Emerging Technologies Competition

The Royal Society of Chemistry's annual innovation competition, celebrating the best of the UK’s early-stage deep-tech chemistry talent.

Applications open 10 February 2025

Register your interest

About the competition

The Emerging Technologies Competition identifies and supports *UK-based chemistry-led technologies.

This exciting annual event provides a valuable platform for early-stage start-ups, spinouts, and academic entrepreneurs to showcase their innovations and gain exposure that will enhance their visibility and attract potential customers, partners, and investors.

*We particularly welcome applications who are led by; women, people from Black and minoritised ethnic backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTQ+ and/or belong to any other underrepresented groups.

Applicants are required to complete an online application covering:

The problem that your technology is addressing
The market opportunities and potential impact of your technology.
Your planned approach to commercialisation.

The judging panel, comprised of experienced deep tech chemistry innovators and leaders, shortlist 24 finalists to the pitch final day.

Before the finale finalists have access to a package of support designed to get your proposition and pitch in tip-top condition, the support will include an IP webinar and pitch training.

At the pitching day finale, one winner from each of the competitions' categories: Enabling Technologies, Energy, Environment and Health, is selected by our judging panel and takes away a share of the £100k prize pot to help advance the development of their technologies.

Why apply

Recognition

An opportunity for your technology to be recognised by the Royal Society of Chemistry, boosting the profile of your innovation, and attracting potential customers, partners, and investors.

Feedback

Constructive and insightful feedback from our experienced competition judges.

Funding

A chance to receive a share of the £100,000 prize pot.

Publicity

Press coverage and exposure of your technology on the Royal Society of Chemistry’s website and social media channels.

Visibility

An opportunity to showcase your innovation to a renowned audience of industry leaders, investors and peers.

Knowledge

Access to a package of support to help further develop your innovation. Topics covered include IP, telling your companies story, pitch training.

Taking part

*You are eligible to apply if you are:

UK-based and developing a chemistry-led technology.
A University entrepreneur, research groups or spinout venture.
From a start-up that has raised less than £/€1 million equity funding (excluding grant funding) and have less than 20 employees.
Aligned with one of the four competition categories (Enabling Technologies, Energy, Environment, Health)

*We particularly welcome applications from start-ups, spin-outs and academic researchers who are women, from Black and minoritised ethnic backgrounds, who identify as LGBTQ+ and/or belong to any other underrepresented groups.

Competition rules

FAQs

2024 finalists pitch day

On 4 July we hosted our finalists and judges for the finale of the 2024 Emerging Technologies Competition.

The 24 finalists across the four competition categories; Enabling Technologies, Energy, Environment & Health, took to the stage to showcase their novel, innovative, and disruptive deep tech chemistry technologies.

The day concluded with the awards presentation where one technology per category was chosen as winner by our panel of judges.

2024 pitch final booklet

Competition categories

Environment

We welcome chemistry driven innovation for new processes and products that deliver significant energy generation, efficiency, or storage improvements, supporting sustainable energy as part of our transition to NetZero.

Topic inspiration:

Resource efficiency and waste minimisation
Recycling technologies
Substitution of toxic or hazardous materials
Environmental monitoring, analysis and remediation
Substitution of critical and scarce materials
Pollution control and remediation
Air: quality and purification
Water: capture, quality, purification and recycling
Renewable feedstocks and formulations
Crop protection and agricultural productivity
Sustainable agriculture
Circular food systems
Future food eg alternative proteins, nutrition

Enabling technologies

We welcome chemistry-led technologies that enable the creation or improvement of products and services across a wide product scope, potentially in combination with other complementary technologies.

Topic inspiration:

Nanotechnology
AI and novel digital chemistry
Smart materials, packaging, and ingredients
Polymers, composites, and coatings
Novel delivery and encapsulation technology
New technology for surface modification
Soft matter materials
Novel catalysts, including enzymes
Novel process technologies
Novel characterisation and analysis methods
Materials for extreme environment

Energy

Renewable energy
Energy efficiency
Energy conversion and storage
Fuel cells
Battery technology
Hydrogen storage and (bio)hydrogen production
Low carbon heating
Carbon capture, storage, and utilisation
Solar energy
Cleaner fuels and lubricants
Energy efficient buildings
New fuels eg biofuels

Health

We welcome chemistry-driven innovation to ensure healthier lives and maintain well-being for all and at all ages, including global healthcare challenges such as COVID.

Topic inspiration:

Antimicrobial resistance
New drugs and therapies
Infectious disease
Personalised medicine
Tissue engineering
& regenerative medicine
Nutrition & obesity
Personalised medicine
Devices for drug delivery
Targeted drug delivery
Novel modes of drug administration for paediatrics and geriatrics
Diagnostic devices (in vivo and in vitro)
New technologies for infection prevention
Screening, collection enhancement and monitoring
Measurements, sensors, and microfluidics

Key contributors

Find out more about our judges, partners, and sponsor who are dedicated in providing support and advice.

Previous winners

We are very proud of the achievements of our 72 winners, who have been selected from hundreds of applicants over the last eleven years.

In that time our winners have gone on to raise a combined total of over £200m in equity investment and grant funding, one has announced a £28m trade sale. We’ve also seen the winners expand overseas, enter commercial contracts, conduct clinical and industrial scale trials, and collectively double their number of employees.

If you are interested in collaborating with – or investing in – any of our winners please get in touch using the contact details on this page.

Winners gallery

Applications open 10 February 2025

Don't miss out on the opportunity to get your technology recognised!

If you would like more information, would like to judge or sponsor the competition. Email our Programme Manager: Emily Vipond.