Lontra Limited

Lontra is an innovative clean tech business, which is developing a proprietary energy efficient compressor and engine design with applications including waste water treatment, industrial air and automotive superchargers.

Aeristech Limited

Aeristech has developed a novel fuel efficient and low-cost hybrid turbocharger technology with applications in the automotive and power generation industries. The traditional turbocharger is decoupled into a turbine and a compressor powered by an electric motor. The electrical storage created provides an opportunity to vastly reduce turbo lag resulting in increased performance and reduced emissions. This enables automotive manufacturers to downsize engines without impacting performance.

Novel Polymer Solutions

Novel Polymer Solutions was formed to exploit a new system of producing radiation curable polymers developed by Qinetiq in their Malvern research centre. This introduces the scope to produce polymers with properties that are novel or otherwise difficult to achieve. The method allows the simple production of mimics of conventional polymers and the creation of new and novel polymers via a radiation curable monomer. Other investors include the Environmental Technologies Fund who invested £3.5m in 2008.

Warwick Effect Polymers

Warwick Effect Polymers has developed a new technology, transition metal mediated Living Radical Polymerisation, which allows the production of complex polymers under greater control than conventional polymerisation techniques. The company is looking to exploit its platform technology to become a provider of polymer technology to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.

Ionic Polymer Solutions

IPS is a spin out from Novel Polymer Solutions Limited (NPS), an existing Advantage Growth Fund investment. NPS has granted to IPS the exclusive right to exploit the intellectual property in the manufacture of proton conducting monomers and polymers using novel UV curable diene systems. The technology has a number of potential applications including water free proton conduction in fuel cells and anion pumping for acid regeneration in the metal finishing processes.

Oxsensis

Oxsensis is pioneering a 'new breed' of optical instrumentation for precision controls in super harsh environments such as highly efficient car and aero engines, and in industrial,electrical,nuclear and space applications.

Microbial Solutions

Microbial Solutions’ innovative on-site bacterial process can treat metal working fluids in a much more environmentally friendly manner, producing grey water that is safe to dispose of in the sewerage system, and with no methane production in the process - so lower greenhouse gas impact. Water re-use is also possible, and the Company can offer treatment price certainty and stability to manufacturers, on a non-capital investment ‘pay-as-you-treat’ per litre basis.

The technology has been successfully trialed with a leading car manufacturer. Microbial Solutions has now moved to new office and laboratory facilities in Oxfordshire, and following an introduction by Houghton Europe, is also close to completing the first commercial pilot of its patent protected bacterial treatment, known as ‘Microcycle™ Technology’ at the site of a major aerospace manufacturer. RSF made a pathfinder investment in 2004 and the Company raised £1.2m towards the end of 2007 from a syndicate including RSF and Oxford Capital Partners.

Inscentinel

Inscentinel Ltd is a biotechnology company specialising in harnessing the olfactory ability of insects for trace vapour detection. Our primary focus is the development of a new generation of handheld portable detectors, through the use of live honeybees. This unique Inscentinel Technology offers sensitive vapour detection coupled with distinct operational advantages.