CLEAR-Methane founder named #21toWatch

Cambridge researcher awarded for new venture that could make every building a tool to tackle climate change.

Some climate solutions require radical new infrastructure; others can make use of what we already have. CLEAR-Methane, founded by Dr Aliki Marina Tsopelakou, develops filters that can be integrated into existing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units to remove methane from the air and improve indoor air quality.

This week, Dr Tsopelakou, a researcher with the Centre for Climate Repair at Cambridge's Department of Engineering, was named among the Top 21 at Cambridge Management Consulting's #21toWatch event, which spotlights individuals making an early mark across research, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

Why methane and why now?

Carbon dioxide tends to dominate the conversation on climate change, but methane is far more potent over the short term. Over a 20-year period, it is approximately 80 times more warming than CO2, and has been responsible for around 30% of global warming over the past 150 years. The gas comes from a wide range of sources - agriculture, landfill, fossil fuel extraction - and its atmospheric concentration has been rising sharply.

After the COP26 summit in 2021, 111 countries signed the Global Methane Pledge, committing to a 30% reduction in methane emissions by 2030. CLEAR-Methane is one of the projects emerging from that urgency.

How the technology works

CLEAR-Methane's filters use a photochemical process to catalyse methane drawn into a building's HVAC system and convert it into a mix of carbon dioxide - a far less potent greenhouse gas - and water vapour.

The filters offer a dual benefit, says Dr Tsopelakou: improving indoor air quality - a pressing concern in the post-pandemic era - and enabling the removal of atmospheric methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases driving climate change.

Beyond methane, the filters also reduce co-pollutants including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), which are linked to a range of respiratory and cardiovascular health problems.

"The system is designed for scalability, cost-effectiveness, and ease of deployment," adds Dr Tsopelakou. "It leverages existing building infrastructure to deliver an immediately deployable, energy-efficient climate solution."

From the lab to the world

The project was built on research conducted at the University of Cambridge's Department of Engineering and its Centre for Climate Repair. Dr Tsopelakou co-founded CLEAR-Methane with Tzia Ming Onn, Samuel Tomlinson, Adam Boies, and Shaun Fitzgerald.

"Our team aims to translate cutting-edge methane-removal science into market-ready clean technology that advances decarbonisation and climate resilience," says Dr Tsopelakou.

The #21toWatch award recognises the project's strong commercial and societal potential. Dr Tsopelakou was also a finalist in the Postdoc Venture Creation Challenge organised by IE Cambridge: Innovation & Entrepreneurship in November 2025.

The team are currently working with Cambridge Enterprise to patent the core technology and advance prototype development, pilot testing, and strategic industry partnerships to bring this innovation from the laboratory to real-world deployment, addressing both climate impact and indoor air quality together.