Persium reach final of Santander X UK Award: ‘A triumph for air quality technology’

Air quality startup Persium have reached  the finals of the Santander X UK Awards 2023, showcasing their innovative Digital Twinning technology for tackling air pollution globally.

The national competition, now in its 13th year, is one of the UK’s largest student and graduate business pitching competitions which supports aspiring entrepreneurs throughout the UK. It has significantly contributed to the UK’s startup ecosystem by providing over £900,000 in equity-free funding since its inception, helping to accelerate and grow a wide range of innovative businesses over the years.

This year’s Santander X UK Awards feature two categories: University and Startup. With over 1500+ applications, Persium have secured their place in the final six in the Startup category, having gone through two rounds of online applications, and two rounds of in-person pitch battles in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, which recently took place at the Oval cricket ground.

The final is set to take place on 7th December at Unity Place, Santander’s new headquarters in Milton Keynes.

The achievement of reaching the finals highlights Persium’s significant contributions towards tackling air pollution worldwide through its unique digital twinning technology for smart cities to monitor, manage and improve air quality. The recognition also more widely indicates the growing awareness of air quality issues and the push for new exciting and cutting-edge technologies to tackle air pollution.

The winner of this year’s Santander X UK Award not only bags up to £25,000 in equity-free funding but also gets a golden ticket to the Santander X Global Awards. This global stage is where finalist startups from Santander’s other national competitions from across the world come together to battle it out for further international recognition.

Persium has earned its place in the final through its unwavering commitment towards tackling one of the planet’s most pressing challenges. Co-Founder Alex Yousefian further elaborated; ‘Our mission is clear: to make cities smarter, cleaner, and healthier. For Persium to be recognised as a leading start-up for tackling air pollution allows us to get even closer to achieving that mission. We are incredibly excited for what the future holds’.

As Persium gears up to take the stage at the finals of the Santander X UK Awards, they are not just pitching their technology and solutions; they are further advancing and publicising the importance of clean air worldwide.

Click here to learn more about Persium and their mission