded this research led by Swag直播, which has studied the sebum from people with and without Parkinson鈥檚. Our work is on-going, and our trial has now recruited over 2000 patients.

The paper,  鈥�Paper Spray Ionization Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry of Sebum Classifies Biomarker Classes for the Diagnosis of Parkinson鈥檚 Disease鈥� is published in the .

Today鈥檚 shortlisting for the Bhattacharyya Award, which celebrates strategic industrial collaborations that benefit society, recognises Swag直播鈥檚 and National Grid鈥檚 long tradition of innovating at pace to ensure the UK has access to reliable, affordable, and environmentally sustainable energy. 

Spanning more than 19 years, the partnership has delivered significant CO₂ reductions, increased productivity, stimulated large investment in new jobs and engineering activity in the UK, and has facilitated the safe transfer of cleaner and affordable energy in a Net Zero future electricity network.  

In overhead line research alone, the knowledge generated has provided approximately 拢11m in cost savings to the UK energy network and enabled a new design 鈥� the T-Pylon 鈥� which now delivers power to six million homes.

Swag直播 and National Grid have been shortlisted alongside: University of Birmingham and Rolls-Royce, University of Cambridge and ARM, Imperial College London and Transport Strategy Centre, Swansea University and Steel Strategic Alliance, and University College London, HR Wallingford and Arup. 

The Bhattacharyya Award and a cash prize of 拢25,000 will be presented to the team who best demonstrate how industry and universities can work together. The winning partnership will be announced on 29 September 2022.   

Professor Dame Ann Dowling OM DBE FREng FRS, former President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Chair of the judging panel for the Bhattacharyya Award, said: 鈥淎ll six shortlisted partnerships are excellent examples of industry-academia collaboration, with timely and innovative responses to some of the most challenging issues facing society today. It is a privilege to showcase these successful collaborations and we hope that doing so fosters even greater connection between industry and academia in the UK.鈥� 

Margot James, Executive Chair of WMG, University of Warwick, said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 great to see the extremely high quality of industry-academia partnerships shortlisted for the second annual Bhattacharyya Award. As a celebration of Lord Bhattacharyya鈥檚 legacy, the Award continues to highlight how building symmetry between academia and industry is so vital for meeting the needs of society, and adapting to global challenges. We look forward to seeing which collaboration is selected as the overall winner.鈥�  

The winner of the Bhattacharyya Award will be announced on Thursday 29 September 2022, at an event showcasing the shortlisted partnerships at the University of Warwick.

Those wishing to attend the Bhattacharyya Award ceremony can .   

Applications for Bhattacharyya Award 2023 are now open until 16 December 2022 and can be submitted via the Academy鈥檚 online grant system. 

Designed by a team at The Universities of Swag直播 and , and the , the revolutionary design will protect wearers from viruses such as COVID-19.

The need for safe and effective covering remains important to protect wearers and bystanders for some groups. This can include elderly people or those who are are immunosuppressed (have a weakened immune system).

[1] by Dr Gaby Saunders, Senior Research Fellow at Swag直播, showed how opaque masks were associated with anxiety and stress in both the talker and the listener, spurring the project.

Dr Saunders, who manages Swag直播 BRC鈥檚 Hearing Device Centre, said: 鈥淔acial expressions are used extensively in communication, even among hearing people, and our research showed how face mask wearers feel less connected, less willing to engage in conversation.

鈥淭hat is linked to increased anxiety and stress, as well as fatigue, frustration and embarrassment in both the listener and speaker.鈥�

A 12-month 鈥榬apid-response鈥� grant from allowed research audiologists at Swag直播, Dr Michael Stone, Marston Senior Research Fellow, and Professor Kevin Munro, Honorary Consultant Clinical Scientist at , to assemble a team of experts.

The funding for a study to improve the design of masks was awarded by the .

Dr Stone, who is also Swag直播 BRC Developing Engineering Solutions Programme Lead, consulted with members of the Deaf community and people with experience of hearing loss.

Feedback from the community, and other users, allowed the team to refine the design, which was validated in a recent paper in [2].

Professor Trevor Cox, from the acoustics research centre at the University of Salford, and the team, also based there, developed a re-usable cotton-based mask design, allowing it to be manufactured widely.

The design incorporates an optically transparent panel, supported on a thin 鈥榮caffold鈥�, which produces less muffling of sound than a conventional opaque mask with the acoustic signal (sound) from the mouth.

Prof Cox said: 鈥淏y reducing the weight of the transparent plastic, we could stop the high frequency parts of speech being lost in the mask. The scaffold to support the thin plastic sheet is carefully designed not to hinder the sound.鈥�

Dr Stone said: 鈥淭his is a brilliant linking up of two diverse academic pursuits, psychology and physics, to produce real-world benefit for a wide range of people.

