Cleantech
We cover environmental sciences, sustainable use of resources, clean energy technologies and green chemistry.
Cleantech: IP and Impact audit at the University of Liverpool
Sector Lead
Elaine has been commercialising early stage technologies through early-stage investment and consultancy since 2000. Following an industry career, she moved into venture investing and managed a university seed fund before joining IP Pragmatics as a consultant in 2009. In that time, she has worked on many cleantech and related projects, including completion of an IP audit of the School of Environmental sciences at a Russell Group university, and long-term work with the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) and the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas).
Protecting the environment
We work on all types of energy-saving and environmental technology projects, particularly where they come with a life-sciences slant. We have also carried out IP analytics and valuation assessments on many different types of renewable energy technologies, including wind, wave, and solar. The cleantech sector also includes innovations in sustainable land and water use including remediation, through to alternative ‘green’ energy sources, green chemicals and waste management.
Hands-on help
By bringing together our investigations of the patent landscape surrounding these new approaches with commercial acumen and market intelligence, we can tailor our advice to shape the next steps that a company or university should take to identify, analyse, value and exploit their technologies.
Building our knowledge
Cleantech is an emerging field of focus for IP Pragmatics. Our work in the sector has grown out our experience from long term support work for public sector clients whose research interests broadly span different services and technologies covering the land and marine environments. We also have team members with industry experience in the renewable energy sector, and learn from the overlaps with aspects of our work in the agritech and industrial biotechnology sectors.
Recent Projects
- Developing a commercialisation plan for a novel process which converts the waste liquor from anaerobic digestion processes into a valuable granular fertiliser.
- Conducting a full IP audit for the School of Environmental Sciences of a UK Russell Group university to identify likely commercialisation opportunities, and potential routes to increase the external impact of their research.
- Valuation of a photovoltaic manufacturing technology taking into account factors such as: patents and know how, the extent and variability of the thin-film photovoltaic device sector, competitor technologies and companies, as well as previous investments in the technology.
Recent Projects
- A valuation of the income streams that could arise from a new biomass source for bioenergy.
- Market research and partner identification for a new method to produce omega 3 oils in plants.
- Wide-reaching evaluation of the potential product lines from biorefining of grass materials.
- IP audit and valuation of a novel gas-to-liquid fuel technology for the petrochemical industry.
Recent Projects
- Long-term ongoing support to increase the external income generation opportunities for a public sector research organisation which focuses on environmental research.
- Several products surrounding the commercialisation of novel chemicals extracted from plant materials.
- Patent landscaping and market assessment for some novel batteries based on quinone or hydroquinone derivatives.
- IP audit of research programme to screen marine microorganisms for new biosurfactants.
Our clients include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprise and public sector organisations in over 20 countries.
We recognise and understand what is important to our clients and their stakeholders. This enables us to provide meaningful outcomes and practical next steps for all client assignments.
Project Outcomes
- We supported researchers who have developed a stacked Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) unit capable of increased power output and waste clean-up rates, in an improved, lower cost and more flexible configuration than is currently available. Following our evaluation of the commercialisation options and applications for the MFC technology and successful testing of a prototype at the Glastonbury Festival, we developed a business plan for a spin out company to exploit the technology, including supporting the search for a CEO to lead the venture.
- We conducted an IP landscape and market assessment for a bioremediation technology for highly toxic waste produced during extraction of oil from oil sands in Canada. This led to searches for potential partners for the technology and setting up meetings at an industry conference.
- We worked with a university-based global environmental research network with industry led research clusters focusing on: Water & Wastewater Research; Waste & Remediation Research; Environmental Monitoring Research; and Energy from Biomass Research. In one specific project, we carried out a market assessment and commercialisation plan for a novel “Biosettler”, an improved form of final settlement for wastewater treatment plants that will allow additional aerobic treatment to occur during the period of settlement. This work involved an assessment of the waste water treatment sector in the UK and globally to identify development partners for the technology.
