AI startup Materials Nexus fights Cambridge corner in search for UK's top tech trailblazer

The Cambridge-based firm, which specialises in the use of AI and quantum mechanics to revolutionise the discovery, modelling and manufacture of novel advanced materials, was one of hundreds of applications to the UK competition according to KPMG and was shortlisted among the most exciting tech offerings in the region to pitch in the regional heat.

The competition, which KPMG runs to spotlight and celebrate the world’s most innovative technology, provides a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses and collectively champion the future of tech.

Materials Nexus Product Manager Thomas Moissinac said: “We’re incredibly proud to be named the winner of the KPMG Tech Innovator in the UK 2025 East of England heat. At Matnex, we’re pioneering the use of AI to revolutionise materials discovery, accelerating the development of sustainable and high-performance materials for critical applications in clean energy, electronics, and beyond. This recognition is a testament to the strength of our team and the transformative potential of our technology.

“Having our roots in the vibrant Cambridge ecosystem - surrounded by world-leading research, talent, and innovation - has been instrumental to our progress. Our region proves that local innovation can drive global impact.

“The KPMG competition has been a fantastic platform to showcase our work and connect with other trailblazing companies. We’re excited to represent the region in the national final and continue pushing the boundaries of materials science with AI.”

Commenting on the regional heat, Joe Faulkner, East Anglia Office Senior Partner at KPMG UK, said: “Cambridge and the wider East of England region continues to impress with the depth of innovation coming out of its thriving tech scene – and Materials Nexus is a shining example of this.

“The pitch stood out amongst a range of extremely high-quality businesses for its bold vision and the powerful application of AI and quantum mechanics to accelerate the development of new, sustainable materials – solving problems of performance, cost and environmental issues all at once. It’s a game-changing proposition with the potential to drive real-world impact across countless sectors.

“We’re excited to see how Materials Nexus progresses at the UK final in London, where they’ll be representing the East of England’s capability on a national stage. The team has a truly compelling story, and we’ll be cheering them on every step of the way.”

The competition, which has been running since 2013, has celebrated some of the UK’s best pure technology and tech-enabled including What3Words, VividQ and HiiROC who have all been crowned previous winners. 2022 winner HiiROC took it a step further by winning the global final at Web Summit.

Materials Nexus Limited will now progress to the national final to be held this month in London. The UK champion will then advance to the global final later in the year, where an international panel of judges will select the KPMG Private Enterprise Global Tech Innovator.

Nicole Lowe, Head of Emerging Giants at KPMG UK, said: “The standard has been extremely high this year and it has been brilliant to see the variety of businesses the competition has unearthed across the country.

“Each year we are delighted to showcase the best the country has to offer and cannot wait to see who comes out top in the final.”