Company profile
UK company 08194508, incorporated on 29 August 2012.
ADVANCED MOLECULE CAPTURE & RELEASE - Aqdot
Our advanced molecule capture & release technology delivers superior malodour elimination, fragrance release, gene delivery & emulsification
Company number 08194508
Financial period: 1 Apr 2024 to 31 Mar 2025
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TM01 | Transaction MzUzOTExMzYzN2FkaXF6a2N4
Published 17 Aug 2026 13:54
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Aqdot is a spin-out company based on the cutting-edge research of the Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge. It has developed a novel fabrication technology for smart capsules that possess customisable properties to suit the needs of a variety of industries. The Aqdot technology greatly simplifies the encapsulation process by utilising the novel one-step, "shrink-wrap" approach based on a combination of emulsion technology and supramolecular chemistry.
AQDOT develops supramolecular chemistry technology designed to enable the capture and release of materials as and when it is required.
Aqdot is a spin-out company based on the cutting-edge research of the Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge. It has developed a novel fabrication technology for smart capsules that possess customisable properties to suit the needs of a variety of industries. The Aqdot technology greatly simplifies the encapsulation process by utilising the novel one-step, shrink-wrap approach based on a combination of emulsion technology and supramolecular chemistry, whose scientific value has been recognised by Science and Nature Chemistry, and its commercial value recognised by Chemical and Engineering News and The Food Navigator. Using Aqdot's innovative platform technology, a variety of functionalities can be easily incorporated into the capsules, including a number of on-demand release properties that are missing in many state-of-the-art techniques. This cutting edge platform provides a one-pot, single-step process which rapidly produces capsules in minutes versus days.
Team of 9 full-time employees Engaged with many leading Tier 1 and 2 companies Pre-joint development proof of principle programmes with leading international brand manufacturers Regulatory testing underway Freedom to operate - CB licenses bought Attractive economics from 1st engineering study Conceptual design shows standard process equipment Filed new patents with additional drafts ready for filing Paid £138K in historic IP costs to CE and University inventors Investment of £3.6M Awarded soft funding of £200K Pre-joint development proof of principle programmes with leading international brand manufacturers Publicity through international press including the BBC, Financial Times (six of hottest UK start-ups), The Observer, and Sunday Herald We were awarded the RSC Emerging Technology award, the Climate KIC UK Venture Competition Winner and European Runner-up
Aqdot's technology provides the following core benefits in comparison to encapsulation solutions currently on the market: the ease of cargo loading means lower cost of production; all production takes place at room temperature in aqueous solutions, with mild conditions allowing for the encapsulation of the broadest range of cargoes; the payload per capsule or particle is significantly higher than current solutions, considerably reducing the cost and waste of non-cargo materials; a wide range of release triggers are available, each offering potential sensitivities superior to the current state of the art, without compromising microcapsule stability; the functionality of the encapsulation material can be readily customised based on customers' specific cargo and release requirements and the exterior of the capsules or particles can be modified such that the delivery of the capsules or particles can be specifically targeted. Microencapsulation as a technology today refers to a very wide range of technologies that encapsulate, protect and release actives when needed. According to Global Industry Analysts, the overall microencapsulation market is very large, approaching $40 billion in 2015), ranging a number of industries from consumer product goods (household good, food, cosmetics), industrials (oil & gas, pulp & paper), and to pharmaceuticals. Aqdot's novel platform technology has the potential of accessing all of these markets.
1 Feb 2026 to 31 Jul 2026
This A4I project will support Innovate-UK funding for development of a novel "**S**upra**M**olecular" **R**NA **T**herapeutic (**SMRT**) delivery system and flexible, scalable RNA-manufacturing process for the sustainable manufacture of biologic drugs. Combined, the material and process will reduce considerably the material-use and energy-costs compared t...
1 Nov 2025 to 31 Mar 2026
Aqdot is advancing AqFresh, a drop-in materials technology that reduces odour and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions in post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics, enabling higher recycled content in vehicle components. Odour/VOC issues currently constrain post-consumer recycled plastics in sensitive automotive applications; this project demonstrates a ...
1 Feb 2025 to 31 Jan 2027
This project will develop a flexible and scalable RNA-manufacturing process and delivery system for the sustainable manufacture of biologic drugs, with considerably reduced material-use/energy-costs and the need for repurposing or rebuilding facilities. RNA is the medicine platform of the future with many application-types in clinical trial. RNA therapeut...
1 Sep 2024 to 28 Feb 2025
**Aqdot**, a young **UK-based** Chemtech company, has completed relevant regulatory approvals and is now accelerating scaling of a novel macrocyclic chemical, **cucurbit\[n\]uril**, "**CB\[n**\]". Cucurbit\[n\]urils are extremely effective "supramolecular hosts": they non-covalently bind a wide range of chemical "guests". Cucurbit\[n\]urils have potential...
1 May 2024 to 31 Oct 2024
**Aqdot**, a young **UK-based company**, has completed all relevant regulatory and environmental hurdles and is now accelerating production and commercialisation of a novel macrocyclic chemical, **cucurbit\[n\]uril**, "**CB\[n**\]". Cucurbit\[n\]urils are extremely effective "supramolecular hosts": they non-covalently bind a wide range of chemical "guests...
1 Aug 2023 to 31 Jul 2025
RNA-based medicines and vaccines are of increasing importance to UK national health and wealth. These therapeutics are effective at low dose levels. Different diseases can be treated with different RNAs; but Different RNAs, however, may be made by the same process. The RNA performs its therapeutic task inside a patient's cells: intracellular delivery is c...
1 Dec 2020 to 28 Feb 2022
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused extensive health, economic and social damage in the UK and worldwide. As countries reactivate economies, it is essential to reduce transmission risks of bioaerosols in enclosed places (e.g. public transport, workplaces, health, education, and leisure settings) and contaminated soft surfaces (textiles/face masks) using safe...
1 Jun 2020 to 28 Feb 2021
The transport industry has been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. People fear that virus-containing bioaerosols cause infection on board which has contributed to the spread of the pandemic. This is also compounded by reports of air-quality issues arising from the often-unpleasant odorous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and airborne partic...
1 May 2019 to 31 Oct 2020
"Aqdot has developed a proprietary technology to bring innovation to the performance chemistry industry with applications in agrichemicals, household and personal care. CORE is a game-changing project which will bring the new chemical compounds, cucurbit\[n\]urils (Aq(tm)Bit) to the global market via a disruptive manufacturing process based on continuous-...
1 Jul 2017 to 31 Jan 2019
Aqdot has developed proprietary technology to bring innovation in micro-encapsulation technologies relevant to agriculture and consumer products. AqCooper is a highly disruptive project which will bring the new chemical compound, cucurbit[n]urils (CBs), to the global market. The chemical and its derivatives have commercially relevant characteristics enabl...
1 Dec 2016 to 31 Mar 2017
The AqBusDUE project will see Aqdot Limited conduct business development activities to engage major market actors in Europe and the United States. It will focus on accelerating the commercialisation of Aqdot Limited technology in microencapsulation in the consumer air care and household care industry. We will conduct intercontinental multi-stage visits to...
1 May 2016 to 31 Jan 2017
Epoxy resins are robust, light-weight plastics that are used in the manufacture of composite materials used throughout commercial aircraft. Using epoxy composites to construct aircraft makes them lighter and more fuel efficient. Developing new kinds of epoxy resin could make manufacturing of composite materials simpler, more energy efficient and less expe...
