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UK Tech Spinouts Are Struggling Outside the Golden Triangle

A Newcastle University technology using microbes to clean wastewater more efficiently is being tested by Thames Water, though UK tech companies outside major hubs struggle for support.

By Piggy PressSep 13, 20262 min read 1 new word

In simple terms

This affects your water bills and the environment. More efficient wastewater treatment means lower costs for water companies, which could translate to smaller increases in your bills. It also reduces energy use and pollution, making water systems greener.

Most of the world still cleans wastewater the old-fashioned way: by pumping air through huge tanks of sewage. It works, but uses a lot of energy. Thames Water, Britain's biggest water company, is now testing a new method invented at Newcastle University. Instead of pumping oxygen, this approach uses tiny living organisms called microbes and metal pieces called electrodes to break down the waste. The best part? It uses far less electricity, and the process releases ammonia—a chemical that can be captured and sold as fertilizer.

This is a good example of how British universities can develop innovative solutions to real problems. However, the title hints at a bigger challenge for UK technology: many of these breakthroughs happen outside London and the Southeast—the so-called "Golden Triangle"—and those companies often struggle to get funding and attention compared to tech hubs in those wealthy regions.

Fun fact

The traditional method of treating wastewater has barely changed in over 100 years—it's one reason water treatment uses so much energy worldwide.

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Source: Bloomberg Technology