Wed, 25 August, 2021
Chief Executive, Professor Aamir Khalid has been helping to support business local to TWI’s Cambridge headquarters through his work as a board member of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Business Board.
Most recently, Aamir visited a local business to find out how a loan from the Combined Authority Business Board has been helping them grow.
TeraView were granted a £120,000 Growth Fund loan via the Board to help facilitate a move to the St. John’s Innovation Park just to the north of Cambridge, and Aamir was invited to take a tour of the new premises.
TeraView was co-founded by Sir Michael Pepper and Dr Don Arnone in 2001 as a spin-off company from Toshiba and the University of Cambridge, with 21 employees working to develop patents and intellectual property related to the use of terahertz light in commercial applications.
Terahertz light exists between infra-red and microwaves, and is able to pass through objects and transmit images and compositional (spectroscopic) information that is normally hidden.
This type of light is non-destructive, safe and fast, making it the ideal for many inspection and imaging modality applications across a range of industries.
With customers including semi-conductor manufacturers, and those within the car, food and pharmaceutical industries, TeraView are now ready to expand their operations and workforce to take advantage of the estimated £100 million market potential within the automotive and semi-conductor industry.
While TeraView see Asia and the United States as important markets, they wish to retain their R&D base in Cambridge, which has been made possible with the support of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Business Board, as Aamir explained, “This is another breakthrough company emerging from the exciting, dynamic business environment we have in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. To turn a pioneering technology into a viable commercial opportunity is a fantastic achievement and I applaud TeraView for the ingenuity and hard work it has taken to get to this point.”
Aamir continued, “TeraView was at a key phase where it needed to change locations in order to scale up and I’m glad the Business Board has been able to play a part in helping their move. Visiting their premises it was clear they now have a great platform to accelerate their growth, with both local people and the local supply chain the beneficiaries through more skilled jobs and greater business opportunities.”
This invaluable work with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Business Board is an example of how Aamir is able to use his expertise to support other businesses in his local area, while continuing to drive TWI forward.
Aamir also took time to speak with TeraView for a video, which you can see here.