Venture Acceleration Programme

Our community and support for deep tech chemistry ventures

Register your interest

Your chemistry breakthrough deserves a commercial future.

You've developed an innovation with the potential to make a difference. Now comes the challenge of turning that scientific progress into a successful venture.

Change Makers is the UK's only accelerator dedicated to deep-tech chemistry, backed by the Royal Society of Chemistry. We help founders develop their commercial proposition, navigate the challenges of building a business and prepare for the opportunities ahead.

Through specialist mentoring, practical masterclasses and connections across the chemistry and investment communities, you'll gain the support to take your venture further.

Register your interest today or scroll to find out more about our upcoming programme

Could your innovation be part of our next cohort?

Our next Change Makers cohort focuses on sustainable polymers in liquid formulations (PLFs) and innovative alternatives.

If you're developing breakthrough chemistry with the potential to transform how liquid formulations are made, used or perform, we'd love to hear from you.

Explore the next cohort

Programme benefits

Find your commercial opportunity
Understand potential markets, customer needs and how to develop a compelling proposition.

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Build your venture with expert guidance
Access mentoring and practical expertise relevant to early-stage chemistry businesses.

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Become investor-ready
Strengthen your investment proposition and prepare for potential investor conversations.

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Connect with the right people
Build relationships through the RSC's chemistry, business and investment networks

Join a community of chemistry innovators
Learn alongside founders navigating similar scientific and commercial challenges

Keep full ownership of your venture
Access specialist support without giving up equity or paying programme fees

Change Makers ventures

You’ll be in good company. See just a snapshot of some of the ventures supported by the Change Makers Venture Accelerator below, or explore the full gallery .

ConsoneAI

Reducing animal testing with AI-driven cross-species toxicity predictions
DioScor is an AI-powered decision support platform that predicts toxicity and side effects across multiple animals and humans. Enabling early comparison of compound safety profiles, reducing reliance on animal testing, lowers development risks, and accelerates safer drug/molecule discovery decisions from go/no-go to molecule redesign before any testing.

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Zonova

Antimicrobial technology embedded in medical devices to prevent infection.

Zonova’s patented antimicrobial technology is embedded into medical devices, such as IV lines and catheters, at the manufacturing stage. This creates a protective surface that continuously kills a broad spectrum of pathogens, including drug-resistant strains like MRSA. This aims to prevent hospital-acquired infections, reduce antibiotic reliance, and lower healthcare costs.

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ModelMole

Creative thinking in therapeutics with easy simulation and validation

ModelMole accelerates drug discovery with an integrated AI platform, automating compound design and optimisation. Unlike niche competitors, our broader solution combines machine learning and computational chemistry to address diverse therapeutic areas at significantly reduced costs. We’ve proven success with European biotech firms, driving faster, efficient drug and peptide candidate development.

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BlaiseAI

AI-first platform accelerating medicinal chemistry innovation and drug discovery.

Blaise AI is a medicinal chemistry-first LLM platform that empowers drug developers with intelligent design, automated scoring, and knowledge recall. By integrating project data, running analyses offline, and simulating the output of an expert team, Blaise AI accelerates discovery while freeing scientists to focus on creativity and critical decision-making.

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Advanced Nanoparticles

Nanocomposite fluorophore which eliminates autofluorescence interference to image fine details.

Autofluorescence interference of intrinsic biomolecules hinders resolution of fine details in bioimaging at the cellular level. We have developed a nanocomposite fluorophore which displays persistent room-temperature phosphorescence which fluoresces longer than the interference and allowing fine-detail distinctions at the cellular level and advancing disease understanding and treatments, for example.

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Molecular Titans

Materials providing rapid information on the identity of infectious microbes.

We are developing rapid point of care diagnostics for infectious diseases that do not require laboratory facilities. The technology is based on unique smart nano-polymer materials and state-the-art macromolecular physics concepts.

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New Path Molecular

Building biologics better with synthetic chemistry.

We have developed a chemistry platform enabling medicinal chemistry on proteins. Inspired by natural proteins, we remake them from the amino acids up, optimising their properties, developing therapies for hard-to-treat diseases. Our lead project is a tumour agnostic drug conjugate for high-unmet medical need cancers including colon and pancreas.

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Microsol

Accerelated formulation development for inhaled therapies

We're rethinking how inhaled drugs are formulated. At Microsol, we combine precise single-particle measurements with predictive simulations to design better formulations, faster. That means earlier decisions, less material, and fewer failures. It’s a smarter, de-risked path to delivering complex therapies, especially biologics, into the lungs where they need to work.

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Sustainable Sailing

Through green chemistry and biotechnology, we render the unrecyclable, recyclable.

We are challenging how circular economy focussed technologies are built, to enable zero waste manufacturing for businesses. By developing green chemistry and biotechnology solutions, we render the unrecyclable, recyclable, reducing the flow of manufacturing waste to landfill for businesses, while providing high performance products.

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Repolywise

First truly closed-loop for waste polyolefin plastics

Repolywise transforms waste plastics to new via a catalytic technology inspired by research at the University of Oxford. We degrade polyolefins back into their monomers (chiefly propane) in a highly selective, one-step process, operating at lower temperatures and pressures than prior processes, with good catalyst longevity.

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Fluorocycle

Breaking down “forever chemicals” with scalable low energy destruction technology.

We have developed a chemical process capable of destroying a broad range of PFAS “forever chemicals”. This chemical destruction approach breaks down PFAS at 10x lower temperatures than high temperature incineration (HTI) and uses simple reagents to fully mineralise PFAS into fluoride salts. Low energy and affordable PFAS elimination onsite.

