Accelerating Spinout-led Innovation for UK Energy Materials Research – Launching the EPSRC Electrochemical Entrepreneurship Network+

3 December 2026 | 12:00 – 13:00

Lead: University of Surrey

Author: Professor Jin Xuan at the University of Surrey – Professor of Sustainable Processes, Associate Dean (Research and Innovation) for the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences and Director of UKRI Interdisciplinary Centre for Circular Chemical Economy

Outline

The EPSRC Electrochemical Entrepreneurship Network Plus (EENet+) is a UK-wide network focused on accelerating the translation of electrochemical energy materials from research into real-world impact, with entrepreneurship and spinouts at its core. By connecting researchers, industry and innovators across the Materials for Energy Solutions community, EENet+ aims to overcome barriers to commercialisation through collaboration, training and shared resources.

In this introductory webinar, we will introduce the team leading the network and hear insights from successful entrepreneurs. We will also showcase upcoming flexible funding schemes and special interest groups designed to support innovation, collaboration and technology translation across the community

Surfaces for a sustainable future: the UK Network+ for circular materials innovation

7 December 2026 | 12:00 – 13:00

Lead: Newcastle University

Author: Professor Elizabeth (Libby) Gibson – Professor of Energy Materials at Newcastle University

Outline

The UK Network Plus for Sustainable Coatings, Led by Northumbria and Newcastle Universities, will establish a national hub to coordinate innovation in advanced surface technologies, addressing fragmentation across the coatings ecosystem and accelerating the transition to sustainable, high-performance solutions. Aligned with the National Materials Innovation Programme and the Advanced Surface Technologies priority area, the network will unite academia, industry, Catapults and government to address challenges associated with carbon-intensive manufacturing, hazardous chemistries, non-sustainable feedstocks, and difficult-to-recycle coating systems. Focusing on Materials 4.0 and applications such as sustainable surface protection and tribology solutions, the initiative will unite the community to advance circular design, extend product lifetimes, and improve resource efficiency across sectors including energy, transport, healthcare, defence and manufacturing. The network will coordinate expertise, infrastructure and data resources; promote AI-enabled materials design; support proof-of-concept projects and scale-up activities; and develop skills in sustainable coatings and digital materials science. Together, it will strengthen UK competitiveness, resilience and environmental sustainability through accelerated translation of research into industrial impact.

In this session we will introduce the Network+ and present a selection of case studies to illustrate how pressures of regulation, decarbonisation, and supply chain resilience are driving innovation in sustainable surface and coatings.

An Introduction to the EPSRC Healthcare Interfaces Network+

8 December 2026 | 12:00 – 13:00

Lead: Manchester Metropolitan University

Author: Professor Michael Bryant – Professor and Chair of Tribology and Corrosion Engineering at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), within the School of Engineering and Environment.

Outline

Healthcare technologies depend on the interfaces where materials meet the human body. From joint replacements and urinary catheters to wearable sensors, interactions with tissues, fluids and microbes shape performance, durability and patient outcomes. Understanding and engineering these dynamic interfaces offers opportunities to reduce device failure, improve function and accelerate the translation of advanced materials into clinical practice.

This webinar introduces Healthcare Interfaces Network+ (HCI+), an EPSRC-funded initiative connecting researchers, clinicians, industry, regulators, standards bodies and patients to address shared challenges in healthcare materials. The network brings together three linked perspectives: the biological interface, where materials interact with the body; the deployment interface, encompassing design, manufacture, testing and clinical use; and the health-system interface, where evidence, regulation and patient priorities determine adoption. Together, these perspectives connect materials innovation with the practical requirements of healthcare delivery.

Drawing on research in joint replacement, surface engineering and preclinical testing, the presentation will illustrate how friction, wear, corrosion and biological responses interact to influence device performance. Examples will highlight opportunities for functional surfaces, protective coatings and more representative testing approaches to support the development of safer and longer-lasting technologies.

We will outline how organisations and individuals can engage with HCI+ through challenge-definition workshops, capability mapping, training, secondments and planned flexible funding for collaborative feasibility studies. Working with Innovate UK Business Connect, the network will help connect industrial and clinical needs with relevant expertise and facilities. The session will close with Q&A and an invitation to help shape the network’s priorities, identify collaboration opportunities and build future research partnerships.

An Introduction to the EPSRC Responsible and resilient electronic and electromagnetic (RaRE) Materials Network Plus

10 December 2026 | 12:00 – 13:00

Lead: University of Glasgow

Author: Prof. Mahmoud Wagih – Professor of Responsible Electronics, PI: EPSRC RaRE Network+, Responsible & Resilient Electronic & Electromagnetic Materials, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow

Outline

The Responsible and Resilient Electronic and Electromagnetic Materials (RaRE) Network+ will be the focal point for creating a sustainable flow for translating material innovation to electronic systems, from semiconductors, sustainable materials, to electromagnetic and wireless tech. Despite the UK’s strong research excellence in applied materials, and in electronics design and integration, these communities remain disconnected. RaRE aims to foster a unified community and adopting transferable, industry-standard characterisation across materials’ electronic and electromagnetic performance, which enable sector-agnostic innovation. In this talk we will outline how the industrial community can engage with the RaRE Network Plus, the Flexible Funding opportunities, and what activities are planned. We will also highlight some relevant case studies and emerging trends in the area.