This week, Metasonixx received the prestigious Institute of Physics (IOP) Business Award during a ceremony at Parliament. The award recognizes the company’s innovative work in developing mass-produced acoustic metamaterial panels. These panels are transforming noise management and ventilation systems, enabling the creation of industrial ventilators and heat pumps that align with net-zero carbon goals.
The IOP Awards are a celebration of excellence in physics, acknowledging the achievements of individuals, institutions, and innovations that contribute to the advancement of the field. By receiving this recognition, Metasonixx has been highlighted as a leading force in applied physics, showcasing the significant impact of its pioneering technologies on sustainable industrial practices.
A Journey Fueled by Passion and Innovation
Metasonixx was founded in 2019 as a spin-off from the Universities of Sussex and Bristol, motivated by the desire to revolutionize noise and ventilation management. Our journey took a crucial step forward during the 2020 shutdown, when we obtained a UKRI grant to solve a pressing issue: noise in hospital surroundings. Noise had a severe impact on patient healing and staff well-being, and conventional treatments were simply ineffective.
Our work led to the creation of innovative acoustic metamaterial panels—modular, lightweight, space-efficient, and environmentally friendly. These panels do not absorb or reflect sound: they cancel it, using the same physics used in noise-cancelling headphones, but without electronics. They act like the interferential filters used for centuries in light applications, thus bridging the development gap between sound and light.
The impact of this innovation has been remarkable. Our panels weigh a third of traditional solutions, use one-twelfth of the space, and allow air and light to pass through—all while performing at a superior level. Now, our desk separators are being tested in noisy office environments around the world, from QINETIQ and Chevron to Autostrade per l’Italia. With 70% of offices worldwide being noisy open spaces, the potential for change is immense.
Team Metasonixx together with some of the competition judges, after receiving the award from Prof. Robert Lamb, CTO for the electronics division at Leonardo, and Tom Grinyer, the CEO of the Institute of Physics.
Leading the Way Toward a Greener Future
Our mission doesn’t stop at reducing noise. Metasonixx is committed to sustainability. Noise has been a barrier to the adoption of green technologies like heat pumps and offshore wind turbines in residential areas. Our materials eliminate this challenge, making green technologies more viable. Additionally, we are exploring greener production methods, including the use of recycled plastics and designing products for recyclability. Our innovations, like SonoBlind Air and SonoFlow, are positioned to become critical enablers of net-zero industrial ventilators and heat pumps.
The Support That Made It Possible
As a university spin-off, we excelled in the technical aspects but faced challenges in commercializing our innovations. We received support from the Sussex Innovation Center (for market research), SETSquared Bristol (who helped us to close our pre-seed round and to shape the current investment round) and the University of Sussex, whose enterprise and commercialisation team went above and beyond to support us, even at trade shows.
Gianluca, Bruce and Letizia from Metasonixx showing off the trophy together with Prof. Hibbins from Exeter and Prof. Dancer from Warwick, who are the Directors of the UK Metamaterials Network.
Vision for the Future
The IOP Business Award is not just a recognition of our achievements; it’s a catalyst for our future. This award will play a crucial role in securing the seed investment needed to expand our IP into new markets. With collaborations already underway with companies like QINETIQ, BEKO, Portal Devices, and Movyon, we envision our technology being integrated into solutions everywhere.
At Metasonixx, we are proud to be the “who-you-gonna-call” team for helping companies in managing simultaneously noise and ventilation challenges that cannot be solved with traditional methods, working tirelessly to create a quieter, greener, and more sustainable future for all.
Thank you, Institute of Physics, for this incredible honour.