鈥淭he optical panel has also been shown to be effective  in face visors, and we are now looking for commercial partners so as to extend the reach of the designs and prototypes as well as incorporating a novel lightweight filtration material developed at Swag直播.鈥�

Templates for the mask designs, available in three sizes, and a link to a 鈥渉ow-to-make鈥� video hosted on YouTube are available at [3]

[1] Saunders G.H., Jackson I.R., Visram A.S. (2021) Impacts of face coverings on communication: an indirect impact of COVID-19, International Journal of Audiology, 60:7, 495-506, https://www.doi.org/

[2] Cox T.J.,  Dodgson G., Harris L., Perugia E., Stone M.A., Walsh M. (2022) Improving the measurement and acoustic performance of transparent facemasks and shields.  J. Acoust. Soc. Amer. 151, https://www.doi.org/10.1121/10.0010384

[3] Maker Space URL for templates & video. https://hub.salford.ac.uk/sirc-acoustics/facemask-with-improved-communication/

Led by University of Swag直播 researchers, the system will be tested across six Higher Education Institutions and their partnering NHS Trusts in England, Wales and Scotland. The work is also being conducted in partnership with The McPin Foundation.

Called CONNECT, the project whose principle funder is the Wellcome Trust, aims to recruit up to 1100 people who experience psychosis. People will test the remote digital data collection system over 12 months.

Developed at Swag直播, the remote digital data collection system combines active and passive remote symptom, emotional, physical and contextual monitoring, along with regular clinical assessments.

The data from the project will be used to develop a relapse prediction algorithm and an adaptive sampling algorithm (for maximising engagement and information obtained from digital remote monitoring) using machine learning / AI methods.

Early Warning Signs, commonly reported to emerge in the days and weeks before a relapse, include anxiety, dysphoria, insomnia, and the beginnings of psychotic experiences.

However, signs are often missed or identified too late, and each patient鈥檚 Early Warning Signs are different, which up to now has made it difficult to design a system which can predict a relapse and open the door to time-sensitive, preventative treatment.

The remote digital data collection system designed by the research team sends regular prompts requesting the user complete a digital questionnaire at set times in the week, taking around 90 seconds to complete.

They system will also test whether data collected passively (via wearables and the Smartphone sensors), such as sleep disturbance, inactivity, social avoidance or sedentary behaviour, helps improve the predictive algorithm.

Machine learning methods will be used to detect complex high dimensional non-linear interactions to predict individual patient warning signs of relapse.

The Principal Investigator, Professor Sandra Bucci, said: 鈥淧sychosis is a common reason for contact with secondary care mental health services in the UK and a leading cause of disability worldwide.

Up to 80% of people who experience psychosis relapse within 5 years. Each relapse is associated with a higher risk of functional and clinical difficulties.

There is an urgent need to be able to efficiently predict relapse to enable timely intervention and a personalised treatment response.鈥�

John Ainsworth, Professor of Health Informatics at Swag直播, said: 鈥淭he system we will be developing at Swag直播 provides real-time and in-context patient-generated symptom data, obtained through our remote digital data collection system technology鈥�.

Professor Bucci added: 鈥淭he system has the exciting potential of providing advanced warning of the need for support and intervention. It also has the potential to give mental health teams a clearer picture of the ebb and flow of an individual鈥檚 mental health trajectory.

Our remote digital data collection system could be a crucial advance in the care of people with psychosis.鈥�

Lynsey Bilsland, Head of Mental Health Translation at Wellcome, said: 鈥淭here have been huge strides recently into improving the outcomes for patients with psychosis but we still need further research into better detection of the early warning signs. Our support recognises the potential of the CONNECT system to enable early identification of patients at risk of relapse. The insight gained could be transformative to how we manage psychosis.鈥�

The company, chaired by Lord Jim O鈥橬eill and led by Chief Executive Duncan Johnson, is expected to begin deploying capital and making its first investments in innovative start-ups over the coming weeks.

Northern Gritstone has attracted funding commitments from a broad and diverse base of investors encompassing local authority pension funds, high net worth individuals, institutional investors and real estate investors active in the tech and science ecosystem of the region.

These include Greater Swag直播 Pension Fund, West Yorkshire Pension Fund, M&G, Columbia Threadneedle, Lansdowne Partners, Bruntwood and Greater Swag直播 Combined Authority as well as Andrew Law, the CEO of Caxton Associates, and Keith Breslauer, Managing Director and founder of Patron Capital, both in a personal capacity.

With plans to raise 拢500m overall, having hit this initial fundraising milestone the company will continue to welcome further backers over the coming months. Now that the first close has been achieved, Northern Gritstone plans to begin making its initial investments into its proprietary pipeline of world class science and innovation based businesses located in the North of England.

Having launched in July 2021, Northern Gritstone was founded by the Universities of Leeds, Swag直播 and Sheffield to support the commercialisation of science and IP-rich businesses originating from these three research-led institutions. Many of these opportunities are in the UK鈥檚 most exciting emerging sectors such as advanced materials, health technology, cognitive computation and AI.

Northern Gritstone was founded with the philosophy of 鈥榩rofit with purpose鈥�, combining attractive returns for shareholders with wider positive, societal and economic impact, including supporting Levelling Up and high-skilled job creation in the north of England.

