SEE Labs progress to ClimateLaunchpad South-East Asia Pacific stage

ACES researchers from Deakin University’s Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) have earned a spot at the South-East Asia Pacific level for the 2021 ClimateLaunchpad competition after being announced as one of the top cleantech start-ups at the National Final.

Team SEE Labs.

Supported by ACES Associate Director Prof Maria Forsyth, the team consists of Dr Kalani Periyapperuma, Nanditha Sirigiri, Sneha Malunavar and Mojtaba Eftekharnia, coming together to form the company Smart Eco Energy Labs (SEE Labs).

ClimateLaunchpad offers a platform for cleantech and green business ideas to be transformed into successful businesses. SEE Labs aims to produce efficient repurposed batteries that are faster and smarter, reducing the amount of toxic chemicals that end up in landfill.

The competition provides teams with training, and winners with potential investment, networking opportunities and prizes, with the aim to help teams launch businesses that have a positive impact on the environment.

SEE Labs are passionate about using their expertise to mitigate the rapidly increasing effects of climate change.

“As energy sector researchers, we were motivated to use our skills to develop this green-business idea, and ClimateLaunchpad offers an ideal platform to turn our ideas and dreams into reality,” SEE Labs said.

“We want to not only protect the environment from pollutants but make electric vehicles more affordable.”

After winning the Victorian State level, the team moved on to the National Final, held last week, where they were named alongside Teams Whirl and Woodify as the countries best.

Last year, fellow Deakin researchers Karolina Biernacka, Dr Faezeh Makhlooghiazad, Dr Jenny Sun and Dr Vahide Ghanooni also competed in ClimateLaunchpad as ElevenStore. The team made it all the way to the Global Grand Final, and finished the competition in the top-16.

Read more about ClimateLaunchpad here.