As a student, Amrit Chandan heard a respected scientist tell his university’s research group that the world was beyond saving. “They told us: ‘Don’t even try, just give up, and go live your best life’ which was depressing to hear at the start of one’s career,” he recalls.

“So I became interested in sustainability at the outset, and decided to try and make a difference.”

15 years on, Amrit has established himself as a successful entrepreneur in decarbonisation technology, having developed maintainable vehicle batteries for use in emerging markets like Africa and India. He also made it his mission to ensure valuable engineering skills can be passed more easily around communities, as developing countries start to embrace cleaner fuels.

Now he is embarking on his next challenge: developing an AI tool that takes learnings from professionals – including those responsible for developing more sustainable ports and shipping – and generates insights to improve future decision making.

This autumn, his company Lorefully was welcomed onto the new Transport Accelerator: Maritime run by Connected Places Catapult on behalf of the Department for Transport to take forward his concept and build a working prototype.

“I remain optimistic we will solve the sustainability challenges we face,” Amrit says. “Look at how a Covid vaccine was developed and distributed globally within 18 months. With the right mindset, we can achieve pretty much anything.”

Focusing in on sustainability

Amrit has lived in the West Midlands all his life. Growing up, he remembers environmental matters not generally being taught at school, although recycling had started to become a focus.

The first environmental concern he recalls was learning about acid rain, and the corrosive impact it had on buildings. “What's interesting now,” he notes, “is that it’s no longer problems, which gives me hope.”

Amrit enjoyed chemistry, which he studied at the University of Birmingham, and progressed onto a PhD in chemical engineering after realising he excelled at practical applications.

He hails from a line of small business owners: his grandfather ran a clothing shop and his father is an optometrist. Their influence encouraged Amrit to found a business himself, but so too did the “frustrating process” of filling out job applications online, being rejected and receiving no feedback. “That sparked a rebelliousness in me; I was no longer prepared to jump through hoops.”

While studying for a PhD in chemical engineering, Amrit “signed up for every extra-curricular activity on offer” including a business course offering a prize for innovation, which he won. Amrit used his £500 winnings to start a company, which “created the spark that lit the flame” for life as an entrepreneur.

He started working as a consultant part-time with a friend to help get lithium-ion and hydrogen fuel cell technology out of the laboratory and into the market, for use in alternative fuelled vehicles. One client was the Morgan motor company which wanted help developing an electric vehicle strategy that aligned with customer needs.

Upskilling engineers in Uganda

After completing his PhD, Amrit worked for low carbon vehicle specialist Cenex as a technical consultant, and met future business co-founder Carlton Cummins in the back of a fuel cell car at a trade show. After several lunchtime conversations sharing their enthusiasm for improving battery performance and making them easier to service, they founded Aceleron.

They designed a battery repurposing facility that fitted inside a shipping container which was sent to the Bidibidi migration camp in northern Uganda, where Amrit and Carlton trained migrant workers how to use it rather than burning unwanted electrical devices after they have stopped working.

Africa is an important continent to focus attention on, Amrit explains, because many vehicles end up there towards their end of life, and there is a growing need to upskill workers in net-zero jobs.

Two years ago, Amrit and his business partner sold the company to an Indian automotive manufacturer. Amrit spent his new-found spare time becoming an entrepreneur in residence with venture builder Carbon13, and joined the Royal Academy of Engineering’s scale-up selection committee. He also worked with several other groups to help sustainable enterprises grow and access funding.

At the beginning of 2024, Amrit and two other partners co-founded software developer Lorefully (derived from ‘lore’ – as in the passing of knowledge from one person to another) to create new technology applications, and make it easier for people to access appropriate skills.

“We wanted to capture knowledge when it’s fresh in people’s minds,” he explains. “There is never enough time to write important things down; when people leave an organisation, so does their knowledge.” Their platform works by speaking to or capturing text in an AI program that turns the detail into advice that can be useful for others.

“In order to achieve net zero, we need to start collecting as much information from people in the know as possible.”

Promising conversations made

Amrit says participating in the Transport Accelerator: Maritime has helped him better understand where sector challenges lie, and led to promising discussions with one of the programme partners – the National Shipbuilding Office – about using the AI tool to help it decarbonise vessels.

“I’ve been really impressed by Connected Places Catapult. The accelerator provided great peer-to-peer connections, and access to fantastic industry leaders.”

Amrit says his drive is ‘purpose’ first, and profit second. “My three career goals are: I want to help offset a gigaton of carbon in the projects I'm involved in; I want to positively impact more than 100 million people around the world; and I want to create a company worth more than a billion dollars.

“My career has been one of continuous learning; 90% of the decisions I previously made would be done differently next time.

“To be a successful innovator, you need a good degree of resilience, self-awareness and emotional intelligence,” he adds. “Some days start out as a ‘one out of ten’ if an investor emails saying ‘no’, but end up a nine if someone else wants a conversation. There's no better way to learn about yourself than by being an entrepreneur.”

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