It announced the appointment of its first Chief Investment Officer, Marion Bernard, in December and this month has added James Hadley to its leadership team as CFO, who brings more than two decades鈥� experience working in the financial services sector, including most recently as CFO at a tech-focused venture capital investor.

In its fundraising Northern Gritstone was advised by Lazard Venture and Growth Banking led by Garri Jones. Its legal advisers are Macfarlanes and Pinsent Masons.

Swag直播 Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof Luke Georghiou 鈥� who is responsible for business engagement and commercialisation activities at the institution 鈥� said: "Northern Gritstone will transform the investment landscape for our spin-out companies and for the North of England more generally. 

"Our academic entrepreneurs, supported by the University鈥檚 Innovation Factory, have produced record numbers of spin-outs in the past two years. This huge potential can now be far more easily realised as the investments will enable them to scale-up businesses which are there to solve the world鈥檚 problems. 

鈥淭hese include new treatments for devastating medical conditions, transformative applications of data analytics to farming and exploiting the amazing properties of graphene across multiple applications to name just a few.鈥�

Commenting, Northern Gritstone Chairman Lord Jim O鈥橬eill said: 鈥淭he strong endorsement of Northern Gritstone we鈥檝e seen from investors is testament to the huge scale of the opportunity in northern England鈥檚 world class science and innovation hubs and the spin outs they are producing. By investing in Northern Gritstone, asset managers are directly buying into the brightest prospects for Britain鈥檚 future economy.

 鈥淭oday marks a significant milestone as Northern Gritstone continues to build its investor base allowing the company to deliver its philosophy of Profit with Purpose which underpins all we seek to do.鈥�

Northern Gritstone Chief Executive Duncan Johnson added: 鈥淭here is rightly huge excitement about the innovative, science-led spin outs emerging from our leading research universities and the ecosystems they support, and this has been reflected in our conversations with investors so far. We are greatly encouraged by both the size of our first close, and also the range and quality of investors that the Northern Gritstone proposition has attracted.

鈥淲hilst fundraising will continue, this first close and the backing that Northern Gritstone has received from investors so far, allows us to begin making our first investments shortly. It also importantly enables us, alongside our friends and colleagues in the wider northern venture ecosystem, to accelerate the development of a northern innovation hub to rival the UK鈥檚 Silicon Fen and ultimately Silicon Valley.鈥� 

By leveraging the potential of the region鈥檚 world-class growth and innovation assets, the Agency aims to lead the way, opening up opportunities in all parts of the city-region, to accelerate energy innovation across the Greater Swag直播 and beyond.

Based in Greater Swag直播, the Agency has been established by three leading universities (Swag直播, Swag直播 Metropolitan University and the University of Salford), property specialists Bruntwood, Greater Swag直播 Combined Authority, The Growth Company, Hitachi Europe, and energy firm SSE. 

The Agency will focus on four core challenge areas, attracting and supporting energy innovators on their journey to commercialisation. The Agency will launch with a series of challenge events based on each focus area, which are designed to engage innovators from across the country and beyond, to solve some of the industry鈥檚 greatest problems and accelerate the journey to net zero carbon. 

The first challenge will focus on finding new solutions to decarbonise heat generation in non-domestic buildings.

David Schiele, Director of the Energy Innovation Agency, said: 鈥淭welve per cent of the UK鈥檚 carbon emissions are produced from heating non-domestic buildings, of which sixty per cent still generate their heat by gas. Reducing these emissions will be essential for the UK and, indeed, the rest of the world to speed up the progress of creating carbon-neutral cities and towns. 

鈥淎s the home of The Energy Innovation Agency, Greater Swag直播 will be our testbed for this challenge, as well as the three challenges to follow. The potential prize extends far beyond the confines of our city-region and as such we鈥檙e looking globally as well as locally to find solutions that can help to bolster this transition. We need innovators, entrepreneurs, and rainmakers to come forward with their brightest responses to this challenge - the world literally depends on it.鈥� 

Rising energy costs and increased legislation on commercial landlords, such as the 2023 requirement for all rented commercial properties to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rated E or above, have already created a strong market driver for solutions that can help to lower carbon emissions.

Solving these issues will require innovation in technology, processes, partnerships, business models and financial structures. The Agency is inviting individuals and organisations, from within and outside Greater Swag直播, to apply to pitch their solutions to the Agency and key representatives from its partner organisations at its launch event in Swag直播.

Pitch applicants will be asked to describe their innovation, outlining how it responds to the challenge of decarbonising heat in non-domestic buildings, the current stage of innovation development, as well as the support required to help the innovation commercialise. 

The deadline to apply for pitching is 6pm on Monday 18^th April. Successful applicants will be invited to deliver a five-minute pitch, in private, to a panel of representatives from the Agency and its partner organisations. 

Those with the most promising pitches will be supported by the Agency to develop a complete roadmap to commercialisation, with the aim of accelerating deployment to make the biggest impact on reducing emissions both in Greater Swag直播 and beyond. 

*The four areas of focus for the Agency are decarbonisation of heat, energy generation and storage, low-carbon transport, and energy diversity and flexibility.  For more information: