Imperial startups Polymateria and Ichthion are among winners of a £4m Government fund to rid the environment of plastic waste.

Innovative biodegradable plastics company Polymateria and ocean-cleaning startup Ichthion - both based in the I-HUB at Imperial's White City Campus -are among eleven innovative projects to win the support of a £4m Government fund to tackle plastic pollution.

Companies are capitalising on the UK’s world leading research base to develop products that tackle the global scourge of plastic waste Greg Clarke MP Business and Energy Secretary

Innovate UK's ‘ Plastics innovation: towards zero waste ’ competition supports activities or products with the potential to reduce plastic waste in the environement.

The fund builds on the UK’s position as a global leader in the fight against waste plastic, to allow the UK to reap the economic benefits of the transition to a low carbon economy while leaving the environment in a better place for future generations.

Polymateria , which was founded by Imperial alumnus Dr Graham Chapman, is developing additives that allow plastic products and packaging to biodegrade over time. They have been awarded two separate grants from the fund, totaling over £1M.

Polymateria’s CEO, Niall Dunne said: “The grants will allow us to create the first additive-based Biotransforming technology for Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to be exploited in the food packaging market and the first petro-plastic that meets compostability standards. This promises to create a significant business opportunity and will disrupt the biodegradable plastic additive market, setting a new standard in environmentally responsible plastic.”

Polymateria have developed their technology in association with Imperial Innovations and were one of the first occupants in the Imperial White City Incubator when it opened its doors in 2016.

Fishy solution to ocean plastic

Ichthion (formerly Remora Marine) is a startup developing cutting-edge technologies to restore the ocean environment by removing plastics and synthetic waste from coastal areas, rivers and the ocean.

Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic debris that come from a variety of sources, including broken-down plastic waste, synthetic fibres and beads found in personal hygiene products. These fragments can be swallowed by marine life, contaminating the entire food chain.

Ichthion's technology includes innovative marine turbines and ship thrusters that suck in microplastics from the ocean as the tide flows and ships move around. The systems would integrate seamlessly into existing infrastructure, providing a low cost solution.

The team were awarded a total £600,000 from the fund to accelerate development and expedite the market launch of Ichthion’s technology.

Founded by Inty Grønneberg, PhD researcher at Imperial’s Dyson School of Design Engineering, and Robert Rouse, who graduated from Imperial with an MSc in Innovation Design Engineering, Ichthion was amongst the winners of the Imperial College ThinkSpace Scalable Business Awards earlier this year. They received a year of free office space at Central Working White City, the award winning co-working space at Imperial's Translation and Innovation Hub (I-HUB).

Celebrating clean growth

The announcement of the winners came during the UK’s first ever Green GB Week, calling on governments, businesses and communities to renew their efforts to confront climate change head on while seizing one of the greatest industrial opportunities of our time.

Commenting on the announcement, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Greg Clarke MP, said: “Companies are capitalising on the UK’s world leading research base to develop products that tackle the global scourge of plastic waste while grasping the business opportunities found in the green economy. When you combine Britain’s leadership, innovation and determination it is an unbeatable combination – exactly what our Industrial Strategy and Green GB Week are supporting and encouraging.”