Imperial plays a critical role in research-led growth and productivity across the UK. Through our academic, industry and community partnerships and collaborations we help to create economic growth, provide skills and improve health outcomes nationally.
Our interactive impact map demonstrates just some of the ways Imperial research and innovation supports inclusive growth, creates jobs and improves quality of life in all regions and nations of the UK. By clicking the icons on the map you can explore examples of Imperial research projects that have local impact, alongside the Nationwide box that features projects with a wide-ranging impact across the UK.
Credit: map design by Ian Dutnall
Location: North Sea, east of Hull
Offshore energy
Working closely with industry, researchers at Imperial are improving the economy and safety of offshore wind energy. Their foundation design advances for monopile and jacket wind-turbine structures enable more secure developments, with ever larger turbines, in more difficult ground and deeper water, so reducing the cost of low carbon electricity. Their work is being applied in major North Sea and Baltic Sea windfarm projects including East Anglia Offshore-1, Hornsea, Triton Knoll and Wikinger, and is finding broader application internationally.
Location: Sheffield
Neuroscience
Sheffield-headquartered Jaywing are collaborating with Imperial’s Dyson School of Design Engineering and Department of Brain Sciences to gain greater insight into what consumers think of adverts using neuroscience techniques such as measuring brainwave activity. Jaywing plans to use the results to help brands to better understand their customers and lead to more creative marketing.
Location: Malmesbury
Robotics
Funded partly by a Prosperity Partnership, Imperial is working closely with Dyson, including researchers based at their Malmesbury campus, to build on innovations in robotic vacuum cleaners technology and apply them to new devices. This work, which also is supported by funding from Dyson, is at the forefront of developing the next generation of everyday products which utilise AI, which will enable them to manoeuvre complex household situations.
Location: Glasgow
Smart energy
As an academic partner, Imperial is supporting the FUSION project led by Scottish Power Energy Networks which aims to develop a flexible, smart energy network where customers can sell available electricity capacity to meet local demands. It is estimated that by 2050 this approach could save customers £236 million in bills and reduce the UK’s carbon emissions by 3.6 million tonnes.
Location: Nationwide
Retail decarbonisation
A partnership between Imperial and Sainsbury’s was established in 2010 to reduce greenhouse emissions from retail activities through innovation, new technologies and changes in practice. This collaborative research with one of the UK’s largest food retailers covers everything from built environment, to transport, agri-tech and supply chain decarbonisation.
Location: Swansea
Solar technology
Imperial is collaborating with Swansea University and the University of Oxford to develop the next generation of solar technologies using materials which are flexible, lightweight, cheap to produce, and can be printed onto products during manufacture. These technologies have the potential to power everyday devices, zero-emission vehicles and 5G telecommunication networks.
Location: Edinburgh
OrganiCity
Working with the Future Cities Catapult and Intel, the OrganiCity project is exploring how local authorities, businesses and citizens can collaborate to develop digital solutions to urban challenges, making urban areas better places to live. The project has included research in Edinburgh to use audible recordings to monitor urban trends, such as the impact of human activity on local animal populations.
Location: Stoke-on-Trent
BioMin Technologies
The dental materials company BioMin Technologies, an Imperial startup, has developed a novel toothpaste which is able to reduce tooth sensitivity and regenerate the surface of tooth enamel. Based in Stoke-on-Trent, the company builds on research undertaken partly at Imperial and now ships to consumers in over 40 countries across the world.
Location: Chester
Clean Tech Accelerator
Imperial’s CleanTech Accelerator supports climate positive startups through business coaching, masterclasses, workspace, and equity-free grant funding. In recent years, the centre has supported including companies such as Mimica with locations in Chester and Wrexham which has developed a temperature-sensitive label to reduce food waste. These labels experience decay at the same rate as food, helping consumers identify when food is safe to eat and when to dispose of it.