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Anthera Remediation Technologies

Forever chemicals, gone forever.

We’ve developed a sustainable, cost-effective solution to degrade over 90% of harmful PFAS compounds in contaminated waters without using high temperatures or pressure. Our process reduces energy use, operational costs, and alleviates public health risks, offering a more efficient alternative to current PFAS remediation methods.

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Pure Capture Innovations

Next-generation sustainable adsorbent for short-chain PFAS and other difficult micropollutants.

Pure Capture develops sustainable biochar-molecular filter composites that outperform activated carbon, capturing short-chain PFAS and micropollutants from water. Drop-in replacement cuts embodied carbon 80%, OPEX 60%, and eliminates CAPEX. Circular sludge-to-biochar and end-of-life repurposing in the built-environment locks away carbon while protecting public health—UK manufacturing for net-zero water security.

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2Encapsulate

Electrochemical destruction of PFAS contaminants in water.

Encapsulate is developing an electrochemical treatment system that permanently destroys PFAS in contaminated water. Using Magnéli phase titanium suboxide electrodes, the technology breaks the strong carbon-fluorine bonds responsible for PFAS persistence. The modular system is designed for landfill leachate, industrial wastewater and firefighting foam contamination.

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Kodiaq Technologies

Metal-free electrolytes for battery-based long-duration energy storage

We have developed innovative, high-energy-density electrolytes for renewable energy storage. These electrolytes consist of metal-free molecules and, in conjunction with redox flow batteries, offer an alternative to current metal-based technologies. With their high energy densities, they provide significantly increased return on investment and strengthen the case for renewable energy installations.

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Mantisonix

Sound waves to eliminate forever chemicals (high-frequency ultrasound)

Our technology destroys PFAS (per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances) and other persistent pollutants. We use sonolysis (ultrasound cavitation) to convert pollutants to naturally occurring compounds. The process is catalyst- and chemical-free and is robust for different contamination types. Our process is highly scalable and is suitable for in-situ deployment.

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Solveteq

Maximising Metal Extraction

Metals are essential. However, extracting and refining metals is energy-intensive and expensive. Solveteq’s proprietary solvent-based technology platform extracts various metals at near room temperature, slashing energy use by up to 90% and CO emissions by up to 75% while maximising metal recovery.

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Mode Labs

Plug and play remotely deployable chemical sensors for pollution monitoring

Using optical microcavities, we deliver plug-and-play chemical sensing capabilities in the field, with 10,000x increased sensitivity and 6x longer deployments, at 10% of the cost. Our patented platform technology can be expanded to any analyte in liquid, with applications in water, aquaculture, health, and security markets.

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ADN Coatings

PFAS replacement coatings with multiple liquids repellence

ADN delivers PFAS‑free nanocoatings that repel water, oil, and stains with exceptional durability. Our proprietary chemistry matches PFAS performance at cost parity and integrates seamlessly into existing manufacturing lines, enabling brands to meet rising environmental standards without disruption—proving sustainable materials can outperform legacy solutions.

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Ail Arian

Recyclable silver conductive inks for sustainable printed electronics

Our silver conductive inks facilitate the recycling of electronic waste without any of the highly toxic chemicals currently used, while enabling the separation of the substrate and electrical components. The silver recovered by our process can be reused in the formulation of new conductive inks, reducing costs and environmental impact.

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Demeter Bio

Replacing PFAS with bio-based, durable water and oil repellent coatings

AguaShield is a bio-based, PFAS-free coating that replaces fluorinated finishes while delivering durable water, oil and alcohol repellency. Built from natural polymers and applied using standard waterborne processes, it enables manufacturers to comply with upcoming PFAS bans without sacrificing performance, scalability or existing production infrastructure.

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Nanofinity

Biomolecule-directed precision magnetite nanomaterials for scalable PFAS destruction

We engineer magnetite nanoparticles precisely anchored onto biochar using programmable biological assembly. This creates high surface area, reactive materials that rapidly adsorb and degrade PFAS. The manufacturing process operates at ambient conditions, eliminating high-energy inputs and hazardous synthesis routes while delivering scalable, low-cost products with superior performance and environmental compatibility.

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R3V Tech

Plug-in Cleantech to convert waste into green solvent

We have developed a novel reaction pathway that enables undesired crude glycerol from biodiesel process to be converted into green solvent (Solketal) through electrochemical transformation at room temperature and pressure without cathalyst increasing 50 times its market value. This is novel and inventive and represents a unique capability.

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"I was chatting with someone recently after a pitch and he said, 'You had me onboard with the first slide. If the RSC gives a thumbs up, that’s a massive positive for me.' It's still early days for us, but we joke that there was life pre-Change Makers, and life post-Change Makers – things are really beginning to take off for us, and I thought the feedback from a potential investor captured it really nicely. Change Makers is really making a difference."

Gene Lewis, CEO
Gavion
2025 Cleantech cohort

Who should apply?

We can support ventures that are:
 
  • A UK-registered company, not a subsidiary or spin-out of an existing company.
  • In the early stage of development or the beginning of their commercialisation phase.
  • Addressing an industrial, societal or environmental unmet need or creating a new market.
  • Based on a new chemical technology or process.
  • Committed to following the principles of responsible innovation.

Register your interest


Change Makers supports early-stage UK chemistry ventures developing innovative technologies with the potential to address industrial, societal or environmental challenges. We’re particularly interested in founders working on sustainable polymers in liquid formulations and relevant alternatives for the next cohort.

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