EARTH HEALTH

The overall vision of the EIC Accelerator Pilot project is to mature, demonstrate and qualify the prototype the Earth Health, a soil sterilisation unit. The Earth Health is a system of steam generation and its application to soils that have become infested with knotweed and other herbaceous pests, and which can then be returned to its site of origin or sold as high-value topsoil. Soil infested with knotweed is considered as harmful waste that must be sealed and buried underground. EARTH HEALTH renders it harmless and converts it into a valuable natural resource for agriculture, horticulture, the sports and leisure sector, amenity, landscaping, and house construction. At present, any soil which is infested with knotweed is classified as a waste product of no use or value must be disposed of by impermeable sealing and deep burial. Knotweed infestations rob the soil of any economic and agricultural value. EARTH HEALTH converts what is now a useless waste material back into a usable and valuable product. The solution comes from the findings of our initial development work at Envir Jord done in conjunction with STRONGA as a supplier, the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) as a scientific partner and with research funding provided by Innovation Norway. The EARTH HEALTH Accelerator will also undertake the pre-commercial groundwork that paves the way for its launch onto the market for soil disinfestation and the production of topsoil for horticulture, agriculture and amenity use. To increase our commercial success and impact, we have created a Strategic Business Plan, as a detailed roadmap, describing all necessary activities we need to undertake to ensure a successful market introduction. Now, we seek to develop our Commercialisation Plan (CP), which will form an important part of the final Business Innovation Plan (BIP), to be created in this Accelerator Pilot project.