4T2 Sensors Secures £796,000 to Boost Food Industry Sustainability

By Anushka Malhotra

1 minute 13 seconds

Spotlight

Share:

Quick Read: Birmingham-based 4T2 Sensors has raised £796,000 in funding to help food and beverage manufacturers achieve sustainability goals through innovative sensor technology that reduces water use and costs.

Birmingham-based electronics firm 4T2 Sensors has raised £796,000 in seed funding to help food and beverage (F&B) manufacturers enhance sustainability. The funding includes a £249,965 investment from the West Midlands Co-Investment Fund (WMCO), managed by Midven, along with contributions from Waterpoint Lane and angel investors.

Pioneering Sustainability in F&B

The funding will allow 4T2 Sensors to obtain ATEX certifications for hazardous environments and expand its workforce in product management, application engineering, and hardware engineering.

The company has developed an advanced fluid analysis and monitoring sensor that optimizes the Clean-in-Place (CIP) process—a standard cleaning method for F&B equipment between production runs.

By leveraging 4T2's innovative sensor, manufacturers can reduce CIP times by 20%, cutting water usage, energy costs, and improving production efficiency, all while addressing key sustainability goals.

Image Credit: 4T2 Sensors

Support for High-Growth SMEs

The investment comes through the WMCO, which supports high-growth small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the West Midlands with equity investments of up to £1 million.

Max Swinbourne, CEO of 4T2 Sensors, said:

"This investment is a major milestone in helping F&B manufacturers achieve meaningful sustainability improvements. It enables us to expand our team, secure certifications, and position ourselves as leaders in sustainable production solutions. We’re excited about the positive impact our technology can have on the industry.”

Rupert Lyle, Investment Director at Midven and WMCO Fund Principal, added:

"We’re proud to support 4T2 Sensors in driving innovation and sustainability within the F&B industry. Their cutting-edge sensor technology directly addresses pressing environmental challenges by significantly reducing water waste and energy consumption.”

This funding represents a significant step in advancing sustainable practices across the food and beverage sector, positioning 4T2 Sensors as a key innovator in the global push for environmental responsibility.

What's new

DigiSpinWM Pilot Celebrates Milestone as 11 Investor-Ready Innovations Emerge in the West Midlands

The DigiSpinWM pilot programme, a bold initiative designed to accelerate the spin-out of digital and advanced manufacturing innovations in the West Midlands, has marked a key milestone with a showcase event in Birmingham, unveiling 11 investor-ready ventures developed over the past six months.

Transforming Ideas into Investment Opportunities

Backed by Research England and delivered through a partnership between the University of Wolverhampton, Coventry University, and Birmingham City University via the West Midlands Combined Universities, the programme set out to test a collaborative model for commercialising innovation more efficiently and effectively.

In just six months, DigiSpinWM has:

- Assessed over 40 high-potential technologies for commercial viability
- Delivered tailored support to participants on spin-out strategy and intellectual property development
- Nurtured 11 ventures to investment readiness
- Developed a shared framework for technology transfer across participating universities

The recent showcase celebrated these achievements, spotlighting innovations spanning early-stage development to near-market solutions with the potential for significant societal and economic impact.

A Regional Model for Innovation

Ceri Jones, Director of Research & Enterprise at the University of Wolverhampton, reflected on the programme’s success:

The DigiSpinWM pilot has been a transformative journey. Seeing 11 investor-ready ventures emerge from such a collaborative, regional approach shows what’s possible when we unify efforts across institutions. These spinouts will drive real-world change and position the West Midlands at the forefront of digital and advanced manufacturing.

The pilot’s success is also credited to a strong ecosystem of academic mentors, business advisors, and industry reviewers who provided essential support and guidance to participants.

The showcase event featured live pitches from select ventures to an audience of investors, stakeholders, and innovation leaders, marking a key step towards unlocking the funding required to bring these innovations to market.

With the DigiSpinWM model proving its value, the programme signals a new chapter for spin-out activity in the West Midlands—one built on collaboration, shared infrastructure, and investment-ready innovation.

By Anushka Malhotra

8 Jun