Global Nano Network is proud to have been featured as a case study on the Innovate UK Business Connect website as part of the success story of the first Clean Futures programme.
The feature is an important recognition of the progress GNN has made through the programme and of the wider role that collaborative innovation plays in helping clean-tech businesses move from concept towards commercial scale. It also reflects the strength of the West Midlands as a region for advanced manufacturing, transport innovation and industrial decarbonisation.
The purpose of the Clean Futures programme has been to stimulate economic growth, increase industry engagement and accelerate the commercialisation of clean-tech solutions in the West Midlands and beyond. By bringing together SMEs, manufacturers, investors, academic partners and supply chain stakeholders, the programme has been designed to help develop and diversify transport manufacturing supply chains, supporting the transition from fossil-fuel-powered systems to cleaner technologies.
For GNN, participation in the first Clean Futures programme provided not only visibility, but also practical support to advance our development. As part of the programme, GNN secured £50,000 in grant funding, alongside technical and commercial support, to help progress the digitalisation of our manufacturing processes. This has been an important step in strengthening our route towards scale-up and building the foundations for future pilot plant development in the UK.
A particularly valuable part of the programme has been GNN’s collaboration with Coventry University’s AME – Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering, where we have been able to leverage specialist expertise in the development of digital twins. This work began with defining the different asset types within our manufacturing process and has evolved into identifying which parameters need to be measured, monitored and modelled to create a stronger digital foundation for future process optimisation and scale-up. For a company developing advanced battery materials and manufacturing technologies, this type of capability is highly important in reducing development risk, improving process understanding and supporting more efficient industrialisation.
Commenting on the impact of the funding, Les Gill, COO of Global Nano Network, said:
“We used the funds to run data simulations which has accelerated our capability beyond what we would have been able to do without it. We now have a foundation of data that we can build our process map on for the future.”
More broadly, the impact of Clean Futures on the West Midlands has been significant. The programme has helped position the region at the heart of the green industrial transition by supporting innovation in sustainable transport, attracting investment, creating jobs and opening up new commercial opportunities for SMEs. These kinds of outcomes demonstrate the value of targeted regional programmes in building capability, attracting capital and accelerating the growth of clean manufacturing and transport technologies.
For businesses like GNN, this kind of ecosystem support is critical. Progress in battery materials, advanced coatings and manufacturing technologies depends not only on strong technical innovation, but also on access to industrial collaboration, commercial networks and the right development environment. Clean Futures has helped create exactly that, while reinforcing the West Midlands’ position as a leading hub for clean-tech innovation and advanced manufacturing.
We are grateful to everyone involved in the programme and pleased to see the success of the first Clean Futures initiative being recognised more broadly. For GNN, being featured in this case study is both a welcome milestone and a reminder of the value of regional collaboration in building the next generation of clean transport technologies.
Watch the full case study here.
