Northern Gritstone invests into optical sensor startup PhovIR

Northern Gritstone leads £4 million Seed investment into the University of Manchester spinout

PhovIR uses its breakthrough Near Infra-Red (NIR) optical sensor technology to identify the “optical fingerprint” of constituents of solids, liquids and gases and to do so in a portable device 

The company is a spinout from the University of Manchester, founded by Dr Tim Echermeyer (second from left), based at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), and joined by Dr Steve Turley as executive-Chair. The company recently completed Northern Gritstone’s pre-seed program, NG Studios.

Human eyes perceive a very narrow band of the optical spectrum, predominantly colours, yet there is much more information about materials and substances contained in longer wavelengths. The near Infra-Red spectrum contains “optical fingerprints” to identify the constituents of solids, liquids and gases. This innovation is a “platform technology” which has far-reaching applications from human health e.g. detection of drink spiking and other contaminants to industrial safety, pollution monitoring, agriculture e.g. fruit ripeness and beyond.    

Although other NIR sensor devices exist they are bulky, difficult to integrate into portable devices and expensive to manufacture. The breakthrough achieved by PhovIR allows this to be manufactured on a silicon chip enabling a small, light and cost-effective solution that has the potential to be incorporated into a smart watch or phone.  

Spun-out from the University of Manchester by Dr Tim Echtermeyer, PhovIR has developed a capability based on MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) technology to create a flexible, portable, low-cost solution that captures a broader optical range. Its software is fully configurable, doing the job of multiple sensors and can be manufactured at scale. 

PhovIR is Chaired by Dr Steve Turley, who has over 25 years’ experience dedicated to scaling complex technologies into high growth businesses, including as Chair of Effect Photonics and ex-CEO of Perpetuum.  

With the funding, PhovIR plans to bring its first commercial product to market, grow its team, and continue delivering on its vision for making the invisible visible to improve human and planetary health. 

PhovIR recently completed Northern Gritstone’s pre-seed program, NG Studios, which has supported PhovIR to refine its commercial strategy as a customer-led organisation ready for growth and successful fundraising.     

Duncan Johnson, CEO of Northern Gritstone, said: “The University of Manchester is home to world-leading innovation in materials science including graphene. Northern Gritstone is delighted to back Dr Tim Echtermeyer – a graduate of our pre-seed deeptech program NG Studios - and Steve Turley, knowing that PhovIR’s technology has the potential to create a global company born in Manchester.”  

Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor, of The University of Manchester said: “PhovIR is a fantastic example of the kind of innovation that defines the University of Manchester – world-class research brought to life through collaboration, with the potential to change lives. It’s exciting to see this deeptech breakthrough moving towards real-world application, supported by the expertise of our Innovation Factory and partners like Northern Gritstone. My congratulations to the team behind PhovIR, this is exactly the kind of impact we want to see more of across our University and our region.”