Location: Newcastle
Local transport
Building on research into improving the performance and management of mass transit systems, Imperial’s Transport Strategy Centre research team supported Tyne and Wear Metro’s successful bid to secure £337 million in capital funding from government for a new fleet of modernised trains.
Location: Edinburgh
Using AI for brain scanning
New AI software developed by Imperial, the University of Edinburgh and TU Munich can read the brain scans of patients who have had a stroke, to more accurately pinpoint when it happened and help doctors work out whether it can be successfully treated. It is hoped that the new technology will ultimately enable faster and more accurate emergency treatment of patients in a hospital setting.
Location: Filton
Aerodynamics
Imperial researchers are working closely with Airbus in investigating the fluid dynamics of air flowing past and around aeroplane wings and engines. This work is supporting the development of new, lower emission aircraft by Airbus, which employs over 13,000 people across the UK, including at their production site in Filton which is responsible for wing design and engineering.
Location: Norwich
Mathematic simulations
Firedrake, a software package developed by Imperial researchers to simulate complex simulations, has been used by 40 user groups internationally, including the Met Office. It has supported work at the University of East Anglia and University of Leeds to simulate marine energy solutions in UK coastal waters.
Location: Sellafield
Nuclear safety
Imperial researchers are collaborating with industry bodies to make further advances in nuclear safety, such as in the inspection of nuclear power plant components. This work has been undertaken in collaboration with organisations based across the UK, including Rolls-Royce, Amec, EDF, BAE Systems, and the National Nuclear Laboratory in Sellafield.
Location: Nationwide
Green infrastructure
Imperial academics have developed predictive models to inform decisions about green infrastructure by quickly testing different scenarios on energy output and costs, as well as other factors such as government policies and fuel prices. This research has influenced the EU in deciding whether to approve state aid for nuclear power projects. The team has also informed the International Energy Agency’s modelling on the world-wide potential for offshore wind, thereby benefitting global strategy around reducing greenhouse emissions.
Location: Rotherham
Civil aerospace
Imperial research to improve aeroengine performance using mathematical models has led to the development of a software package used by Rolls-Royce for engine prognostics and diagnostics to ensure the efficiency of aircraft. Rolls-Royce employees thousands of people in highly-skilled civil aerospace roles, including at sites in Rotherham, Washington and Inchinnan.
Location: Southampton
Fianium
Drawing upon research conducted at Imperial, startup Fianium Ltd pioneered the development of ultra-fast fiber lasers with applications in biomedicine, scientific research, and materials processing. The company is now part of NKT Photonics in Southampton, which has customers all around the world in a range of industries.
Location: Mid Glamorgan
Water management
Imperial researchers work with Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, which provides water to the majority of Wales, in improving the design, optimisation and control of next generation water systems. These dynamic water supply networks can modify their states to respond to changes in conditions, performance metrics and demand – making them more efficient, resilient and sustainable than older systems.
Location: Runcorn
Nanoco
Nanoco Ltd is just one of three companies in the world which is able to produce quantum dots – a material used in electronic displays, LED general lighting and thin firm solar cells. Now based in Runcorn and Manchester, Nanoco uses technology initially developed in labs at Imperial.
Location: Faversham
openFrame
Microscopy company Cairn Research Ltd, based in Faversham, is working closely with Imperial researchers to develop an open-source, easily maintained and modifiable microscope platform that can be developed at relatively low cost compared to existing instruments. This technology, which includes the modular openFrame microscope stand, aims to make advanced microscopy techniques more sustainable and accessible to a wider range of researchers and clinical scientists, particularly in lower resource settings.
Location: Coventry
Impression Technologies
Imperial research is helping to develop the next generation of green cars by making them more efficient, including through replacing steel in vehicles with light aluminium using Hot Form Quench technology. This research has been commercialised by Imperial startup Impression Technologies, which built the world’s first Hot Form Quench production facility in Coventry and currently employs 35 people in high-skilled roles. It produced over 100,000 units from a UK supplier in 2019.
