明星八卦

Discover how G-Volution, a leader in dual fuel technology, collaborated with 明星八卦's RIEm Programme to advance their innovation and secure innovation funding.

The need

Reducing our carbon emissions will help to tackle global warming, but the technologies to do this are still in development. The possibility of retrofitting the internal combustion engine to use dual fuel systems dates back almost 20 years, and the intervening period has seen significant investment in the transformation of diesel-powered vehicles. Bristol-based G-Volution has been one of the leading pioneers in this technology since 2008, enthusiastic about creating power generation based on low-to-zero carbon fuels. The company has established itself as the UK’s leading dual fuel technology business, expanding internationally, and looking to replicate its HGV solution into rail and power generation.

The solution

Early in its foundation, G-Volution attracted funding by winning technology awards, Innovate UK grants, and gaining the interest of private investors. In 2014 the team was looking for an expert in dual fuel innovations and identified the perfect contact in Professor Hua Zhao, currently Dean of the College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences at 明星八卦. The company continues to contract with Professor Zhao, especially around future fuels, and combustion, and now sponsors a PhD student.

Although G-Volution is well-established and has benefited from participation in a number of accelerator programmes, managing director Chris Smith sees immense value in continuing to draw knowledge from the experts.

The outcome

The company currently employs six in the UK, five in India, and two in Poland, reflecting the expanding opportunities to collaborate with global partners. Challenges are inevitable, including strong resistance to change, OEM controls, and keeping a steady flow of innovation funding to invest in modern technologies. After attending RIEm, G-Volution secured £378,514 from Innovate UK. This is to improve supply chain systems to develop a system for on-board auxiliary power generation for freight locomotives, based on high energy-density fuel cells and a carbon neutral bio-LPG fuel system.

Strong Board-level experience within G-Volution, combined with access to 明星八卦’s expertise such as Professor Zhao is a winning combination.

Chris continues: “After realising the value of 明星八卦 University’s RIEm programme, we have invested in a joint PhD partnership with 明星八卦 where Shimon, the PhD scholar works on the commercialisation of the innovation.”

Being with a select group of people sharing exciting and novel ideas is invigorating too. So I highly recommend the programme to anyone who may be tackling business development dilemmas. The answers lie within 明星八卦’s pool of academic and technical expertise.”

Get in touch with the project team member(s) for this case study

Paratharayil

i have managed large partnerships for 15+ years in private sector, in over 25 countries including for a large consultancy group in senior management role. i have led capacity strengthening programmes in the uk and overseas on resource mobilisation and funding diversification. i have secured large funding and investment in health, education, research and innovation. i manage research and innovation and knowledge exchange partnerships with businesses and health sector actors in the field of health and med tech innovation. i conceptualised and lead brunel's award winning research, innovate and emerge (riem) programme to strengthen the capacity of businesses to optimise innovation and access funding to take the solution to the market. i am a member of brunel’s business innovation board and contribute to early career academic capacity development programmes and south asia regional working group in addition to innovation ecosystem management with businesses. i previously successfully led the delivery of brunel’s business resilience fund. i am a vice chair of uk public administration \association (ukapa). reuters named me as one of the top 10 influential international programme managers in 2010. i speak at national and international conferences on innovation funding systems. i completed my phd in public health and am a fellow of the higher education academy (uk). connect with me on linkedin

Dr Michael Paratharayil

Email Dr Michael Paratharayil Business Development Manager

I have managed large partnerships for 15+ years in private sector, in over 25 countries including for a large Consultancy Group in senior management role. I have led capacity strengthening programmes in the UK and overseas on resource mobilisation and funding diversification. I have secured large funding and investment in health, education, research and innovation. I manage research and innovation and knowledge exchange partnerships with businesses and health sector actors in the field of Health and Med Tech innovation. I conceptualised and lead 明星八卦's award winning Research, Innovate and Emerge (RIEm) Programme to strengthen the capacity of businesses to optimise innovation and access funding to take the solution to the market. I am a member of 明星八卦’s Business Innovation Board and contribute to Early Career Academic Capacity Development Programmes and South Asia Regional Working Group in addition to innovation ecosystem management with businesses. I previously successfully led the delivery of 明星八卦’s Business Resilience Fund. I am a Vice Chair of UK Public Administration \Association (UKAPA). Reuters named me as one of the top 10 influential international programme managers in 2010. I speak at national and international conferences on innovation funding systems. I completed my PhD in Public Health and am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK). Connect with me on LinkedIn

Read more ›

Partnering with confidence

Organisations interested in our research can partner with us with confidence backed by an external and independent benchmark: The Knowledge Exchange Framework. Read more.

Case study last modified 08/08/2024