‘Golden Ticket’ scaleup support won by Oxford spinout HydRegen

University of Oxford spinout HydRegen has been named winner of the 2024 Golden Ticket programme from Pioneer Group, which recognises innovations in planetary health.

The programme was open to hydrogen and climate technology companies who are developing solutions to some of the biggest challenges we face.

Successful applicants were invited to join virtual venture development workshops, with six shortlisted companies selected to pitch for the grand prize on 27 March as part of Pioneer’s wider planetary health event.

It was there that judges from the likes of Innovate UK, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult and Tees Valley Combined Authority, as well as Pioneer and programme partners CPI, selected HydRegen – pitched by its COO Dr Matthew Hodges – as the winning team.

HydRegen is a biotech that enables more sustainable chemical synthesis and manufacturing by replacing toxic, heavy-metal catalysts in chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing, utilising hydrogen as a feedstock within their processes.

The firm’s biotechnologies operate under mild reaction conditions, minimising waste and operating in continuous flow.

As a spinout from the University of Oxford’s Department of Chemistry, HydRegen is commercialising a biotechnology from the group of Professor Kylie Vincent.

Having taken home the ‘Golden Ticket’, HydRegen is now set to receive 12 months of venture development support with Pioneer, as well as access to its Wilton Centre incubation space.

Dr Holly Reeve, CEO of HydRegen, said: “We’re delighted to win the Golden Ticket award.

“Access to incubation and support at such a prominent site with so much expertise and specialist facilities for biotech and hydrogen related scaleups will fast-track our growth over the coming months.”

Lisa Thomas, director and venture development partner at Pioneer, added: “Through our partnership with CPI, it’s been a privilege to see the depth and breadth of hydrogen technologies in development across the UK.

“HydRegen is a shining example and a worthy winner of this programme.

“Hydrogen and green tech companies are bringing opportunities to transform our industrial approach and counter the negative impact humans have on the planet.

“Through Pioneer Group’s programmes and incubation spaces, we aim to maximise the impact of these companies and allow them to focus on their science.”

CPI will also provide HydRegen with a tailored grant landscape review, bid development, technical consultancy and advice, innovation support, one-to-one tech advisory sessions and use of its test facilities.

The organisation is part of the wider High Value Manufacturing Catapult headquartered at Pioneer’s Wilton Centre.

It’s also signed up to the Hydrogen Innovation Initiative (HII), a trusted group of organisations working with industry, government, and academia to create an investible, globally competitive hydrogen technology and services sector in the UK.

Ian Smith, head of investment partnerships at CPI, said: “As consortium members of the HII, we wanted to bring together a programme of activity that enables us to support hydrogen technology development.

“Pioneer has deep expertise in venture development, experience in running accelerator programmes, and offers high-quality incubation space, making them the perfect programme partner to help us facilitate these aims and build a cohort of hydrogen companies.”