The Evolution of Graphene & Other 2D Materials

From the lab to the marketplace | INFORM On Demand

Graphene@Manchester, based in The University of Manchester, works to accelerate the research and commercialisation of graphene and other 2D materials, by directly supporting startups, spin-outs, SMEs and MNEs, with advice, expertise, and access to world class facilities and capabilities.

This webinar will provide commercial awareness around applications of graphene and other 2D materials systems. How to access applications knowledge for industrial applications and examples of company profiles working in this space and de-carbonisations programmes.

The webinar is aimed at materials innovators within a wide range of industries and typical attendees might include CTOs, lead scientists or those working in R&D.

Meet your speakers

What do those working with Manchester say?

'While we were warned that working with the GEIC would be slow due to their academic ties, our experience has been completely the opposite. Our team has been pleased to find that the GEIC team is not only responsive and quick to deliver results, but incredibly knowledgeable in various processes that are expediting our commercial progress. Generating positive data certainly aids in our outlook, but we are also confident that when faced with an obstacle, we will be able to work through it with this ecosystem in place.' Kjirstin Breure / CEO of Hydrograph

'By joining the Graphene@Manchester eco-system and leveraging the resources and expertise available through this academic-industry collaboration, we realised our full potential and were able to foster economic growth and contribute to sustainable development much earlier than anticipated. The GEIC helped us to commercialise our ideas and establish strong networks and partnerships with global businesses to drive innovation and achieve scalability.' Dr Vivek Koncherry / Founder of Graphene Innovations Manchester

'Working with the GEIC’s engineers, we were able to understand the material, its complexity and the huge potential for industry. With funding from the GEIC’s ERDF Bridging the Gap (BtG) project and Innovate UK, we had the confidence to go from lab-scale testing to multiple industrial projects. No-one else has developed graphene-enhanced concrete to this scale.' Alex McDermott / Co-founder of Concretene

'It has taken me three years, but if I wasn’t in the GEIC it probably would have been five years and we would have had to raise private investment. Our products has gained recognition worldwide, leading to a growing customer base that embraced this sustainable and efficient alternative to conventional plant cultivation methods. With commercialisation on the horizon, I am confident that Gelponics has the potential to revolutionise sustainable farming practices and contribute to a more environmentally conscious agricultural sector." Dr Beenish Siddique / Founder of AEH Innovative Hydrogel

"I’m not sure if we could have accessed the expertise, equipment, support, and funding elsewhere. BtG is perfectly aligned with our goals, providing expertise on materials and equipment and helped developed new jobs within the company. The work from BtG enabled collaborations and closer relationships with the supply chain, leading to external investments. The connections made at the University of Manchester have resulted in further development." Liam Britnell / Founder of Vector Homes

Graphene and 2D materials at Manchester

Graphene isolation in 2004 sparked a global revolution, winning a Nobel Prize in 2010. The graphene industry quadrupled production capacity from 2019 to 2022, with companies like Ford, Boeing, and Sony using it.

Graphene@Manchester leads UK academia in cutting-edge research, for example, the permeability of 2D materials which is an exciting research direction, with potential for major breakthrough in green energy (hydrogen), and graphene-based membranes for filtration and separation technology. Graphene@Manchester has nurtured successes like graphene-enhanced concrete (Concretene), water filtration tech, the world's first graphene sports shoes, and partnerships with venture capital firms. Some of the companies who have upscaled through Graphene@Manchester's acceleration programmes came to be as a direct result of research carried out at the NGI e.g. Molymem, Inov-8. Graphene@Manchester sponsors an enterprise award program for graphene-related startups with support from SanDisk co-founder Eli Harari and has global recognition, partnering with collaborators from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, India and Brazil showcasing its international impact and expansion potential.

The GEIC (Graphane Engineering Innovation Centre) accelerates technology readiness, connecting academia, industry, and civic authorities, boosting R&D investment in the UK. To date GEIC has successfully completed over 350 projects for more than 400 companies, spanning from proof-of-concept to prototype developments (TRL 3 to 6).

The National Graphene Institute explores 150+ 2D materials beyond graphene.

Startups within the eco-system like AEH innovative hydrogel, Concretene, Vector Homes and Graphene Innovations Manchester secured significant funding.