MedaPhor – Parkwalk investment
We are delighted to announce that the Parkwalk Opportunities Fund has participated in the recent financing round of Medaphor Group plc, the Cardiff University Spin-out and global provider of advanced ultrasound training simulators for medical professionals.
Inductosense – University of Bristol Enterprise Fund II investment
We are delighted to announce that the University of Bristol Enterprise Fund II, managed by Parkwalk, has invested in Inductosense.
Inductosense specialises in the development of compact, wireless sensors for fast, repeatable detection of cracks, corrosion or defects in structures or products.
YASA Motors – Parkwalk closes follow-on investment
We are delighted to announce that the Parkwalk Opportunities Fund has led a funding round in YASA Motors, a spin-out from the University of Oxford. The company aims to commercialise its patented technology in electric motors and generators across a range of product areas.
YASA Motors (YASA) was incorporated in 2009 to commercialise the unique motor topology developed by founder and CTO Dr Woolmer at the University of Oxford. The Yokeless And Segmented Armature design – hence YASA – allows more efficient use of key magnetic and structural materials.
NuNano – University of Bristol Enterprise Fund I investment
We are delighted to announce that the University of Bristol Enterprise Fund I, managed by Parkwalk, has invested in NuNano.
NuNano specialise in the design of cantilever-based sensor devices and probes for atomic force microscopy. Microcantilevers are the simplest form of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), which have come to prominence in the last decade or so. The basic technology employed measures a change in the bending or the vibrational frequency of the cantilever caused by a disproportionate reaction with one side of the cantilever. This reaction may be chemical or biological, physical or electrical and it can be monitored to levels beyond the ability of optical components to measure, for example by utilising the piezoelectric effect.
Atomic-force microscopy (AFM) is a very high resolution process, with results 1000 times better than the limits of optical diffraction, that utilises cantilever-based sensors with sharp tips. They are typically used to measure and image the topographical surface of an object, to measure electrostatic or capillary forces, conductivity and other properties or to manipulate objects on an atomic scale.
8power – Joins the LoRa Alliance™
8power is pleased to announce membership of the LoRa Alliance™, a global industry group to promote the development and deployment of the LoRaWAN™ Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) open standard. The Alliance represents many of the leading players in the wireless Internet of Things community, including global enterprises, major network operators, service providers, device developers and end customers.
8power will shortly be launching its first LoRaWAN™ compliant devices for asset tracking, machine condition, and critical infrastructure monitoring. The company’s products are designed to solve the problem of powering wireless sensor devices in the field without the need for mains power supply or regular battery charge/replacement. 8power’s expertise in low-power system design coupled with its patented energy harvesting technology makes these products an ideal fit for leading wireless IoT applications.
Antony Rix, CEO of 8power, said: “Joining the LoRa Alliance™ is a key step for 8power, allowing us to sell devices based on this LPWAN technology to meet some of our customers’ most challenging requirements. We look forward to working with the LoRaWAN™ community and other leading LPWANs in the coming months as we extend our device portfolio.”
8power plans to support all major LPWAN standards and will be launching other versions later this year to support LTE CAT-M and NB-IoT, other cellular standards, and SIGFOX.
The company will be demonstrating its first products at the following trade shows.
- Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, Spain Feb 27th – March 2nd 2017
- ConExpo – Con/Agg, Las Vegas, Nevada, US March 7th – 11th 2017
- IDTechEx, Berlin, Germany May 10th – 11th 2017
Please contact us at expo@8power.com to arrange a demonstration of our end to end solutions.
ENDS
About 8power
8power is a new start-up company commercialising novel vibration energy harvesting (VEH) technology developed by researchers from the University of Cambridge. The target markets for the technology are self-powered wireless & IoT devices for sensing and measurement in industrial applications.
VEH enables power to be generated from a variety of vibration sources including motors, moving vehicles, or traffic-induced movement in structures such as bridges. The patented technology delivers 10 times higher electrical power than existing VEH systems by employing the principle of parametric resonance. This exciting discovery was pioneered by leading academics at the Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction at the University of Cambridge.
