The Swansea University spinout secured equity funding from Swansea Innovations and the Development Bank of Wales to develop energy harvesting technologies.

Trameto, a UK-based cleantech developer based on work from Cardiff and Birmingham universities, has secured initial funding led by Swansea Innovations, the commercialisation arm of Swansea University.

The round was backed by Development Bank for Wales, a $580m state-owned investment unit launched in October 2017. Swansea invested through the Swansea University Innovation Fund, which also backs non-Swansea businesses.

Additionally, Trameto received a grant of undisclosed size from UK-state backed research board Innovate UK.

Trameto is developing semiconductors that collect energy to power small devices without a battery or mains connection – a system known as energy harvesting. The business aims to tap energy sources such as light, vibrations and thermal gradients.

The cash will be used for further development and to prepare Trameto’s technology for the internet-of-things market.

Trameto was co-founded by Huw Davies, chief executive and physics alumnus from Cardiff University, along with Laurence Strong, chief operating officer, who studied electronic and electrical engineering at University of Birmingham.

The business was previously funded by Agor IP, a $16.7m vehicle led by Swansea University that assists with early-stage assessments. Agor IP is backed by the Welsh Government and the EU-owned European Regional Development Fund.

Huw Davies said: “Trameto’s products will enable the elimination of batteries from the many interconnected smart sensors and wireless devices which can communicate with each other in the internet of things.

“We are addressing opportunities in markets such as infrastructure monitoring, asset tracking, smart agriculture, defence, wearables, healthcare and smart metering.”