Episode 85 -- Dr Lewis Dunnigan from Bygen

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Welcome to this special episode of @AuManufacturing Conversations with Brent Balinski, one which we're running as part of our quest to identify Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers.

The 50 Most Innovative is an annual campaign by @AuManufacturing. This time around it has been made possible through the generous support of MYOB, CSIRO, and the NSW government’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility.

In this episode Dr Lewis Dunnigan, the CEO and Co-Founder of Bygen, tells us about forming his company while studying his PhD, how it's using agricultural waste to address the problem of "forever chemicals", why missing research targets can still be useful later on, and more.

Episode guide

1:02 – Spinning out a company as a PhD student, based on a new Low Temperature Activation method for making activated carbon.

2:05 – Everyone benefits from the existence of activated carbon, but few have heard of it.

3:24 – The market for activated carbon.

4:04 – How their process works versus two incumbent ways: physical activation and chemical activation.

6:15 – The decarbonisation benefits versus steam and coal and using coconut shells.

7:50 – Feedstocks that have been tested. Primarily using wood and nutshells.

10:10 – Different types of PFAS species.

12:05 – Market research on PFAS remediation.

13:15 – Their business model. Build/own/operate is very expensive and licensing was a better match.

15:47 – What research looks like at a small, technically-minded team operating without the luxury of too many resources.

17:32 – The role of failure in R&D.

18:57 – Innovation takes bravery.

19:55 – Why getting the right skills to remote sites is an important challenge.

Further reading

$51 million for CRC-P industry research collaborations
Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed
Activated carbon startup eyes commercial plant
Biochar: an ancient waste-to-value product
In the black: startup pushing ahead commercialising waste-to-activated-carbon technology
Ag Tech incubator launches in Adelaide

Do you think you belong on @AuManufacturing’s list of Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers? Apply to be recognised in this exclusive group here.