Location: Nationwide
Healthcare data
A statistical tool for monitoring hospital care using routine data, developed at Imperial with Dr Foster Ltd and widely used by English NHS hospitals, has improved standards of care and saved lives. In 2014, the regulator reviewed how 11 high-mortality hospitals responded to being placed in special measures and noted many improvements in their quality of care. Later evaluation found that 70% of the tool’s alerts identify quality-of-care problems, leading hospitals to change their processes, improving standards and lowering mortality rates.
Location: Nationwide
Cystic fibrosis
Imperial's Professor Jane Davies has headed the UK arms of multiple trials of cystic fibrosis modulator drugs - four of which are now licensed and are leading to substantial health benefits in people with the condition.
Location: Nationwide
Gene therapies
In partnership with other London hospitals and universities, Imperial is developing manufacturing capability for gene and cell therapies, which can then be tested and evaluated. This has included world-leading research into new treatments for cystic fibrosis and haemopholia, and experimental studies testing modified gut hormones in obesity.
Location: Nationwide
Biomedical research
Imperial’s Biomedical Research Centre led an analysis of data from over 250,000 patients who had experienced chest pain which resulted in a better understanding of how the body regulates heart contractions. It is also supporting the development of a digital sepsis alert tool for hospitals through its work on a trial involving 21,000 patients which was shown to reduce risk of mortality.
Location: Brighton
Hepatitis C
A recent study undertaken by Imperial researchers of clinics in Brighton and London found a downward trend in new cases of hepatitis C amongst HIV positive men and attributed this to regular screening and greater access to antiviral treatments. Following this study, NHS England changed their guidelines to make antiviral treatment more accessible to people with hepatitis C.
Location: Bristol
Addiction research
Imperial partnered with the University of Bristol and King's College London to deliver the MRC Addiction Research Clinical Training programme for postgraduate students in order to train the next generation of clinical research leaders focusing on addiction. Such training is essential to ensuring sufficient expertise in this crucial area of clinical neuroscience and making further progress in developing strategies and treatments to tackle addiction.
Location: Bridgwater
Infrastructure innovation
Imperial researchers have worked with partners to form the Infrastructure Industry Innovation Platform (i3P), which is working to increase performance and drive innovation in infrastructure across the UK. Membership is open to clients and their supply chains, with current members including large regional employers like Hinkley Point C, Crossrail and HS2.
Location: Leeds
Regional funding gaps
Imperial researchers are advising government on regional equity funding gaps, identifying regions likely to face funding gaps and also where is susceptible to local investors who are investing outside their regions. This work, which was carried out in collaboration with the University of Leeds, provided evidence that helped to change government policy to encourage venture capital investment in regions with lower current investment, such as northern England.
Location: Nationwide
Disease modelling
J-IDEA, the world’s most advanced centre for disease and emergency analytics, is where Imperial’s scientists are leading the response to the coronavirus. Imperial’s regular modelling reports have been critical in the global response to the COVID-19 crisis and in advising the UK government and public bodies on the best measures to tackle the spread of coronavirus. The data and code underpinning its findings are accessible online for anyone to read, allowing other scientists to scrutinise and learn from our research.
Location: Peterborough
Reducing emissions
Researchers at Imperial developed the concept for the turbochargers in the Caterpillar C.4. diesel engine, which is being manufactured in the tens of thousands at Caterpillar’s Peterborough plant. These turbochargers improve the energy efficiency of the engine, reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
Location: Exeter
Public health
In collaboration with the University of Exeter, researchers from Imperial helped to inform public health strategies to tackle COVID-19. Findings from a joint study has assessed the health risk of coronavirus to the 7.3 million adults aged 60 to 69 in the UK, demonstrating that this group are at significant risk compared to younger groups and recommending measures to protect them.
