A novel antibiotic, a sensor to detect methanol, a liquid that can capture carbon and a greener fuel recycling process—these are the four award-winning innovations that will share an £160,000 prize pot for their success in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s 2022 Emerging Technologies competition.
Tackling global challenges including antibiotic resistance and climate change, start-up and spin-out companies Alivion AG, Porous Liquid Technologies, Low Sulphur Fuels and MetalloBio took the top spots in the enabling technologies, energy, environment and health categories of the competition.
The companies pitched their products to industry giants including AstraZeneca, Boots, bp, Croda and Unilever and were awarded £20,000 in prize money, plus mentorship and the opportunity for a further £20,000 business acceleration grant.
In the enabling technologies category, the team from Alivion AG pitched their handheld sensor to detect methanol. Methanol poisoning can cause blindness or death. CEO Andreas Güntner said: “The Emerging Technologies Competition is a great opportunity from the Royal Society of Chemistry because it really recognises young start-ups and supports them in this very tough process of innovation forming and product development.”
Carbon capture is often heralded as a possible solution to global warming. In the energy category of the competition, Porous Liquid Technologies’ ultra-efficient carbon capture product was the winner. The liquids the team have developed are recyclable and low-cost in comparison to current carbon capture technology. Their CEO, Professor Stuart James said: “Even before we found out we had won, this has been an incredibly positive experience. Chatting to people here and getting feedback on how we’re positioning ourselves was really helpful.”
In the environment category, Low Sulphur Fuels claimed the top spot as they have developed a new chemical recycling process to make new plastics. Their team can produce a low sulphur distillate from used oils and rubber tyres. Glenn Halliday, Co-Founder and COO of LSF said: “The opportunity to engage with the Royal Society of Chemistry has allowed us to sharpen our offering and to get exposure to an audience that we found difficult to reach—chemical people, chemical investors, chemical customers—so that’s been extremely valuable.
In the health category, MetalloBio Limited have created a compound which can be used as a new systemic antibiotic. Given that anti-microbial resistance is one of the top 10 global health threats identified by the World Health Organisation, this new ruthenium platform technology could be revolutionary, as it is more active than traditional clinical antibiotics. Kirsty Smitten, CEO of MetalloBio Limited, said: “I’m really happy. There was a lot of good tech out there today and a lot of large pharmaceutical companies on the panel. Apparently, it was a unanimous decision. I think that really validates the tech.”
According to the CEO of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Dr Helen Pain, this year’s competition could be the most important yet: “Now, perhaps more than at any point in recent years, we need to encourage dynamic, innovative companies to chase their ambitions and turn their ideas into successful businesses.
“This is the 10th time that we have held the Emerging Technologies Competition, celebrating cutting-edge technologies and innovations that truly are tackling some of the world’s most pressing problems.”
