Member Article

Manchester University spin-out closes in on graphene goals

University of Manchester spin-out 2DTech is ready to bring applications using “super material” graphene closer to reality.

The firm is based at the University’s Innovation Centre, where research is being carried out on graphene by world-class experts, Professor Andre Geim and Professor Kostya Novoselov, who are developing the material.

2DTech produces graphene and two other 2D materials and is headed up by graphene researcher Dr Branson Belle.

The company already sells the material all over the world, and is meeting the fast-growing demand for the world’s thinnest material from academics at the University of Manchester.

Dr Belle said: “At 2-DTech, we provide graphene solutions to enable the graphene revolution to happen. Given that Manchester is the home of the industrial revolution, it is quite fitting that the graphene revolution began here.”

The University provided capital for 2DTech to start up, and its innovation company (UMi3) chief executive, Clive Rowland, said there is a strong market demand for their product.

He commented: “A number of researchers, especially Dr Branson Belle, who had been researching 2-D materials and making graphene for a long time, became interested in the business side.

“Therefore we have a motivated core of know-how to form the basis upon which to set-up something sustainable completely outside of the academic clean room facilities. We are now busy developing the business.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .