Seren wins Royal Society of Chemistry prize
Seren Photonics, one of thirty finalists at the recent Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Emerging Technologies Competition, was awarded the 3rd place prize for its innovation in semi-polar GaN templates for next generation LEDs.
Presenters from across Europe went head-to-head to pitch their ideas for the latest healthcare, energy and sustainability, and materials technologies to panels of industry experts. The competition, in its third year, included small companies and academic entrepreneurs from nine countries outside the UK for the first time, including Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
Seren's technology and business strategy, presented by CDO Bedwyr Humphreys, emphasised the significant benefits of semi-polar GaN in enhancing the performance of today's LEDs, enabling accelerated adoption in automotive and general lighting applications.
Commenting on the award, Humphreys said, "We've worked hard to identify our key markets, articulate our USPs and develop a compelling value proposition for our customers. Receiving this second award so close after winning an award at the European Venture Capital Forum in Rome, really emphasises the impact this technology could have on the LED industry".
Founded in 2009 by venture capital firm FusionIP plc (now part of IPGroup plc), Seren Photonics is a spin-out from the University of Sheffield. It has commercialised technology developed by Tao Wang of the Electronic and Electrical Engineering Department and uses nano engineered structures to enhance the properties of III-Nitride materials.
The Royal Society of Chemistry's Emerging Technologies Competition is an annual innovation competition. Now in its third year, the competition aims to accelerate the commercialisation of the best and most impactful ideas in healthcare, energy and sustainability, and materials. It is backed by multinational partner companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, Croda, Procter & Gamble, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, GE Healthcare, Schlumberger and Lubrizol.
The final of the Emerging Technologies Competition 2015 was held in London on 29 June.