Location: Liverpool
Understanding COVID-19
Imperial researchers worked with the University of Liverpool and University of Edinburgh to identify a key inflammatory protein linked to severe COVID-19, with this protein being almost ten times higher in those that died from the virus. These insights into the molecular drivers of disease were crucial in improving the understanding and clinical management of COVID-19.
Location: Nationwide
REMAP-CAP trial
REMAP-CAP is a platform trial created to evaluate multiple treatments for critically ill patients with coronavirus. It demonstrated that both hydrocortisone and interleukin-6 receptor blockers, used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, are effective in reducing mortality and time spent in intensive care. Using both drugs in combination is most effective and were used around the world, improving survival in the sickest patients with COVID-19, saving thousands of lives.
Location: Nationwide
REACT study
Launched in April 2020, the REACT programme began as one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive coronavirus monitoring studies. The REACT Cohort is made up of over 3 million people, and these data have been crucial in understanding how Covid-19 is spreading and in informing and evaluating different public health measures, such as the timing of lockdowns, social gathering rules, and school closure policies as well as monitoring the progress of the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Location: Nationwide
Stroke treatment
Imperial research has led to the wider use of mechanical thrombectomy, a treatment for ischaemic stroke. Despite evidence of the procedure’s clinical benefits, its use was limited by a lack of cost effectiveness data. Research from Imperial provided the first evidence of substantial long-term cost savings that offset higher treatment costs, contributing to the health regulator recommending the procedure. From 2015 to 2020, the number of patients treated this way increased nearly four-fold to 1,607, with 70.3% experiencing marked improvement.
Location: Nationwide
COVID vaccine
A study led by Imperial’s Professor Robin Shattock has shown that self-amplifying RNA COVID-19 vaccine technology is safe in humans, paving the way for the production of future vaccines and boosters, as well as emerging variants and other diseases. These vaccines are ultra-low dose, quick to produce, less likely to have side effects than other vaccine types.
Location: Bristol
Safe venues
Public Health England and the government funded Imperial to collaborate with the University of Bristol to investigate the level of respiratory particles released when talking or singing at different loudness levels. This work helped to inform public health advice on the reopening of venues and safe distancing, ensuring that guidance was evidence-based and effective in keeping people safe.
Location: Redhill
Ceres Power
Ceres Power, an Imperial spinout which is developing fuel cells to bring cleaner and cheaper energy to businesses, homes and industry, is investing £7 million in a new blueprint manufacturing facility in Redhill, which is expected to create 60 new, highly-skilled jobs.
Location: West London
WestTech London
WestTech London is a new powerhouse for frontier innovation and entrepreneurship that is creating jobs, attracting investment, driving growth and cementing the UK’s position as a leader in science and technology. Established by Imperial, WestTech London unites stakeholders around a shared mission to unlock the potential of West London’s innovation landscape, capitalising on its world-class universities and research institutions, diverse talent pool, rich industrial heritage and major transport links to the rest of the UK and the world.
Location: Belfast
Data issues
Imperial is collaborating with Queen’s University Belfast and other UK universities to deliver the SPRITE+ network which aims to build a network of both academics and non-academics to consider issues around digital security, privacy and trust. In addition to support for early career researchers, the network will help to develop the research community in this field while engaging stakeholders communities to examine and address some of the key challenges of our digital age.
Location: Derby
Electric flight
Imperial has been collaborating with Rolls-Royce, whose civil aerospace division is based in Derby, for over 30 years through the Vibration University Technology Centre. Together we are developing the underpinning science which will ultimately enable the transition to all-electric flight. The CORNERSTONE Prosperity partnership is working towards fundamental changes in the architecture of engines which will result in increased power density and efficiency, reduced carbon emissions, improved sustainability and safety, and longer lifespan.
Location: Nationwide
Climate finance
Imperial's Business School is increasingly partnering with financial services to examine how to expand the availability of climate finance. This includes a recent partnership with the HSBC Centre for Sustainable Finance to explore how to ensure adequate lending for low-carbon solutions, thereby contributing to the UK’s goal of reaching net-zero greenhouse emissions by 2050.
Location: Nationwide
Marine pollution
Imperial academics have developed a model of ocean flow based on observations of GPS-tracked drifters to investigate the transport of microplastics, demonstrating where cleaning up plastics would be most effective and give greatest benefit to the marine environment. The research has helped inform public policy towards microplastics in the UK by strengthening the evidence base about the damage which they cause to marine life, contributing towards the UK government’s decision to ban microbeads and single-use plastics.
Location: Leeds
Sensium
Sensium, which began its life as an Imperial startup, has developed an ultra-low power system for patient vital sign monitoring to notify doctors of deterioration and allow interventions before their condition becomes more serious. The system has been piloted in hospitals like St James’s University Hospital, Leeds, where it demonstrated clinical benefits for patients.
Location: Warrington
Supercomputers
Research undertaken at Imperial into accelerating computer algorithms has been commercialised through Maxeler Technologies. This startup has supplied supercomputing facilities to organisations across the UK, including the Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington, which is at the forefront of advances in supercomputing technology.
Location: Portsmouth
Surgical biosensors
Imperial research led to the development of a biosensor which has been used by surgeons in Portsmouth to monitor restricted blood supply in tissue for cancer patients undergoing reconstruction of the face and jaw. This technology has enabled surgeons to remove otherwise undetected blood clots in patients which could have otherwise led to septicaemia.
Location: Sunderland
Electric vehicles
Imperial is working with Nissan, headquartered in Sunderland, and five other partners from academia and industry to investigate using electric vehicles as flexible energy storage for the UK’s electricity grid. This could lead to technologies where vehicle owners can sell electricity back to the energy grid during times of high demand, with the potential to reduce the strain on the grid and fossil fuel reliance.
Location: St Andrews
AI and IVF
Researchers at Imperial have collaborated with the universities of St Andrews and Glasgow to identify patterns in IVF treatments that could significantly increase the effectiveness of IVF in leading to the birth of a baby. Teams utilised AI techniques to assess the optimal time for eggs to be collected and fertilised to lead to more successful births, and are now looking to make the AI tool available for use in clinical trials.
Location: Nationwide
AI Superconnector
The AI SuperConnector brings together complementary AI innovation expertise at Imperial and the universities of Leeds, Liverpool and York, helping early career researchers in developing their work into startup companies through providing a comprehensive training in innovation and entrepreneurship, while addressing the unique challenges in this fast-moving area of science.
Location: Dundee
Alternative Protein Innovation Centre
Imperial is co-leading UKRI’s National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC) with the James Hutton Institute and University of Sheffield, directed by the University of Leeds. NAPIC aims to drive groundbreaking solutions to the creation of tasty and planet-friendly animal protein alternatives into the mainstream to support Net Zero goals and futureproof food and animal feed security in the UK.
Location: Nottingham
Keep Energy Systems
Co-founded by an Imperial alumni, Keep Energy Systems have developed the world’s greenest battery in their headquarters in Nottingham. Imperial have supported Keep Energy Systems during their enterprise journey through the Venture Catalyst Challenge, Imperial Venture Mentoring Scheme and the Imperial College Innovation Fund, with the company now operating in markets for electric vehicle charging, renewable energy and in heavy industries.
Location: Pontyclun
DEPLOY
DEPLOY won the Imperial's Social Impact Prize in the Venture Catalyst Challenge in 2021 – which supports students and alumni in developing an innovative idea for commercialisation. They have developed an air-deployed, ready-to-use water tank capable of holding 40,000 litres of water, which allows those in need to access safe drinking water. They are now based in South Wales, have won further support for experimental development of their product from the Welsh Government and are also working internationally in countries such as Guatemala.
Location: Hull
Imperial partnership with Smith&Nephew
Imperial researchers have partnered with Smith&Nephew, a global medical technology company based in Hull, to explore the use of augmented-reality for surgery. The work builds on the Mechatronics in Medicine Laboratory’s world-leading expertise in medical robotics, and this partnership allows Smith&Nephew to develop new visualisation techniques for computer-assisted orthopaedic surgery for the commercial market.
