Exeter-designed innovation wins prize at national event

An innovation designed in Exeter to detect contaminated water and save lives has picked up vital seed money to help propel it to the next level.

FluoroGlow’s device is designed to detect Cryptosporidium in water – a parasite that can cause severe illness and even death, especially in children and vulnerable people.

Previously, it has been difficult to detect without slow laboratory-based tests. But FluoroGlow aims to change that by providing rapid and reliable results directly at the water source.

It’s the brainchild of University of Exeter Medical Science graduate Kathryn Thomas, 21, who participated in the university’s Elevate programme, winning an award in their enterprise competition with prizes provided by business education charity ESBF.

On Friday 7 November, Kathryn pitched against nine other student-led teams from universities across the UK and scooped a £1,500 prize, finishing second in the Big Ideas category.

Kathryn said: “For the last few years I have been living in Devon, where earlier this year there was an outbreak of Cryptosporidium in Brixham. It took a long time for the parasite to be identified, and in that time, I saw first-hand the impact this had on people’s daily lives. This experience inspired me to create a faster, more reliable way of detecting Cryptosporidium in water.

“By identifying contamination early, FluoroGlow helps prevent outbreaks before they spread, protecting families and communities from preventable illness. With faster, more accessible testing, it reduces the risk to public health and gives people confidence that the water they drink is safe.”

The event, hosted by TV presenter and engineer Rob Bell, was the culmination of a year of ESBF-sponsored enterprise competitions held across UK universities, with thousands of undergraduate and graduates taking part.

Each year, ESBF champions business education for engineers and supports universities by giving them grants to award prizes to engineering and science students who develop ideas that can make a positive impact on society.

For more information about the competition, visit www.esbf.org.uk