A primary-of-its-kind ‘atmospheric water harvester’ has secured funding from Innovate UK. NovNat Tech is growing a know-how that may generate water out of air, and relies within the Unit 9 incubator on the Birmingham Analysis Park.
“The harvest makes use of a proprietary materials that has already been vigorously examined for its water sorption traits, and has displayed breakthrough efficiency, capturing and releasing water from air at a sooner charge and with much less vitality required than any present materials,” stated the group.
The Innovate UK funding will assist the event of an on-board car atmospheric water generator, that may produce clear water whereas on the go, and the five-month mission will permit the corporate to additional develop on the core applied sciences and IP developed to date.
Founders Abdulbari Belouafi and Ibrahim Albaik first met as graduate researchers on the College of Birmingham, after which they labored on growing the breakthrough know-how, which has broad-based patent safety.
They then attended UoB Elevate, an incubator and enterprise development programme for College of Birmingham college students and graduates, earlier than founding NovNat Tech, an engineering design firm to develop water harvesting methods enabled by superior supplies.
Whereas the innovators noticed a broad vary of functions for his or her know-how, the College’s Entrepreneur in Residence helped them focus their pondering and formed their enterprise proposition.
The innovators utilized for, and gained, grant funding from the Local weather Innovation Platform, and entered Unit 9 to construct a prototype that may gather water from air, using the waste warmth emitted from numerous processes inside buildings to provide potable water, with a web zero carbon footprint.
Abdulbari stated: “As first-time innovators we have been unaware of the vary of assist that’s out there. The month-to-month tenant conferences permit us to debate our present challenges with fellow innovators and enterprise assist advisors from College of Birmingham Enterprise, and the knowledge share and signposting is really beneficial.”
Unit 9, College of Birmingham Enterprise’s incubator, supplies versatile, low-cost services to satisfy the wants of aspiring corporations who need area for medical analysis, proof-of-concept, or prototyping actions. For details about area or services, contact Angie Reynolds, Head of Birmingham Analysis Park.
