University of Birmingham alumnus named Forbes innovator

UNIVERSITY of Birmingham alumnus Dr Amrit Chandan has been highlighted as a standout entrepreneur with his inclusion in a new report promoting future innovators.

Dr Chandan is recognised in the Science & Healthcare category of the Forbes 30 under 30 Europe list for co-founding Aceleron, a cleantech startup specialising in lithium-ion batteries.

The company looks at how the batteries, which are commonly used in electric cars, can be repurposed for use in developing countries that are in need of cheap, rechargeable energy storage.
 
Dr Chandan’s interest in business has evolved considerably since he started his PhD in Chemical Engineering at the university.  At that stage he considered a career in industry, but rejected the option after engaging with the university’s training for academic entrepreneurs.  

He received extensive support from the university’s commercialisation team, through its high tech incubation services, offered by BizzInn.  He set up Blue Vine Consulting in 2013 to provide technical market intelligence about the automotive, energy and technology sectors.  

He went on to found Aceleron in 2016, with Carlton Cummins, who he met while working with a Blue Vine client.  The entrepreneurs share a vision to accelerate access to affordable energy storage in developing regions of the world, where the fall in solar electricity technology prices has encouraged rapid transition away from imported fuels.

However, these countries lack access to the essential energy storage due to the high cost of today’s storage solutions.  

The UK is expected to produce nearly 3 million kg of battery waste from electric cars purchased in the last five years.  While the repurposed batteries are of limited use to the electric car industry, they can be used as a safe, effective and cost-effective power storage facility for energy derived from renewable sources.   

The university provided training and support to Aceleron when the company participated in the 2016 PitchFest West Midlands, which connects investors with growth companies in the region.  

Dr James Wilkie, Director of Enterprise & Innovation at the University of Birmingham, said: “We are delighted that Amrit has been recognised by Forbes as ‘one to watch’.  His success, and the 50 jobs created by new growth businesses we have helped get started in the BizzInn demonstrate how the university is helping local entrepreneurs to succeed.”

The Forbes 30 under 30 Europe list is produced by Forbes magazine annually to highlight the young disruptors, innovators and entrepreneurs who are impatient to change the world.  The Europe list honours 30 young stars in 10 categories from finance to the arts to industry.

Also recognised locally are social media entrepreneurs Jodie and Ben Cook, who this month saw the distribution of their Clever Tykes series of storybooks to every primary school in the UK as part of a partnership with Lloyds Banking Group.

Mrs Cook, Birmingham’s Young Professional of the Year 2014, and her husband Ben created and authored the series of enterprise storybooks with the aim to get young children aged six to nine to better understand and be inspired by entrepreneurship.

Mr Cook said: “We are both delighted to be among the list of 30 social entrepreneurs chosen by the judges to feature in this prestigious list. To be side by side with so many talented innovators and businesses is a great feeling.

“(With) the culmination of our long journey to get Clever Tykes placed into schools we are looking forward to seeing the impact of the books in classrooms and through our portal and to receiving feedback from both teachers and parents.”

Also named is King Edwards VI Five Ways School alumni, Anisa Haghdadi, the founder of Beatfreeks.