For more information
Please contact 8power on +44 1223 781610 or through www.8power.com
Proxisense – Parkwalk closes University of Oxford Innovation Fund III investment
We are delighted to announce that the University of Oxford Innovation Fund III has invested in Proxisense, an Oxford University spinout supplying specialised proximity sensors and systems to measure contamination in critical fluid systems. These products have been developed for use is for extreme and inaccessible environments.
The proximity sensor technology utilises an eddy current sensor and enables the very accurate measurement of the position of components in real time. For example, the position of the tips of turbine blades and the monitoring of blade vibration whilst the systems are in use. This enables Proxisense to provide comprehensive health-monitoring technology which allows the user to detect degrading performance and the possible onset of component failure
PervasID – University of Cambridge Enterprise Fund IV investment
We are delighted to announce that the University of Cambridge Enterprise Fund IV, managed by Parkwalk, has invested in PervasID, a spin-out from the Department of Engineering.
The company has developed a long-range passive Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) tracking technology which substantially outperforms current passive RFID technologies. Crucially, it allows low-cost commodity RFID tags to be utilised in long range applications achieving accuracy until now only achievable using more expensive active RFID.
YASA Motors – P400 Series with Lightweight Gearbox
Integrated Lightweight Electric Vehicle Transmissions
Application example:
YASA P400 Series Motors with lightweight gearboxes.
Xtrac, a leader in the design and manufacture of vehicle transmissions, has a family of highly configurable gearboxes available that address the growing market requirement for single speed, lightweight and power dense electric vehicle (EV) transmissions. Driven by YASA P400 Series motors, the Xtrac P1227 Integrated Lightweight Electric Vehicle (ILEV) transmissions provide up to 3900 Nm and 320kW peak at the wheels from just 95kg for gearbox and two motors combined in a full torque vectoring configuration.
This family of transmissions can be configured into one of the three arrangements shown below.
8Power – University of Cambridge Enterprise Fund III investment
We have recently made an investment in 8Power for the University of Cambridge Enterprise Fund III in a financing round.
8power Limited, a new company spun out of the University of Cambridge to develop and commercialise novel technology for sensing and measurement in industrial applications, has received initial funding of approximately £700,000 from IP Group plc (LSE: IPO), the University of Cambridge and the University of Cambridge Enterprise Fund III, managed by Parkwalk Advisors.
The University of Cambridge is a world leader in the science and technology of sensing, and is pioneering the research of new sensor technologies applied to condition monitoring of built infrastructure and machinery through the Cambridge Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction and a number of other research groups. A system that can monitor its own condition automatically can be cheaper to build, for example by using less material, or easier to maintain, for example by scheduling servicing when needed rather than on a regular timetable.
While techniques to connect and monitor large numbers of devices (often termed the Internet of Things, IoT) are starting to mature, 8power’s technologies bring unique benefits, as they provide ways to power sensors from ambient vibration, and permit the creation of new types of sensors with dramatically lower power consumption than before. The company’s products and services are applicable to a number of markets, including automotive and transportation, civil engineering, industrial equipment, and utility infrastructure.
The core technologies that the company has licensed from Cambridge Enterprise, the commercialisation arm of the University of Cambridge, were developed by a team led by Dr Ashwin Seshia at the University’s Department of Engineering. Dr Seshia, who recently co-founded Silicon Microgravity, will head the company’s advisory board, joined by three other academic founders from this team, Dr Yu Jia, Lecturer at the University of Chester, Dr Jize Yan, Associate Professor at the University of Southampton, and Prof. Kenichi Soga, Chancellor’s Professor at the University of California, Berkeley. The company will shortly announce that it has appointed a leading expert in wireless communications and IoT as CEO.
Dr Ashwin Seshia, co-founder of 8power, said “8power combines a number of unique world-leading technologies in energy harvesting and microelectromechanical systems to provide the basis for new energy autonomous sensor systems that can address a range of application scenarios. We are excited by the opportunity to accelerate technology translation via 8power and look forward to working together with our partners to further develop and deploy these technologies as widely as possible.”
