Using AI to boost industrial efficiency
EvoPhase
Manufacturers across the world are being pushed to cut waste and become more sustainable, with climate regulations and industrial subsidies forcing a greening of industry. But optimising production lines is difficult and costly. EvoPhase, founded by four researchers from the School of Chemical Engineering, offers an exciting AI-driven solution.
EvoPhase uses evolutionary algorithms to improve the design and operation of industrial equipment, running quick-fire simulations on how to make it more efficient.
The team launched an Operating Division in 2023, and after a period of rapid growth is exploring the opportunity for a potential spin-out. Its technology has already been used to boost efficiency in Fast-Moving Consumer Goods and cut energy use in food production, with multinational customers including Mondelez and Unilever.
In May 2024, EvoPhase was selected as one of just 10 finalists for the Manchester Prize, a UK government initiative for AI pioneers. The £1m prize will be awarded in 2025, but as a finalist, EvoPhase has already received £100,000 as well as a generous package of non-financial support. It was also awarded £35,000 in funding from ICURe, a pre-accelerator for research, and this initiative financed travel for the group’s CEO Dominik Werner to several international trade shows, and included training in sales and marketing.
To make EvoPhase accessible to smaller companies, the team is now developing a user-friendly Software as a Service (SaaS) platform.
Our goal this year is to build up a Software as a Service platform, which can take our technology into a usable online platform that even SMEs can use without special training.
The Enterprise team has supported EvoPhase throughout this period of growth, helping to build a marketing package and with initial customer contact. “They’re a great team, and it’s a helpful and supportive environment in every way. We had a lot of support with initial customer contact, and we already have some money in the bank,” explains Mr Werner.
Three of the founders enrolled in the Medici training programme, helping them establish contacts and gain a wider perspective on the business world. Working with Entrepreneurs-in-Residence Dr Laura Bond and John Cooke has also been pivotal, they note.