Emerging Technologies Competition 2022 winners and finalists

The Arkenlight is a low power micro generator made from synthetic diamond and recycled nuclear waste that acts much like a solar panel, except it safely harvests beta particles from radioisotopes locked in a diamond lattice instead of sunlight. This is an enabling technology that serves many low power applications.

BIOINX are developing and commercialising innovative ready-to-use polymer-based material formulations (bio inks) for 3D bioprinting or biofabrication focussing on materials for multiple printing technologies with a specific focus on very high resolution technologies.  These materials can boost the biofabrication field with applications in healthcare, regenerative medicine and drug screening. 

There is a global drive to accelerate chemical and materials research by using digital technologies. Gearu have developed autonomous, AI-powered mobile robotic scientists that can work 24/7 in conventional laboratories, accelerating research in areas such as catalysis, materials, and process chemistry by a factor of up to 1000.

The continuous-flow Nottingham Vortex Reactor provides access to combinations of Photo-/Electro- and Thermal chemistries in single or linked reactors. The Reactor decouples residence time from mixing efficacy delivering high-productivity, simple operation and simple scale-up. The Reactor is capable of Gram-to-Kilo Scale production of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and fine chemicals. 

Halogenation imparts molecular X-factor: enhanced bioactivity/bioavalability and the ability to build complex molecules. X-Genix have developed selective, economic and sustainable enzymatic halogenation using simple, non toxic salts as starting materials.

CyanoCapture's breakthrough GM technology triples the carbon fixation rate of the best natural strains. They pack these cells into photobioreactors to be deployed on industrial sites. Flue gases containing 10-15% CO2 is bubbled through their systems and rapidly converted into free fatty acids.

To fully utilize green ammonia as an energy vector, Oxford Green Innotech have developed an innovative catalytic technology and separation that can provide pure hydrogen from ammonia at an ultra-low temperature. This substantially reduces the power input by 70%, which minimizes the dimension of the cracking system and enables large-scale green transportation.

Plastics are mainly carbon and hydrogen which makes them rich feedstock for chemical conversion into advanced carbon nanomaterials and hydrogen gas. TrimTabs have developed a technology to strip carbon and hydrogen from solvents and various (mixed) plastics to make carbon nanotubes and hydrogen gas. 

The University of Lincoln's technology traps vanadium from the recovered ashes of coal power plants. Vanadium is a critical element for the Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries, a very real alternative to ion-lithium batteries and able to store high amounts of energy. Their technology allows the economic recovery of difficult-to-recover vanadium. 

The present invention relates to a method for obtaining a lignin composition using a compressed gas and acid assisted process, wherein a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock is treated with a polar organic solvent and in organic acid to the release lignin into said solvent.

Descycle have developed a novel solvent leaching process for the purpose of recycling E-waste using a technology called Deep Eutectic Solvents. These solvents are made from environmentally benign commodities and replace the need to use hazardous leaching solutions such as highly oxidising acids and cyanide.

Evoralis have developed a unique ultrahigh-throughput screening platform based on a microfluidic technology to find and improve enzymes that can break down plastics into their constituent building-blocks. These can be re-used to make new virgin-grade plastic and replace crude oil for a true circular plastic economy.

PheroSyn supply new, unavailable, high-value insect pest chemical pheromones that are to be deployed for crop protection, to incorporate smarter and more sustainable pest management in the agribusiness sector, by targeted and reduced reliance of pesticide application. This will mitigate climate change through reduced chemical pesticide production and application.

ReCon^2 have developed a method to quantify the amount of post-consumer recycled content in plastics and packaging. Their simple technology uses chemical auditing of fluorescent additives and is equally adept at quantifying chemically and mechanically recycled content to support both TrustMark schemes and the Plastic Packaging Tax.

Strengite have developed a new process that enables closed loop corrosion inhibitors to become cleaners and back again infinitely without discharge. The process is able to remove even heavy rusts and metal oxides from metal surfaces. Eliminating the massive pollution and water footprint associated with closed loop cleaning.   

Non-healing wounds are among today's primary medical challenges. The rise of diabetes, antimicrobial resistance, and population aging aggravate the problem. In an overarching collaboration with leading scientists and clinicians in the field, anavo medical have developed bioactive metal-oxide nanoparticles that improve soft tissue healing while keeping infections in check.

Kimialys leverage an innovative and patented chemical coating for gold nanoparticles and chips, enhancing the sensitivity and specificity of rapid diagnostic tests and point-of-care assays. Their technology paves the way for the development of reliable, cost-effective and portative assays.

MESOX is developing the next-generation of therapeutics with lower side-effects to patients. Their mission is to make cancer medicines more tolerable through enhancing their bioavailability and lowering the extra unnecessary dose in the patient body. MESOX's mesoporous carrier technology enhances drug solubility and absorption allowing optimised dose delivery to patients.

UCL have developed a simple, fast, robust, reproducible, and scalable method to produce iron oxide nanoflowers for use in magnetic hyperthermia cancer treatment. Their nanoflowers have 3 times higher heating rates compared to that of commercially available iron oxide nanoparticles and will aid adoption of this new therapeutic modality.