HCR Hewitsons Impact55 winners: the Cambridgeshire-based businesses making a global impact

Published: 14:00, 06 March 2025

The UN Sustainable Development Goals were designed as a common framework for countries to work towards, with the aim of ending poverty and improving health and education, while encouraging economies and finding ways to make a positive impact on climate change.

Above right, the Impact55 judges, from left, Jamie Bignal, relationship director at HSBC, Emmi Nicholl, deal sorcerer at Cambridge Angels, Sylvie Russell, chief operating officer at Cambridge Cleantech, Inger Anson, head of Cambridge office at HCR Hewitsons, Nicky Dee, founder and chief executive officer, Carbon13, and Struan McDougall, founder and chairman, Cambridge Capital Group

As a firm, HCR Hewitsons made a commitment to becoming a net zero business by 2040. The natural next step was to support businesses who are playing their own part in creating a social or environmental impact.

In September 2024, we launched Impact55 to Cambridgeshire-based businesses. Applications exceeded our expectations, and in February 2025, we welcomed 10 shortlisted businesses to our pitching day to hear more about the impact they’re making.

After much deliberation, and due to the calibre of the businesses pitching, the judges awarded support to four businesses.

Overall Impact55 winner: Spotta

Inger Anson, head of Cambridge office at HCR Hewitsons, and Robert Fryers, CEO and co-founder of Spotta, winner of the Impact 55 initiative. Picture: HCR

The overall winner is Spotta who have been awarded £25,000 of legal support. Their innovative IoT monitoring system allows insect pests to be monitored remotely in real time. Alerts are then sent, allowing issues to be dealt with swiftly, and reducing the need for chemical pesticides.

The system is of keen interest to the hospitality industry where bed bugs can cause major problems for hotels. Being notified as soon as an issue is detected reduces the risk of an infestation and the potential associated complaints and bad PR.

Spotta is also using its technology to monitor for pine weevils which are a leading cause of tree mortality in Europe, monitoring large areas of land to detect them early and mitigate the problem. Red palm weevils are causing similar issues for the date palm industry. The costs of inspections, trapping pests, insecticide and loss of trees are endangering the livelihoods of 50 million farmers in the Middle East and North Africa.

The Spotta system is being used to identify ‘hot spots’, providing GPS coordinates to farmers so that treatment can be carried out in the most effective way. With research showing that 20 per cent of food grown across the world is eaten by pests before it can be harvested and that 2 per cent of global CO2 can be attributed to them, the impact that Spotta could make globally is wide-reaching.

Cellexcel makes its pitch in the Impact 55 initiative. Picture: HCR

Impact55 runners up

Three other businesses were also awarded £10,000 of legal support each as runners up after impressing the judges on pitch day.

Inger Anson, head of Cambridge office at HCR Hewitsons, and Ash Zarkan, CEO and co-founder of BioTryp Therapeutics, a runner-up in the Impact 55 initiative. Picture: HCR

BioTryp Therapeutics has developed a class of molecules which solve the problem of biofilms. Bacteria use biofilms as a protective barrier, allowing them to thrive and become resistant to antibiotics. This leads to infections worsening and antibiotics not being effective. With one in eight deaths worldwide due to bacterial infections, the technology created by Biotryp could have an international impact in terms of improving both the physical health and survival rate of individuals with bacterial infections.

Inger Anson, head of Cambridge office at HCR Hewitsons, with Cellexcel’s principal technologist Dr Jack Andrew, CEO Tim Pryce and COO Steven Curtis – the company was a runner-up in the Impact 55 initiative. Picture: HCR

Cellexcel Ltd has created a technology which allows the molecular modification of biomaterials. This enhancement means key properties of the material, such as water resistance can be improved without the need for forever chemicals. The applications for this technology can be used in a range of sectors from automotive and construction to electronics. The product also creates a reduction in carbon footprint, leading to lower emissions and supporting the supply chain to meet net zero targets.

Inger Anson, head of Cambridge office at HCR Hewitsons, and Dr Stephanie Sheppard, senior chemist at Lambda Agri, a runner-up in the Impact 55 initiative. Picture: HCR

Lambda Agri has developed a light changing spray coating for greenhouse panels. The coating works by efficiently converting UV light into red light which boosts plant growth, yield and sugar content, increasing crop yields by 20 per cent. The product can be fitted as new panels as well as retrofitted via a patented spray paint so existing structures can continue to be used. The system is inexpensive compared to custom LED lighting and is beneficial to all plant types.

Inger Anson, partner and head of the Cambridge office, was part of the Impact55 judging panel.

She said: “The range of businesses who entered Impact55 was great and the calibre was high. Every business who presented to us on the pitching day is truly making an impact. By using technology to make a positive social or environmental change, they are all playing their part in making the world a better and more equal place, in line with the United Nation Sustainability Goals.”

Supporting the winners on their journey

Over the coming months, HCR Hewitsons will be working closely with each business to support their legal needs. From protecting IP and reviewing contractual documents to incentivising and retaining key employees, their tailored support package will make sure that they have the legal advice they need to progress their next stage of development.

HCR Hewitsons is proud to be playing its part in the Cambridge ecosystem, helping the first Impact55 cohort to achieve their objectives and to make a tangible impact on global issues.

For more information about Impact55 visit hcrlaw.com/impact55.

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