Location: Aberystwyth
Microbial Food Hub
Led by Imperial with partners including the University of Aberystwyth, Rothamsted Research and multiple other world-leading organisations, the £14m Microbial Food Hub is focusing on the development of fermentation-based food products and ingredients that can offer a more sustainable, healthier alternative to some of our current ways of producing food. The Hub develop food that is better for the environment and develop a programme of work that provides a clear pipeline from fundamental research to commercialisation.
Location: Gwynedd
Nuclear Energy Futures
The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Nuclear Energy Futures combines innovative research and teaching from Imperial in partnership with Bangor University, the universities of Bristol and Cambridge and the Open University. The CDT plays a vital role in filling critical occupations within the nuclear power industry and enabling the next generation of researchers to advance cutting-edge technologies in nuclear energy.
Location: Plymouth
Oshen
Student startup Oshen, headquartered in Plymouth, has developed small autonomous ocean robots that can be deployed to take sensitive measurements of sea conditions. Oshen’s robots are much smaller than traditional monitoring platforms, which means they can provide unparalleled granularity of data. The company was supported through Imperial’s Venture Catalyst Challenge programme, with Oshen now funded by the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) to further develop their technology across the Atlantic Ocean.
Location: Carlisle
Pears Cumbria School of Medicine
Imperial has entered a unique partnership with the University of Cumbria to set up the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine in Carlisle, which opened for its first intake in 2025. The School runs a four-year graduate entry programme that is dedicated and tailored to train doctors to tackle the acute needs of local communities in the region. Doctors graduating from the School will be helping to solve significant recruitment and retention challenges in the region, all while improving health outcomes for the community.
Location: Bristol
Ponda
Ponda is a next-gen materials manufacturer and supplier. Their mission is to build a new supply chain for textiles by reimagining everything from farming to manufacturing and product. Their first product, BioPuff, is a plant-based alternative to goose-down or synthetic fills, made from plants which help to heal damaged wetlands.
Location: Stockport
Transforming the chemical industry
Imperial is strategically partnered with BASF, the world’s largest chemical company, on research into digitally assisted R&D and continuous production techniques that are set to transform the chemical industries. BASF UK is headquartered in Stockport, at the heart of the UK chemical industry, and the partnership is helping create not only new know-how but also a new generation of industrial chemists who are equipped for the chemistry of the future.
Location: Belfast
Drug research
Biomedical research by Imperial’s Institute for Chemical Biology has led to significant developments in the area of drug discovery, diagnostics and personal care. The ICB collaborates with a number of partners across the UK in multidisciplinary research and training, including the Centre for Experimental Medicine at Queen’s University Belfast, with which it partners in pioneering studies such as one to develop non-resistible treatments for the common cold.
Location: Near Middlesbrough
Puraffinity
Imperial startup Puraffinity has developed a sustainable adsorbent material which can selectively capture micro-pollutants from wastewater. The startup has long been supported by Imperial: as student entrepreneurs our Enterprise Lab helped to turn their ideas into a new business and they were one of the first companies to move into the White City Incubator. The company is now subcontracting a new manufacturing centre near Middlesbrough which will reduce the impact of chemical pollution on the environment and public health.
Location: Carmarthenshire
FreshCheck
Imperial startup Fresh Check is developing products which are revolutionising the way the world thinks about cleanliness, producing the first affordable test for surface contamination with a simple colour changing spray. Utilising facilities in Peterborough and Carmarthenshire, Fresh Check is creating new products which will be made in the UK and exported around the world. Simpler hygiene verification will make it easier for the 7,130 SMEs employing 135,000 in the UK food and drink sector to expand.
