Ingenuity

Run by the University of Nottingham and in partnership with Nuffield Health, the Ingenuity Programme provides start-up skills and training, networking, mentoring, and routes to funding for early-stage impact-driven businesses to make social and environmental change. The programme supports participants in turning ideas for change into exciting new ventures and adopts an agile and flexible approach to ensure we are diverse, inclusive and accessible. Ingenuity is open to all.

Winner: Pipeline Organics with TankArc

Project:

Left to right are Arielle Torres, PhD Additive Manufacturing; Eric Lehder, PhD Mechanical Engineering; Keyvan Jodeiri, PhD Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing and Andrew Raslan, MSc Molecular Medicine. The team was presented with their prize by Simon Mosey, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Chair of Your Entrepreneurs Scheme and Ingenuity Programme.

The TankArc team was crowned National Climate Champion (£5,000 sponsored by Nuffield Health) and also won the Engineers in Business Prize (£1,000 provided by Engineers in Business Fellowship). Pipeline Organics focuses on the climate challenge of fossil fuel electricity emitting polluting greenhouse gases and wastewater treatment plants using large amounts of electricity whilst water companies struggle to meet government net-zero targets. The Pipeline Organics solution, TankArc, is an enzymatic biofuel cell product that generates electricity through the breakdown of liquid organic waste in the wastewater treatment process with the aim of producing year-round, cheap, clean bioenergy from wastewater.

Positive feedback

The Engineers in Business prize fund has been incredibly valuable to the Ingenuity 2023 competition. I am delighted with the outcome of the competition and impact of the programme this year and incredibly proud of our 2023 Changemakers and their commitment to developing businesses focused on improving health, tackling climate change and building stronger communities. Thank you to our participants, alumni, corporate, community and university partners, mentors, judges, contributors and other valued members of our Ingenuity Programme network.

Claire Mulholland
Senior Business Development and Ingenuity Programme Manager
University of Nottingham