Imperial ChemEng Enterprise Day 2026
Science & Engineering South (SES) university Imperial College London brought together founders, investors, and researchers for ChemEng Enterprise Day 2026, highlighting a growing pipeline of deep-tech ventures emerging from its Department of Chemical Engineering.
Bringing together innovation and enterprise
Held at Imperial’s South Kensington Campus, the annual event demonstrated how chemical engineering research is being translated into commercial technologies that address global challenges in climate, healthcare, advanced materials, and sustainable manufacturing.
Opening the event, Imperial President Professor Hugh Brady emphasised the importance of enterprise in delivering impact from research, and the university’s ambition to scale its innovation ecosystem to support the development of high-growth ventures.
ChemEng Enterprise, led by Professor Sandro Macchietto, was highlighted as a successful departmental approach to spinout creation, building on a longstanding culture of entrepreneurship within Imperial’s Chemical Engineering community.
A key focus of the day was the Department’s spinout portfolio, with recent ventures sharing progress on technology development, securing investment, and building partnerships. The updates reflected the breadth of innovation emerging from Imperial, spanning decarbonisation technologies, biotechnology, and advanced materials.
An interactive “reverse pitches” session provided valuable perspectives from investors and venture partners, who outlined what they look for in early-stage deep-tech ventures and how they support companies to scale.
Credit: Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London
The day concluded with the inaugural Distinguished Enterprise Lecture from Imperial alumnus Nalin Agarwal, exploring the role of innovation ecosystems in accelerating climate technologies globally.
Strengthening the SES innovation ecosystem
ChemEng Enterprise Day forms part of Imperial’s wider commitment to enterprise and innovation, with the Department of Chemical Engineering playing a key role in developing science-based ventures. As an SES partner, Imperial continues to contribute to strengthening the region’s innovation ecosystem and supporting the next generation of research-driven businesses.
Shared with permission and lightly adapted for brevity by Jessica Livermore.
Photo credit: Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London. Original story by Navta Hussain, Communications Manager, Faculty of Engineering.
Find Out More
For more information and related stories:
ChemEng Enterprise Day spotlights the next generation of Imperial spinouts
Imperial College London Department of Chemical Engineering
ChemEng Enterprise: tackling global challenges a spinout at a time