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Business and innovation

Business and innovation

Solar cooking, an ultrasound success story, and why some business models just don’t work out

16 Jan 2020 Tami Freeman

This episode of the Physics World Weekly podcast features an interview with Alan Bigelow, science director of Solar Cookers International, a non-profit organization that researches and promotes solar cooking. Bigelow explains how solar cookers work, why they are needed and the challenges of using such cookers in harsh environments. Caitlyn Hughes, the company’s executive director, also describes how the cookers can prove invaluable in refugee camps by removing the need for open-fire cooking.

We also hear from Dave Hughes, founding director of Novosound, which is developing novel thin-film ultrasound technology. The start-up company currently makes ultrasound systems for non-destructive testing, for customers in the aerospace or oil and gas inspection industries. Looking ahead, Novosound plans to move into the medical market, with products such as high-resolution ultrasound imaging systems. And a recent £3.3 million investment should certainly help them on their way.

And finally, we discuss why some new companies simply don’t manage to achieve such success and take a look at a couple of particularly bad business models.

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