Location: Peterborough
FreshCheck
Imperial startup Fresh Check is developing products which are revolutionising the way the world thinks about cleanliness, producing the first affordable test for surface contamination with a simple colour changing spray. Utilising facilities in Peterborough and Carmarthenshire, Fresh Check is creating new products which will be made in the UK and exported around the world. Simpler hygiene verification will make it easier for the 7,130 SMEs employing 135,000 in the UK food and drink sector to expand.
Location: Nationwide
Cardiovascular health
Imperial's UK Small Area Health Statistics Unit is at the forefront of research into the long-term health effects of environmental noise exposures from transport, identifying a link between aircraft and road traffic noise with cardiovascular disease and mortality. These data together with work at Imperial's MRC Centre for Environment and Health are feeding into strategies to improve public health - including the Scottish Government's clean air strategy - such as by reducing private vehicle travel use and the introduction of low-emission zones.
Location: Ebbw Vale
Solvatech
Imperial spinout Solvatech is working with Envirowales, a battery recycling plant based in Ebbw Vale, to develop a new, low-temperature, low-energy recycling process for lead batteries. Typically, recycling lead batteries requires smelting – a very energy-intensive process which has to be monitored careful to prevent the escape of toxic fumes. This new method using green chemistry not only significantly reduces energy consumption, but minimises the risk to health and the environment of the recycling process.
Location: Birmingham
Resilience of buildings
Researchers in Imperial's Department of Mechanical Engineering have developed new engineering methods to improve the resilience of building structures against fire and blasts. These methodologies are now codified in UK and international standards, and have been used in the design of dozens of buildings. Some examples are iconic buildings in Birmingham, London and Manchester, as well as for the Qatar 2022 World Cup games, to name but a few.
Location: Glasgow
Resistant cancers
Imperial research has led to the development of the drug Samuraciclib which is effective in treating breast and prostate cancer in some patients, leading to an increase in progression-free survival. The drug has now completed its Phase IIa trials in 30 hospitals in the US and UK, including London, Oxford, Glasgow, Manchester and Southampton, and has already improved the lives of critically ill patients with resistant breast and prostate cancers. Further trials are underway to investigate its effectiveness in combination with other drugs.
Location: Guildford
Environmental DNA technology
Imperial researchers have developed environmental DNA techniques to transform ecological monitoring. These can be used to characterise living organisms from a substrate (e.g. water, air, soil), being more sensitive and efficient, and less invasive, than traditional methods. Working with academic partners, companies (such as Guildford-based spin-out NatureMetrics) and government, they develop tests to survey endangered species, country-wide surveys of pollinators, and biodiversity audits brought to market nationally and globally.
Location: Bristol
PsiQuantum
Imperial’s Professor Terry Rudolph partnered with researchers from the Centre for Quantum Photonics to found startup PsiQuantum in 2015. Based on their research, the company is aiming to create the world’s first useful quantum computer – with applications across energy, industry, healthcare and government – using photonic approaches. Imperial and Bristol University received a patent in 2015 on one feature of silicon photonics which was subsequently purchased by PsiQuantum. The company now has more than 30 other patents.
Location: Macclesfield
More sustainable plastics
Imperial spinout company Econic Technologies uses waste carbon dioxide to produce polymers, replacing a portion of traditional oil-based materials, to produce a wide range of products, including polyurethane, surfactants, films and adhesives. This reduces greenhouse emissions, raw material usage and production costs. Econic is working with industry to create commercial demand for its technology, such as through a partnership with Drax Group to utilise the waste carbon dioxide from its biomass generation.
Location: Nationwide
WE Innovate National
Imperial has led the development of a new national network for women entrepreneurs, building on the success of the WE Innovate programme. Six universities, including Imperial, Queen’s University Belfast, Loughborough University and the universities of Durham, Glasgow and Swansea will join the WE Innovate National network which will run programmes to support 175 women-led teams each year across the participating institutions. The programme supports women founders through masterclasses, business coaching, 1-to-1 expert support and peer mentoring.