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British Geological Survey team scoop top prize

13 December 2012

A team of budding entrepreneurs from the British Geological Survey (BGS) has scooped the top prize at the Environment Young Entrepreneurs Scheme (YES) 2012 competition.

The winners, Capture Company, showcased their idea for a calcium-based filter to collect carbon dioxide emissions from vehicle exhausts at the competition final on Tuesday 11 December.

Team members Gemma Purser, Jon Mackay, Sarah Smith, Lauren Jones and Simon Gregory won with their idea to tackle the problem of rising carbon dioxide emissions from cars. They had to develop and present a comprehensive business plan in an earlier workshop round, then present their ideas to an expert panel of judges in the London based final.

The winning team from the British Geological Survey. Copyright Tim Gander.

Environment YES is jointly organised by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the University of Nottingham Institute for Enterprise & Innovation (UNIEI) to enable environmental scientists to develop their skills and understanding of taking a research idea into the wider marketplace.

NERC Chief Executive Professor Duncan Wingham said, "The participants in this competition gain valuable skills in taking NERC's world class science and translating it into wider impacts for the economy and society."

The competition sees postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers develop hypothetical business plans for plausible companies. They receive help and advice from speakers, mentors and judges in areas such as intellectual property, financial planning and marketing.

The team members assume the roles of directors of their company and seek funding for their business plan from a group of "equity investors" - drawn from science and industry.

The hypothetical companies compete against each other and during the process participants gain valuable knowledge and skills about entrepreneurship, the world of business and commercialisation, in addition to transferable skills such as team working and time management.

Professor John Ludden, Executive Director of BGS, said, "Congratulations to Capture Company! BGS already have a strong record in developing our research into products and services for industry; it's great to see a new generation of researchers developing the skills to take BGS forward in the future."

Environment YES has taken place for the seventh year alongside its sister competition Biotechnology YES, which is jointly organised by the Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and UNIEI.

The winners of the Biotechnology YES competition were Calvitium Solutions. Team members Ajoeb Baridi, Alap Chavda, Anastasiia Kamenska, Liam Hurst and Linsey Porter impressed a panel of judges with their idea for a hypothetical hair loss prevention product.

Further information

NERC Press Office
Natural Environment Research Council
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon, SN2 1EU
Tel: 01793 411561
Mob: 07917 557215

BGS Press Office
Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5GG
Tel: 0115 936 3257
Mob: 07815 537439

Press release: 31/12

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