Here’s how we’re making sustainable innovation accessible and affordable for all

Streamlining medicines manufacturing so patients can get the drugs they need with a smaller carbon footprint. Making electric vehicles a more viable replacement for petrol-powered cars. Growing cost-effective, ethical alternative proteins to feed people sustainably whilst reducing the impacts of large-scale livestock agriculture. 

Each one of these efforts is linked to one of the most pressing challenges the world faces: climate change. Like the need to keep vaccines cold through ever-rising temperatures on their journey to far-flung places. Or reducing our reliance on fossil fuels to power our vehicles and generate heat, hot water and electricity.

To unlock the potential of groundbreaking sustainable technologies, we must ensure that entrepreneurs and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have the tools and assistance they need to bring their ideas to life. This will enable them to scale up solutions to benefit both national economies and global development, ensuring no one is left behind.

Even the smallest lightbulb moment needs power to sustain the spark

Sometimes solutions come from unexpected sources. One person might have an idea that can solve a challenge, even change the world. They could be anyone, anywhere. But without the right resources and network, turning that promising idea into a commercial product is an insurmountable hurdle. 

Access to expertise, equipment, facilities, and other resources must be available to individual entrepreneurs and SMES from all corners of society – including those in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). By doing so, we can empower them to bring their ideas to life and deliver sustainable innovation and impact. 

As a leading innovation partner, this is at the very heart of our mission at CPI. 

Diversity of thought and skills are assets, especially when it comes to innovation. That’s something entrepreneurs and SMEs who partner with CPI can benefit from because we are committed to creating a culture where diverse people and ideas can build a better world. We do this through initiatives that support women and girls in science and give people a voice through our diversity and inclusion (D&I) affinity groups.

We also recognise that SMEs need funding to make their projects successful. CPI Enterprises provides venture capital investments to boost early-stage businesses and empower SMEs in global markets. This also provides access for entrepreneurs and SMEs to our expertise and state-of the art facilities. 

When you apply these principles to innovation, you can truly begin to open up opportunities to create a more sustainable world through affordable and accessible solutions. 

How we are addressing accessibility, affordability and sustainability

The more people, communities or governments who can afford green innovation, the more people will have access to it. And the more people accessing it, the further its sustainable benefits are amplified. 

Finance is the major barrier to people purchasing electric vehicles (EVs). So sourcing sustainable, cheaper materials and cutting the cost of manufacturing is a priority. Low-cost, high-performance battery technology will be a key part of our journey towards net zero. 

CPI has collaborated with NiTech and other partners to develop new manufacturing processes for battery components and scale up an alternative to traditional batch manufacturing of specialty chemicals. Both projects will help make next-generation battery technology safer, more reliable and more affordable.

3D printing has made design and construction more accessible. Photocentric has exploited this in a variety of ways. We helped them optimise ink formulations for 3D-printed solid-state batteries. With continued development, this technology could even reduce costs for manufacturers to produce these exciting next-generation EV batteries. 

Sustainable and cost-effective manufacturing processes are also reducing the environmental footprint of the pharmaceutical industry. For example, we helped develop quality assessments and provided scale up support for 4basebio’s enzyme-based manufacturing process. This new method for making synthetic DNA is not only safer and faster but cuts the cost and environmental impact of production, which could make life-saving gene therapies and vaccines more affordable and accessible. 

Speeding up and increasing the efficiency of medicines manufacturing can have a similar impact. Traditional manufacturing methods where large batches are produced and stockpiled ​“just-in-case” are wasteful. Instead, implementing processes like ​“just-in-time” manufacturing means only enough medicine is made to satisfy current demand. It is a faster and more flexible approach, facilitated by our PACE platform, which uses digital automation to enable production, packaging and labelling of multiple drugs in one production line. At our Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre, which houses this capability, the motivation is to: ​“avoid waste, reduce costs and make these medicines more accessible and more affordable”.

With the right mindset and tools, companies can create life-changing technology that’s accessible and sustainable to produce. But we can’t rely on the determination of individuals. We need cooperation on a grand scale to empower SMEs in global markets. 

Collaboration and partnerships are key to CPI’s success. Together we can supercharge inclusive, sustainable innovation to tackle the world’s greatest challenges.