Imperial opens for business with investors from across the UK and Europe

Christina Petersen, Founder and CEO of LYS Technologies, pitches to an audience of investors

Investors from across the UK and Europe saw pitches from a range of Imperial startups founded by staff and students

Wireless charging technology, novel gesture control interfaces and instant food hygiene verification systems were among the technologies on display as investors from venture capital and impact investment firms across the UK and Europe attended the first in a series of planned events to introduce startups from Imperial College London to the wider investment community.

The event, held at Imperial’s South Kensington campus, gave investors the opportunity to hear short pitches from seven of Imperial’s leading investment-ready startups, showcasing the breadth of talent within Imperial’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

This is the first in a series of events to be delivered by the Imperial Enterprise Division which will enable investors from across the UK (and worldwide) to get to know the startups in the College’s flourishing and vibrant startup ecosystem.

In March 2019, Imperial took the lead on technology transfer activities and is keen to support the wider investor community in gaining access to Imperial’s most innovative entrepreneurs, their ideas and their startups. Imperial’s academics will now have the opportunity to work with a wider range of potential investors.

During the networking session that followed the pitches, eight more startups drawn from Imperial’s early-stage pipeline were on show, making presentations and demonstrating their businesses.

The Imperial startups which pitched or presented during the evening included both staff- and student-led companies across a wide range of research disciplines.

Companies pitching included:

• Bumblebee Power, a startup from Imperial’s Wireless Power Lab, formed to commercialise Vary Gap, a lightweight, low-cost, position tolerant and efficient wireless charging system for drones, scooters, laptop computers and other portable devices
• SERG Technologies, a startup in the rapidly growing Gesture-Control Human Machine Interface (GCHMI) field, which has developed as its first product a patented, wearable, smart, compact, cost-effective sensor that can be used to control devices ranging from prosthetic limbs to drones
• Fresh Check, a startup in the food hygiene industry which has developed a simple colour-change spray to warn users about bacterial, chemical or organic contaminants on surfaces
• Satisfed, a startup based on research by Professor Gary Frost and Dr Douglas Morrison at Imperial. Satisfed has developed a food supplement called IPE, formed from naturally occurring gut molecules, which can be delivered to the large intestine, stimulating the release of gut hormones that suppress appetite and food intake
• Permia Sensing, which is providing a portable sensing solution for the early detection of red palm weevil larvae infestation in palm trees
• Lys Technologies, a startup providing workplace solutions for wellbeing and productivity based on measuring light, the main influencing factor on the 24-hour sleep and wake cycle, and providing recommendations and coaching to ensure users get the right light at the right time to stay healthy
• Polipop, which has developed the market's first flushable and biodegradable sanitary pads, aimed at replacing the 2.1 million single-use plastic sanitary pads flushed down the toilet every day in the UK

Dr Govind Pindoria, Associate Director, Startups, Imperial Enterprise Division, said:

“It’s an exciting time for startups at Imperial and we’re delighted to highlight to investors the wide range of companies in the pipeline at the College. We’re looking for ways to create a deep relationship with investors, giving them the opportunity to see the variety of companies developing out of Imperial’s dynamic and innovative entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

Alex Bond, CEO of Fresh Check, a startup that pitched at the event, said:

"As an early startup that needs investment, the network and help provided by Imperial's events has had a profound impact on the development of our company. We were really impressed by the range of innovations on display at this event

If you’re interested in learning more about startup opportunities at Imperial College London please contact us