R3VTech was co-founded by Loughborough University chemistry academics Dr Adriano Randi and Professor of Organic Chemistry Benjamin Buckley, together with Professor Jin Xuan, now at the University of Surrey. The company is developing an electrochemical process that enables biodiesel producers to convert crude glycerol – a low-value by-product of biodiesel production – into solketal, a bio-derived solvent and fuel additive.
Commenting on the news, Dr Adriano Randi, CEO and co-founder of R3VTech, said: “This is great recognition for the work the team has put in over the past year, and it is particularly welcome as we look for partners and early adopters to host pilot trials and provide crude glycerol samples for testing.”
The announcement comes a day after R3V Tech took part in the UK Global R&D and Science Investment Summit at The Royal Society on 8–9 June, as part of London Tech Week, where the company featured in the Midlands Spinout Showcase. The Summit brought together representatives from government, industry, academia and the investment community to examine how research and innovation can drive economic growth and help address global challenges.
R3V Tech’s process is designed for on-site use at biodiesel plants, reducing the need to transport crude glycerol elsewhere for refining and avoiding more energy-intensive conventional routes. Earlier this year, the company completed its first pilot trial, achieving more than 20 hours of continuous operation and helping validate a scalable route towards deployment.
The latest recognition also builds on earlier support from the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), which selected R3V Tech for its 2025 Change Makers programme, designed to accelerate chemistry-led start-ups and scale-ups working to create positive social, environmental and economic impact.
Finalists in the competition will pitch their technologies at Burlington House, RSC’s London headquarters, on 21 July. In the Environment category, R3V Tech is shortlisted alongside Brilliant Dyes, Demeter Bio, Metal Morph, Imperial College London (FluoroCycle) and the University of Birmingham.
Professor Dan Parsons, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, added: “Congratulations to the R3V Tech team on reaching the final of RSC’s Emerging Technologies Competition. This is another strong endorsement of the progress they are making as they continue to develop a technology with clear commercial promise and real potential to support more sustainable industrial processes.”