Plasma Fresh, a University of Liverpool spin-out, is pioneering cold plasma sterilisation to tackle pathogens in food production without chemicals or excess water. The team recently raised £1 million to scale its technology and bring safer, more sustainable solutions to the food industry.
From university research to market need
Foodborne illness remains a major global challenge, costing lives and creating billions in economic loss every year. Conventional sterilisation methods often rely on water, heat or chemicals, which add cost, complexity and environmental burden.
Plasma Fresh is addressing this with a pioneering cold plasma technology that disinfects food and equipment in-line without water or chemicals. The system is retrofittable to existing production lines and dramatically reduces energy use and downtime, key priorities for modern food manufacturers.
ICURe: Building the foundations for growth
Plasma Fresh’s journey began in the lab at the University of Liverpool, but it was through the Innovate UK ICURe programme that the idea began to take shape commercially.
Entrepreneurial Lead Aaron Dickenson took part in ICURe Discover in January 2022 and ICURe Explore in November 2022. These programmes helped the team test customer demand, refine its business model and engage with food processors who validated the need for safer, greener disinfection.
ICURe gave me the confidence and training to take our technology out of the lab and into the commercial world. Speaking with potential customers early on was invaluable in shaping our direction and proving there was appetite for a solution like Plasma Fresh.
– Aaron Dickenson, Head of Operations, Plasma Fresh
A £1 Million boost for scale-up
In July 2025 Plasma Fresh secured £1 million in pre-seed funding from Northern Gritstone’s NG Studios, Deepbridge Capital, LYVA Labs and an Innovate UK grant. This investment will fund pilot installations with major food processors, expand the engineering team, and broaden the technology’s applications beyond food into other sectors.
“This investment round is a major milestone for the company, which will allow us to get closer to revolutionising the way food is disinfected today,” said Lucas Cordoni, CEO, Plasma Fresh.
The round builds on the company’s participation in Northern Gritstone’s NG Studios programme, where it showcased its innovation to hundreds of investors at Demo Day.
University backing for entrepreneurial success
The University of Liverpool has played an active role in supporting Plasma Fresh, from research through to spin-out.
“Plasma Fresh demonstrates the strength of Liverpool’s innovation ecosystem – world-class science, entrepreneurial talent and the right support to take ideas to market. Seeing the team secure this investment and scale their impact is a fantastic outcome,” said Emma Nolan, Head of Enterprise, Enterprise Team, University of Liverpool.