Q&A with Althea Winner Charikleia 'Hara' Spathi

Althea Winner Charikleia 'Hara' Spathi talks about coming up with new ideas and the need for business and research to work together.

Can you tell me how you came up with your idea and what convinced you that there was real business potential there?

Across the world, concrete is the key component of both buildings and critical infrastructure (roads, bridges etc.). However, extreme weather conditions (Climate Change) make concrete structures more vulnerable to failure. It is therefore crucial to maximise the durability of existing structures (intervention methods) as well as improve the materials design for new construction projects able to transform the performance of both materials and structures.

Despite the fact that a range of integral water-resisting concrete admixtures are commercially available, these admixtures seem to do little to improve the performance of concrete beyond what can already be achieved by good mix design and construction practices. The high cost of existing solutions restricts their broad application. Only concrete in extreme environments is treated to repel water. Throughout my doctoral research, I developed and optimised the process of producing a super-hydrophobic powder from biomass ash. Hence, the idea of introducing a waste-derived, appropriately priced solution to mitigate the aforementioned problem has a huge potential to disrupt the waterproof concrete and concrete protection industry – by selling a high-performance, super-hydrophobic powder that will protect large scale civil infrastructure for a much lower cost than existing solutions.

1. What are your thoughts on entrepreneurship in science – is it good for scientists to be hooked into the business world?

Scientific and technological innovations shape the future of societies. Scientists can drive research breakthroughs and they can intimately appreciate real market needs in their designated field of expertise. They put more weight on the quality and longevity of their scientific output and, as a result, they are able to suggest solutions for today’s problems while addressing those of tomorrow. I, therefore, strongly endorse the involvement of scientists into new business ventures, within an existing company or in a start-up.

1. How did it feel to be shortlisted and how have you found the whole competition process?

The Althea-Imperial Programme has been a rewarding experience in its own right, putting me into contact with a network of inspiring and determined female students around college. It has helped me refine my understanding of shaping my idea into a real business case. The level of excellence and innovation from all participating teams has been incredibly high and it was, therefore, a positive surprise for me to have been shortlisted. Throughout the competition, I did my best to further develop my idea taking into account the advice and feedback of the Althea-Imperial coaches and mentors. During that 6-month period, I engaged into discussions with potential partners and end-users in order to identify gaps in the market that the proposed product could fill in.

What’s next for the business?

Our primary focus is placed on applying for and filing an International Patent. This is considered to be critical given that one of the business models explored involves licensing, which can only be attained after full protection of IP has been guaranteed. In addition, accelerated testing to assess the integrity of ‘waterproof’ structures under real-life conditions has been planned. At the same time, we also envisage to develop super-hydrophobic liquid formulations, which will allow us to expand the potential applications of the product. We have, therefore, strategically liaised with key stakeholders within the construction industry to create a robust route to market for ‘green’ building products.