Double triumph for ECCI-supported tech entrepreneurs

ECCI-supported low carbon technology entrepreneurs - Ifeyinwa Kanu of IntelliDigest and Lorenzo Conti of Crover - have been awarded prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Fellowships.

The highly competitive programme focuses on equipping awardees with the confidence, skills, experience and network of expert advisors needed to develop their innovations.

ECCI resident and Climate-KIC Accelerator participant Ifeyinwa Kanu wants to revolutionise food waste with her invention, a kitchen-fitted, onsite digester that turns food waste into high quality biogas. The civil engineering graduate has already bagged a string of successes including an Institute of Engineering and Technology Innovation Award in 2017 and an AccelerateHER Award in 2018.

University of Edinburgh PhD student Lorenzo Conti formed Crover after creating a robotic device to measure conditions in bulk grain storage and reduce waste. In November 2018 he came third in the ClimateLaunchpad Global Grand Final, pitching against 135 clean tech start-ups from around the world.

Lorenzo and Ifeyinwa will benefit from up to £60,000 equity-free funding, tailored mentoring and training, PR, marketing and promotion and access to drop-in workspace in central London. To date RAE have provided training, mentoring and £4.5million seed funding to 73 Enterprise Fellows.

The Royal Academy of Engineering - the UK’s national academy for engineering and technology - aims to advance and promote excellence in engineering for the benefit of society. It delivers advice to government, develops talent and engages the public.

Ifeyinwa Rita Kanu, Director of IntelliDigest said: “It is a really exciting time! Winning the RAE fellowship opens up a wealth of opportunity and I’m looking forward to taking advantage of this as IntelliDigest moves on the next level of growth.

“IntelliDigest’s participation in the Climate-KIC Accelerator at ECCI was crucial to the development of our climate impact assessment which enabled us to set our sights on the fellowship, and even greater heights.”

Lorenzo Conti, founder and director of Crover said: ”The Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Fellowship supports the most promising engineering innovations in the UK to help them achieve their commercial potential so it’s an honour to be part of this new cohort.

"I am incredibly excited about the impact the award will have on Crover in the next 12 months and really grateful for the incredible support and training I've recieved from ECCI and other organisations that make up such a strong ecosystem of support and expertise in Edinburgh.”

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