On the 8th of June, Edinburgh Innovations held their annual Inspire, Launch, Grow awards to celebrate student enterprise at The University of Edinburgh. The competition offers £5,000 in prizes to the winner of three categories, with the finalists being judged on originality, commercial potential, and scalability.
In recent years, the competition has seen a rising number of sustainability and climate-focused companies, and this year was no different. Dr Alex Speakman won the Growth Innovation award with his company E.V.A. Biosystems. Alex has recently completed his PhD in Bioengineering and is channelling his expertise into E.V.A. Biosystems, where he is developing synthetic biological approaches to conventional plastic manufacturing to help tackle plastic pollution.
Following his recent success at the Inspire, Launch, Grow Awards, Alex told us more about E.V.A. Biosystems, his entrepreneurial journey, and why he was inspired to work on sustainability innovation – exemplifying the excellent work researchers across the University are engaged in to address pressing issues facing climate and health.
Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you came to set up E.V.A. Biosystems?
I joined the University in 2014 for my undergraduate honours degree in Molecular Genetics and continued with my PhD in Bioengineering in 2018. I started E.V.A. Biosystems alongside my PhD in 2020 — I had an idea I wanted to explore, so I got in touch with Edinburgh Innovations and applied for one of their £750 grants to access support for some early work. After this proved promising, I applied for a second grant to buy my first equipment, started attending entrepreneurship seminars, and took part in the Venture Builder Incubator, and everything picked up momentum from there.
What is the entrepreneurial idea behind E.V.A. Biosystems?
I am developing synthetic biological elements to be included within conventional petrochemical plastics. Engineering biology allows for a practically limitless range of biosensors and biological responses to be designed and assembled into genetic circuits. I see huge potential in combining this approach with conventional plastic manufacturing to make materials that can be programmed to respond to particular environments. My goal is to develop modified plastics for packaging that can sense their surroundings and degrade when they are no longer needed, such as in seawater or a landfill.
What real-world challenge are you addressing with your company’s solution?
I want to tackle the problem of plastic pollution. I see how new biodegradable plastics are being developed, but numerous barriers exist to their adoption. These include higher costs, difficulties in manufacturing and scale-up, and poorer performance. Without addressing these issues, the inertia within the industry is going to be too difficult to overcome, and plastic will continue to accumulate. I am developing a pragmatic approach that can retain all of the benefits of conventional plastics while still improving end-of-life outcomes for plastic products. Such outcomes can intelligently adapt to becoming litter.
What inspired you to create a sustainability-focused company?
Like many people, I’ve been acutely aware of plastic pollution in the ocean for quite some time, not just from hearing about it but by witnessing it myself each time I’ve gone to the seaside. In addition to having a background in genetics and bioengineering, I have a keen interest in 3D printing. One day I realised I could combine the two ideas to make intelligent plastics, saw its application and usefulness for a cause I am passionate about, and decided to try and make it a reality.
What motivates you as an entrepreneur?
I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, getting involved in smaller ventures in the past. But in recent years, I’ve been working purely as an academic, which has been a far more methodical and very different style of work. Having the independence and freedom to combine all of my scientific knowledge with my personal interests is what motivates me. It’s not an easy road, but it is extremely exciting, and I can’t imagine doing anything else.
How has being based within Edinburgh helped to shape E.V.A. Biosystems’ journey?
Being based in Edinburgh has been enormously beneficial to my company. E.V.A. Biosystems wouldn’t exist without the support of Edinburgh Innovations, from the knowledge they’ve instilled in me to the financial support that got my research off the ground. Coming from a scientific background, having people ask more business focussed questions has been a lifeline for my entrepreneurial journey. I am enormously grateful to my mentors within E.I., such as John Hill, Laura Bernal, Kevin Lonergan, Sophie Rippinger and many more, and also to the community of other Edinburgh startups that work to support each other.
Do you have any tips for future applicants to the Inspire, Launch, Grow awards?
Your story needs to be impactful yet, simple to convey. Your time when pitching is limited, so distil it down to your core message. Something I struggled with when I first started was including too much heavy science. I modelled my presentations in the style of an academic talk, and including excessive graphs and jargon ended up burying my message. If you hail from a more technical background, this shift in mindset will be essential. However, you should keep that specialised knowledge in your back pocket; you never know what questions you might be asked!
What’s next for E.V.A. Biosystems?
I’ve formulated a comprehensive plan for over a year of research and development, which, if successful, would leave the technology in a strong position for potential collaborations. I’m now looking to grow the team and acquire funding within Scotland to help make this research possible so that the next few months will be critical for the company. It will be an exciting new chapter for E.V.A. Biosystems, and I’m looking forward to getting started!
Climate and Health
Climate change is the single greatest threat to humanity, with many impacts on human health. As part of our current campaign, we’re highlighting some of the vital, interdisciplinary research underway here at The University of Edinburgh that addresses the complex, intersecting drivers of climate and health globally. Explore further on our dedicated climate and health page.
