Main Business Activity - Low cost innovative soil contamination testing

Project Outline - Redevelopment of the Safe Soil Tester prototype to improve functionality leading to the development of a commercially viable product which has now been successfully delivered to the target market

Whilst running his successful business Ed also dedicated years to researching a low cost solution for testing contaminated soil. The innovative technology Ed uses screens the soil for toxicity on-site and automatically maps it's location, allowing contaminated areas to be quickly identified and treated. This is a revolutionary breakthrough as the usual way to test soil is to drill a series of holes and take samples, which are then sent back to a laboratory for analysis, a very slow and expensive process. 

Ed’s soil tester works with the principal that bacteria called vibro fischeri emit light when they are healthy, yet when they encounter contaminants from the soil the light diminishes. He first encountered the use of this technology whilst working in the oil industry in Saudi Arabia, it was then that he started to think about other commercial applications. 

On Ed’s return from Saudi Arabia he began a research project into new ways of using the technology. After struggling to take the soil tester to the next stage he successfully applied for the Knowledgebase Collaboration programme and was put in contact with Knowledge Dock.  Ed’s company was so dedicated to the new system that they took on premises at Knowledge Dock to make a fresh start, Ed commented “I just took a gamble and put myself in debt to do it.”

Ed worked closely with Matt Hurley at the product development lab and the two completely re-developed the prototype product to improve its usability, toughness and appearance. Ed commented “I’m happy now, what they gave us meant we could make the instrument more commercially friendly”. It would seem that Ed’s risk and hard work have paid off, as amongst Crown Bio’s first customers is EDF Energy, who have been trialing machines on a rental basis and now want to buy. The company has also partnered with the Environment Agency. They plan to use Crown Bio’s technology at the sharp end of their soil verification services.  

The future looks even brighter for Crown Bio Technology, as Ed says he is close to completing negotiations with his first distributor in Germany. He is also excited about the testers future potential, “there are immediate applications in the Thames Gateway and Olympic development site, both here and abroad”. The company is currently trying to raise finance to fund increased production and fulfill the growing demand.