UK Metamaterials Network holds 3^rd ‘Metamaterials in the Real World’ Annual Industry Showcase, hosted by the Institute of Physics

‘I think it’s the time where we need to pick up […] and just now move,’ Mike Hinton (High Value Manufacturing Catapult)

The UK Metamaterials Network (UKMMN) (an EPSRC NetworkPlus) held its third annual Industry Showcase ‘Metamaterials in the Real World’ in collaboration with the Institute of Physics on the 6^th of December 2024. The doors opened to exhibitors at 9:30, and from the first moments, there was a continuous stream of guests – faces both old and new to the UK Metamaterials.  The venue was filled with industry, governmental stakeholders, and academic attendees.

The previous year’s event, held at the Bragg Centre in Leeds, was a lively affair with over seventy-five attendees. The 2024 event surpassed that by a wide margin, with a 93% increase in expressions of interest and a packed venue with around 120 delegates, including five panellists, eighteen snap presentations, eighteen posters, and over fifteen demonstrations. There were so many brilliant demonstrators that we, as the UKMMN, were struggling to fit them all into the demonstration space.

Welcoming Metamaterials

The day began in earnest at 11:00 when the delegates filled the Institute of Physics lecture theatre for the welcome session, which promised to span not only the UK Metamaterials Network’s activities but also the full landscape of metamaterials in the UK.

Louis Barson, IOP Director of Science, Innovation, and Skills, opened the day, welcoming attendees to the Institute of Physics and setting the tone by stating that to accelerate the commercialisation of metamaterials and unlock their potential for societal and economic impact, we need to show impact to keep feeding the role of discovery science.

Isabel Webb (Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology) set the scene for the day, providing the government perspective, reflecting on the government’s priorities, and recognising the importance of the relationship between regulation and innovation, as well as the opportunities represented by metamaterials.

The UKMMN leads, Alastair Hibbins (University of Exeter) and Claire Dancer (University of Warwick), and Henry Marsh (Network Operations Manager), brought the audience up to speed on the UKMMN and its mission: to connect academia, industry, governmental agencies, and other professional bodies to enable the full utilisation of the UK’s metamaterials research and exploitation capabilities, from fundamental science to market-leading technology.

As part of this mission, Helen Rance (Science and Strategy Manager for the UKMMN) and Jen Lovell (Science and Innovation Manager for the Institute of Physics) broke down initial findings from the Institute of Physics Impact Project Pathfinder: Commercialising Metamaterials. The headline message was that ‘Metamaterials will become integral to future technological developments and everyday products,’ with an estimated market size of $1.5 billion by 2026 and vast potential for development. Despite this, there are major challenges ahead in connecting the UK’s research capabilities and the effective commercialisation of these innovations. For further information, see: Institute of Physics Impact Project Pathfinder: Commercialising Metamaterials.

Panel Discussion

‘You can’t build bridges to nowhere. You actually have to have an endpoint. It’s absolutely critical,’ John Lee (AMD Nano).

With the scene set the Showcase moved to a discussion between five experts spanning government and industry:

• Mike Hinton (High Value Manufacturing Catapult)
• John Lee (AMD Nano)
• Sarah Stebbings (Government)
• Charles Footer (QinetiQ)
• Olga Kravchenko (Rheon Labs)

The discussion ranged across successes in metamaterials, areas for future development, the pathway from research to commercialisation, the hurdles for manufacturing and scale-up, and the key changes to the metamaterials ecosystem.

During the discussion the significant progress and development in metamaterials was highlighted. As Mike Hinton put it, ‘I think it’s the time where we need to pick up […] and just now move.’ The challenges which create blockers for metamaterials progress include breaking down the barriers between academics and industry and the difficulties of commercialisation. John Lee (AMD Nano) advised from experience, ‘You can’t build bridges to nowhere. You actually have to have an endpoint. It’s absolutely critical.’ Metamaterials innovation for the future must seek to solve problems, addressing the needs of end users.

Snap Presentations

The event also saw a series of eighteen ‘Snap Presentations’ from academics and industry, as speakers identified problems, solutions, real-world applications, and the specific challenges they faced. The keynote speaker was Mike Sloan (Director of Technical Composite Solutions (TCS)), who guided the audience through TCS’s experience with metamaterials, from the problem to the solution metamaterials offered, and the company’s continued interest in metamaterials for the future. The Snap Presentations were well received by the audience, and in the discussion breaks which immediately followed each session, there was a palpable buzz and lively discussions.

Where Next?

The UKMMN’s Industry Showcase 2024 has been an amazing success, made possible by the dedication and engagement of the UK metamaterials community. It saw stakeholders across the spectrum come together, from academics, to SMEs, to government delegates, sharing their insights on the trajectory of metamaterials.

Since the event we have been reflecting on what happens next – we believe that we are at a pivotal junction in the pathway to the ‘Metamaterials Revolution’ and realising the commercial value of ‘materials without compromise’.  To advance this we will meet will key stakeholders to establish a multi-year plan and we look forward to continuing to engage with the community as we take these exciting next steps!

The UKMMN and the Institute of Physics will reach out to the community, working with our stakeholders to support metamaterials for the future.

Further details on the event (including the agenda and event booklet) may be found here.