Discover how G-Volution, a leader in dual fuel technology, collaborated with Brunel'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 Brunel University London. 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 Brunel’s expertise such as Professor Zhao is a winning combination.
Chris continues: “After realising the value of Brunel University’s RIEm programme, we have invested in a joint PhD partnership with Brunel 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 Brunel’s pool of academic and technical expertise.”
I was keen to find out how the RIEm Programme might develop our skills further. We have built G-Volution on partnerships and collaborations so we decided that getting alongside other entrepreneurs at Brunel could be useful. We were also looking for commercialisation expertise as well as guidance about the next levels of finance as we grow.
Chris Smith, Managing Director, G-Volution
G-Volution’s experience shows the importance of developing new areas of innovation while continuing to run the existing business. Chris and his team have successfully formed partnerships within Brunel University and have secured further innovation funding. We are excited to continue to work with G-Volution, including the ongoing joint PhD partnership with the company to address its innovation priorities.
Dr Michael Joseph, Business Development Manager (Healthcare and MedTech) & RIEm Lead
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
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
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Case study last modified 08/08/2024