Lightwater Sensors
Safe, clean water for all
Dr Ross Gillanders
Senior Research Fellow
CEO Lightwater Sensors
Established in 2019, Lightwater Sensors’ technology aims to protect clean drinking water worldwide. Founded by Dr Ross Gillanders, a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Physics and Astronomy, the spin-out won the Converge Kickstart Challenge in 2020 and the Scottish EDGE Wild Card prize in 2021.
Innovation
The innovation stemmed from optical chemical sensors originally developed for explosives detection. As the technology matured, the team realised it could make a significant impact in water quality monitoring, particularly for real-time detection of specific pesticides and pharmaceuticals.
Partnership
The Entrepreneurship Centre team has worked closely with Dr Gillanders to spin out, identify markets and customers, and find funding. The close-knit community of St Andrews has been a huge benefit for helping take Lightwater Sensors to the world.
Impact
The main impact created by Lightwater Sensors is environmental, with increasing pollution events and less water security needing better, faster monitoring. The end-users for this technology range from large water companies to communities with private wells. Anyone with a stake in clean water can benefit from Lightwater Sensors’ technology.