Polymers are a crucial area of green innovation. Recently, there has been a shift towards looking at the lifecycle of polymers more broadly, considering not only what a polymer can do for us now, but also considering the ‘before’ and ‘after’ - how the polymer is produced and what happens to the material at the end of its useful life. 

Key areas of innovation in this space include improved recycling technologies for polymers, polymers derived from biological sources and captured carbon dioxide, sustainable composites and improvements in tyre technologies to name a few. 

We are especially excited to be working with clients at the forefront of the ‘green polymer’ revolution, advising on how IP can be used to drive the new environmentally friendly materials of tomorrow to commercial success.

Increasing urbanisation and the growth of mega-cities provides the conditions for change in mobility patterns and practices. New ways of transporting people or products around cities are seen as vital with environmental concerns surrounding sustainability leading governments to encourage the introduction of cleaner technologies and more efficient use of the transport infrastructure.  

There is a global push towards electric vehicles (EVs) and the development of new supporting infrastructure, in particular with an expected ban on new petrol vehicles in the UK by 2030. There is also a focus on the aviation sector and the development of more sustainable aviation fuels and more efficient planes. 

We are working with many of the market leaders in this fast-paced sector and have experience of working on green innovations in the automotive, aerospace and nautical sectors to name but a few.

As the global population continues to grow so too does the global demand for power. Also, growing just as quickly is the realisation that we need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

We work with clients working across the board on a range of renewable energy sources from solar energy technologies, wave-power and wind-power solutions. These technologies provide a clean and attractive alternative to traditional power sources. However, we know that alone this is not enough and that we also need methods of energy storage, such as batteries and hydrogen fuel cells to provide the flexibility to allow us to heat our homes even when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining. Batteries and fuel cells are also key not only for advances in portable electronic technologies; but for electric vehicles and green aviation technology.

Sustainability is rapidly becoming a key driver for change in pharma and the supporting industries.  We know that the pharma sector is flexing its innovative might to address its environmental footprint. From more sustainable API formulations to greener manufacturing methods, and from more efficient R&D processes to better products and services for improved clinical outcomes, a revolution in sustainability is underway to meet the ambitious ESG targets set by the leading companies in the pharma sector.

For us, it is energizing to interact with the companies of all sizes and life-cycle stages that are producing solutions to address important sustainability issues.

The fourth industrial revolution is accelerating technological change at a previously unseen rate, with artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IoT) at the forefront of the changes.  These technologies are rapidly changing the way we live, and the way we interact with each other and our environment.  

We believe there is scope for both governments and business to accelerate research & innovation in these areas to address the environmental challenges we face, and lead us to a more sustainable future.

Future food technology, and the cellular agriculture movement in particular, has the potential to provide sustainable, affordable and secure nutrition for the ever-growing global population.

It is clear that in the search for more sustainable food sources, there are plenty of opportunities for innovation and we have seen an explosion of patent filings as innovative companies in this space develop the solutions for bringing foodstuffs based on novel technologies to market.