NU1433-14 Plastech Innovation Ltd: The Provision of Business Consultancy to Assist Commercialisation of University Research.

Plastech Innovation, the first student spin-out from Durham University has a patent pending technology to transform waste plastic into plastic aggregates for use in concrete and other construction materials. Its technology is a market-disruptor, enabling construction companies to partially replace sand in traditional building materials, primarily concrete. Our plastic aggregate reduces CO2 emissions from plastic waste incineration, the transportation of heavy natural aggregates and provides a solution to global construction-grade sand and lightweight aggregate shortages. It also provides additional socio-economic and environmental benefits.

The Plastech team is made up of three co-founders who have left academia to run the company, Natasha Boulding, CEO, Phil Buckley, COO, and Scott Bush, CTO. They have expertise in STEM and were all PhD researchers at Durham University. Plastech also has 2 non-executive directors, Dr David King, an ex-senior executive in the chemical industry and Professor Lian Hutchings, a professor of polymer chemistry.

Durham University are looking for an advisor to work with the Plastech Innovation team to help them to make the transition from early stage University spinout to commercialisation. This will entail tutoring, advising upon key stages of business plan drafting, commercial strategy development, feedback on investment materials (pitch presentations and the like), and suitable financial plans, models and timelines. From that perspective, we will be looking for an individual with experience in start-ups/spin-outs development and to have experience raising finance. Moreover, experience in the construction/manufacturing/concrete industries and scale-up is highly requested.