Space Park move for growing air quality monitoring firm
A University of Leicester spinout created to tackle air pollution is moving to a new research and innovation centre launched to support the city’s fast-growing space industry.
EarthSense was formed to develop and launch new commercial services to provide better air quality monitoring services on the back of cutting-edge research.
Following year-on-year growth and a recruitment drive to bring the team up to 26, the company is now taking up a whole floor at the new Space Park Leicester – which has been led by the University of Leicester and been designed to enable collaboration between researchers and industry.
EarthSense was previously based at nearby DOCK, a hub for high tech, low carbon and innovative businesses, where it had shared office space, but the relocation will see the firm benefit from increased workspace as well as collaborative working with other private sector experts and academics.
EarthSense was developed following 15 years of research at the University of Leicester, eventually spinning out in 2016. Its scientists have created the Zephyr®, an air quality monitor designed to measure the real-time levels of harmful gases and particulates in ambient air and the high-resolution map of air pollution, MappAir®.
EarthSense have also introduced MyAir®, an intuitive web application which allows its clients to view, analyse and download measured and modelled air quality data all in one platform.
Dr Roland Leigh, technical director of the company, said: “Our mission is to seamlessly provide the most detailed global air quality information, showing real-time exposure and actionable future forecasting to optimise decision making and mitigation, for the betterment of human health.”
Tom Hall, EarthSense’s managing director, added: “We have enjoyed recent growth during a challenging time and to enable us to continue to expand, we are becoming part of the Space Park Leicester community. We will not just benefit from the increased space, but also the opportunity to collaborate with other companies and academics from the university.”
