Imperial’s clean tech startups showcase innovative solutions in New York

Imperial's President Hugh Brady speaking at the New York clean tech startup showcase.

Five of Imperial’s most exciting clean tech startups have showcased their innovative solutions for sustainability issues in New York City.

As part of Imperial College London’s visit to New York for Climate Week, startups led by alumni from the university’s thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem highlighted their work to build a climate resilient future.

"Creating deeper connections with the US will accelerate advances in science and technology to tackle global grand challenges such as climate change." Professor Hugh Brady President of Imperial College London

The event, which brought together alumni, regional partners, policymakers, investors and founders, was hosted by Professor Mary Ryan, Imperial’s Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise), and featured opening remarks from Imperial’s President, Professor Hugh Brady, and Alyssa Gilbert, Director of Undaunted, Imperial's climate change innovation hub, run in partnership with the Royal Institution.

The five startups who showcased at the event were:

Notpla – winners of Prince William’s £1m Earthshot Prize who have created seaweed-based alternatives to single-use plastics. Their technology has reached full industrialisation, with millions of units sold across nine EU countries and the US.
ToffeeX – leaders in physics-driven generative design used by the world’s leading engineering organisations to accelerate their path to sustainability, working with companies such as Toyota, Airbus and Rolls-Royce.
Cyanoskin – an innovative ‘living paint’ designed to transform buildings into carbon dioxide-absorbing structures, providing a cost-effective tool for reducing emissions and addressing urban pollution. The business was co-founded by a student from the Business School.
Multus Biotechnology Ltd – a technology company working on developing affordable growth media for cultivated meat products, aiming to make the production of cultivated meat accessible to all at scale.
Team Repair – an award-winning team designing electronics repair kits for children to build their confidence in STEM and teach them skills to tackle the e-waste crisis.

Antoinette Nothomb from Cyanoskin presenting at the startup showcase.

Speaking at the event, Professor Brady highlighted the importance of collaboration between the UK and the US, which is why Imperial recently announced its first physical presence in the US with a new Imperial Global hub located in San Francisco.

Professor Brady said: "Imperial Global USA will strengthen Imperial’s academic and industry partnerships, showcase our education portfolio to new audiences, engage our fantastic alumni, encourage exchange of top talent and link our founders to new innovation ecosystems.

"Creating deeper connections with the US will accelerate advances in science and technology to tackle global grand challenges such as climate change."

Attendees at the New York clean tech startup showcase.

Sustainable Imperial

As a world-leader in climate change research, Imperial is committed to developing and supporting technologies that address the interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

In addition to this work, the university announced a set of new sustainability initiatives in Spring 2024 as part of its ongoing commitment to a sustainable, zero pollution future, including an ambitious plan to achieve a net zero estate by 2040.

Imperial also recently announced that it would be among the first universities to adopt a new sustainability initiative to improve research and innovation practices - the Concordat for the Environmental Sustainability of Research and Innovation Practice.

The university’s commitment to improving sustainability on its campuses was recently recognised in the QS World University Rankings for 2025, which ranked Imperial among the world’s top ten universities for ‘Sustainability’, placing it in sixth position.