YASA Motors – Parkwalk closes follow-on investment
We are delighted to announce that the Parkwalk Opportunities Fund and the UK Tech Fund VII have led a funding round in YASA Motors, a spin-out from the University of Oxford. The company aims to commercialise its patented technology in electric motors and generators across a range of product areas.
YASA Motors (YASA) was incorporated in 2009 to commercialise the unique motor topology developed by founder and CTO Dr Woolmer at the University of Oxford. The Yokeless And Segmented Armature design – hence YASA – allows more efficient use of key magnetic and structural materials.
The technology allows YASA to manufacture a range of standard electric motors and generators with superior performance characteristics. In particular the motors are smaller and lighter, are easier to manufacture and produce exceptionally high power and torque. YASA’s standard products are typically integrated into customers’ products for low volume applications whilst the company also carries out bespoke design and development work for OEM customers with high volume applications where the volumes can justify the cost of customisation.
Inflowmatix – Parkwalk closes investment
We are delighted to announce that the Parkwalk Opportunities Fund has participated £1.2m of a £3m funding round in Inflowmatix, an Imperial College spin-out company providing high-resolution sensors and associated analytics initially to the water industry. Their technology will enable clients to actively manage their asset base through risk-based preventative maintenance and ultimately dynamic network optimisation. Parkwalk invested alongside Imperial Innovations
Spectral Edge – Parkwalk closes Opportunities EIS Fund investment
We are delighted to announce that the Parkwalk Opportunities EIS Fund has closed an investment in Spectral Edge, a spin-out from the University of East Anglia’s Colour Group. Spectral Edge’s technology enhances images and video by using information outside the normal visible spectrum or applying transformations to that within it.
The company’s technology enhances images and video by using information outside the normal visible spectrum – notably from the infra-red range – or applying transformations to that within it. Applications range from accessibility for TV content, computational photography to enhance camera images, and surveillance.
Silicon Microgravity – University of Cambridge Enterprise Fund III investment
We have recently made an investment in Silicon Microgravity for the University of Cambridge Enterprise Fund III.
Spun-out of the University of Cambridge Nanoscience Centre, Silicon Microgravity is commercializing a sensor technology which provides a breakthrough in the management of oil and gas reservoirs.
The company’s breakthrough sensing technology combines the recording of gravity data at very high sensitivities and seismic data at low frequencies. Both sensing methodologies provide an improved means for oilfield reservoir surveillance.
Animal Dynamics – Parkwalk closes University of Oxford Isis Fund investment
We are delighted to announce that the University of Oxford Isis Fund II has completed an investment in Animal Dynamics Limited, who are developing a portfolio of products derived from research into evolutionary adaptations in flight, swimming, walking, and stealth, where nature has arrived at significant performance optimizations which can be applied to commercial products.
Spun-out of Oxford University’s Zoology Department, Animal Dynamics’ technology is derived from optimisations that nature has arrived at delivering increased performance, mainly relating to movement. In propulsion technology, this is based on Body and Caudal Fin (BCF) undulations, and for flight technology it’s based on insect flight optimisations. These systems provide significant efficiency gains over existing methods, enabling greater speed and efficiency, and (in the case of flight) flight duration.
Parkwalk closes Navetas investment
We are pleased to announce that the Parkwalk Opportunities Fund has made an investment in Navetas, a University of Oxford spin-out with a core product offer of Loop Energy Saver, a consumer install, online, electricity and gas residential energy monitor with a built in tariff tracker and switching service in partnership with uSwitch to keep users on the best tariff.
Parkwalk closes Reduse investment
We are pleased to announce that the University of Cambridge Enterprise Fund III has made an investment in Reduse, a spin out from the Low Carbon Materials Processing Group at the University of Cambridge.
Reduse are seeking to change the way laser printed office paper is treated post use. Instead of disposal, recycling and shredding a substantial percentage of laser printed sheets can, using the ‘unprinter’ technology, be cleaned of all toner without damaging the paper.
Carrying out the processes of delivery, storage and control of waste paper takes time; and the costs of secure shredding and footprint are significant.
