Power innovators pick up prestigious prize

22 Jun 2016

Manchester start-up wins Royal Society of Chemistry award

Eksagon Group Ltd has won second prize in the energy and environment category of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Emerging Technologies Competition 2016.

Eksagon Group, a start-up company based at the University, utilises the unique physicochemical properties of 2D materials to boost the performance of energy systems.

These electrochemical devices could provide 10 times the energy density of standard lithium batteries, whilst being environmentally sustainable. This has the potential to create the next generation of energy devices by increasing the length of time until the device needs to be recharged. Potential applications include portable electronics, vehicles and energy storage systems.

The Emerging Technologies Competition is an annual competition, which aims to accelerate the commercialisation of the best European technologies for the benefit of society and the economy.

Forty shortlisted entrants pitched their ideas to a panel of expert judges at Chemistry Means Business, a two-day event for the chemistry-using industry by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Over 300 people attended the event uniting SMEs, multinational organisations, investors and academic entrepreneurs across the UK and Europe. The winners were announced at an award ceremony hosted by TV personality Hugh Dennis.

Applications were judged on the degree of innovation of the technology, its potential impact, and the quality of the science behind it. Eksagon will receive tailored business support from multinational partner companies, business training, media support, and a cash prize of £3,000.