Concretene has raised £4.5 million in the first close of its Series A funding round to scale up ‘Manchester graphene’ technology.

The company – a spinout from the University of Manchester – is developing a circular manufacturing programme using local wastewater biogas from United Utilities as a feedstock for carbon-negative graphene at multiple-tonne scale in Manchester.

That ‘Manchester graphene’ can then be used to reduce the carbon-footprint of concrete assets for the water sector and wider construction industry.

The first close of the funding round was announced during a visit by Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds to Concretene’s materials testing facility in Manchester’s Sister innovation district.

The visit coincided with a meeting of Prime Minister Andy Burnham, DBIST Secretary Reynolds and small business representatives at Number 10 North, as the Government announced measures to ease costs and administrative burden for SMEs ahead of the Budget.