The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has announced a £3m ($3.7m) seed corn fund to foster the development and commercialisation of engineering biology innovations that have emerged from the previously established engineering biology mission hubs.
The fund is designed to accelerate the journey from discovery to market for engineering biology breakthroughs. It will assist in scaling technologies with commercial potential, developing sustainable business models, and facilitating engagement with investors and end-users.
Activities supported by the fund also include market discovery and providing enterprise and entrepreneurship training.
This strategic investment underscores the potential of engineering biology to address critical global issues such as the creation of plastic-free packaging and the development of sustainable fuels.
The University of Portsmouth's Centre for Enzyme Innovation (CEI) will benefit from a share of this funding.
The CEI is spearheading the Preventing Plastic Pollution with Engineering Biology (P3EB) Mission Hub, a project focused on converting end-of-life plastic waste into valuable resources using advanced enzyme technology.
The P3EB Mission Hub's goal is to revolutionise the way we handle plastic waste by adding value to it, thereby encouraging its collection and reuse. This approach aims to significantly reduce the volume of plastic waste ending up in landfills, incinerators, or the natural environment.
University of Portsmouth senior research fellow Dr Victoria Bemmer said: “We are thrilled to receive a share of the seed corn funding, which we will use to fund activities aimed at stimulating commercial impact from research across the mission hub, via a series of smaller projects probing the technical feasibility and market viability of discoveries from the P3EB Mission Hub work.
“The funding also provides an exciting opportunity to develop a series of training events and workshops in commercialisation and innovation for all hub members, from early career researchers to established academics.”
P3EB Mission Hub director of the CEI and lead principal investigator Professor Andy Pickford said: “This seed corn funding will support early-stage innovation, enabling researchers to deliver environmental and societal impact from their transformative biotechnological solutions, and help promote a transition towards a circular plastics economy.”
