Graphene innovator SEEDS accelerates global commercialisation from NETPark base

Graphene innovator SEEDS is entering a major new phase of growth from its expanding base at the North East Technology Park (NETPark), as the company moves towards large scale production and the deployment of its engineered graphene as a platform technology across international commercial partnerships.

The deep technology business, which has developed alongside NETPark’s advanced materials community for more than a decade, is now preparing to deploy its engineered graphene technology across industries including microelectronics, aerospace and next-generation energy systems.

SEEDS has expanded its presence across NETPark’s Discovery 1 building and Plexus 2, also establishing Argonaut Labs within the recent expansion. The new facility will support increased graphene production and provide a collaborative space where early adopter partners can test and develop commercial uses for the company’s materials through its Citadel Programme.

The expansion follows a significant strategic partnership with global industrial group Mitsui, helping SEEDS scale internationally and opening access to major electronics markets.

Founded in 2013, SEEDS (Sustainable Energy Efficient Designed Structures Ltd) has spent more than 15 years developing advanced graphene materials designed to improve how electronic systems perform. Its proprietary Morpheus engineered graphene focuses on solving performance challenges where materials meet inside devices such as batteries and electronic circuits.

Jason Chehal, Chief Executive at SEEDS, said: “Graphene is often talked about as a wonder material, but its real value comes from how it is engineered and applied. What we have developed is a material that acts like a highly advanced interface layer - effectively the ‘glue’ that allows high-performance components to work better together. By solving performance challenges at these critical interfaces, we’re enabling new generations of technology across multiple industries.”

The company is now moving from research and development into commercial-scale manufacturing through its Argonaut Programme, marking a significant transition in its growth journey.

Jason added: “This expansion marks a defining moment for SEEDS, as we move from research excellence into full commercial deployment. Over the past decade, we’ve developed a way to engineer graphene not just as a material, but as a platform technology that can be tuned to solve real-world industrial challenges at scale.

“Moving into our new facility at NETPark allows us to begin delivering customer specific systems across industries including microelectronics, energy storage, aerospace and advanced manufacturing. What’s particularly powerful is the ecosystem we’re part of here. Collaborations with CPI and Mitsui demonstrate how innovation in County Durham can translate directly into global industrial impact.”

As part of this, SEEDS will relocate its existing reactor into its new Argonaut Labs, increasing production from around 50 grams per day to 500 grams per day, before progressing towards a one-tonne semi-automated system.

Rather than focusing purely on volume, SEEDS works closely with customers to tailor its materials to specific technical challenges, helping speed up adoption across different sectors.

Jason said: “Our focus is not simply supplying a material, it’s solving real engineering problems. Once a partner proves the performance benefits within their technology, demand can scale rapidly across entire industries. Argonaut Labs is about ensuring we are ready for that moment.”

Microelectronics is currently the company’s first commercial focus, where relatively small amounts of high-performance material can deliver significant performance improvements. The technology also shows strong potential in aerospace, including emerging vertical take-off aircraft, and in future renewable energy systems such as printed energy storage and self-powered coatings.

SEEDS first relocated to NETPark in 2014, attracted by its ambition to create a global centre for advanced materials innovation. Since then, the company has worked closely with the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), using its process engineering expertise to help scale and validate manufacturing technology.

Jason said: “NETPark provides the complete ecosystem we need — world-class facilities, strong academic links and direct collaboration with CPI. The environment here allows deep tech companies like SEEDS to move from concept through to commercial scale in a way that is genuinely difficult to replicate elsewhere.”

The company’s expansion is expected to support future job creation as SEEDS develops modular reactor systems designed for global supply chains, with systems built and supported from the North East.

Jason added: “We are now at the point where the technology is proven, the demand is established, and the pathways to market are clear. Each production system we deploy has the potential to support a major manufacturer anywhere in the world. That positions not only SEEDS, but the North East and the UK, at the forefront of next generation materials and electronics.”

Chris Pape, Property Director at Business Durham, manager of NETPark, said the expansion highlights the park’s role in supporting deep tech growth: “SEEDS’ expansion highlights the strength of the innovation ecosystem at NETPark. By bringing together businesses, academia and organisations such as CPI, we’re creating the conditions for companies like SEEDS to develop cutting-edge technologies and accelerate their path to global markets. It’s exciting to see a company that has grown alongside the park now entering a new phase of international commercialisation.”

To find out more about SEEDS and its pioneering work in advanced graphene technologies, visit SEEDS.

Businesses looking to scale within one of the UK’s leading science and technology campuses can also explore expansion opportunities at NETPark.