Heriot-Watt helps launch £1.4m network to turn UK clean energy research into commercial succes
Heriot-Watt University helps launch £1.4m network to turn UK clean energy research into commercial success
Heriot-Watt University is helping drive a new £1.4 million UK-wide initiative designed to support researchers in transforming cutting-edge clean energy technologies into commercial products and spin-out companies.
If we can help turn a great idea into a new technology, a spin-out company or a product that contributes to the net-zero transition, that is exactly what this initiative is designed to achieve
Dr Bing Xu
Director of the Centre for Sustainable Finance at the University's Edinburgh Business School
The Electrochemical Entrepreneurship Network Plus (EENet+), led by the University of Surrey and funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) through the National Materials Innovation Programme, aims to bridge the gap between promising laboratory research and real-world commercial deployment.
Bringing together universities, industry experts, entrepreneurs and investors from across the UK, the network will support innovation in electrochemical and energy materials technologies, including fuel cells, energy storage systems and technologies that can convert captured carbon dioxide into valuable products.
Heriot-Watt is one of the network's partner institutions, represented by Professor Bing Xu from the University’s Edinburgh Business School. Unlike a traditional research grant, EENet+ is designed to build a national innovation community, supporting researchers through networking opportunities, commercialisation training, funding calls and connections with industry and investors.
Led by the University of Surrey, this network project is being worked on by Imperial College London, Loughborough University, University of Glasgow, University of Liverpool, University of Oxford and Heriot-Watt University.
A £460,000 flexible funding pot managed through the network will support proof-of-concept projects, mobility placements and community-led initiatives across the UK, with the first funding call expected to open in early 2027. Researchers based in Scotland will be eligible to apply.
Professor Bing Xu, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Finance at the University's Edinburgh Business School, said: "The UK has world-leading research in electrochemical technologies and energy materials, but too often there remains a gap between a promising idea and a solution that can make a real-world impact.
"This network is about helping researchers translate their research into practical technologies, supporting them as they move towards commercialisation. That is where we can create real impact.
"If we can help turn a great idea into a new technology, a spin-out company or a product that contributes to the net-zero transition, that is exactly what this initiative is designed to achieve."
Professor Angus Laing, Executive Dean of Edinburgh Business School, said: “At Edinburgh Business School, we are committed to supporting research that promotes responsible business and creates a more sustainable future. EENet+ reflects these ambitions, bringing researchers, industry, and investors together to turn promising ideas into practical solutions. Building on our expertise in sustainable finance, this network offers an exciting opportunity to support innovation, drive sustainable economic growth and make a meaningful difference to societies around the world.”
The network will also provide entrepreneurship and commercialisation training for early-career researchers, helping them develop the skills and connections needed to bring innovative technologies to market.
EENet+ brings together expertise from universities across the UK, creating opportunities for researchers to collaborate, access specialist facilities and engage with investors and industrial partners who can help accelerate commercial development.
By 2030, the network aims to strengthen the UK's pipeline of clean energy technologies and increase the number of electrochemical innovations progressing towards commercial deployment, supporting economic growth and the country's net-zero ambitions.
How researchers can get involved
Researchers based in Scotland who are developing electrochemical or energy materials technologies are encouraged to engage with EENet+ and monitor upcoming funding opportunities, training programmes and networking events.
Further information on the first funding call will be shared through the network in 2027.