Glass Futures
Glass Futures is a UK not-for-profit operating the world's first multi-fuel hybrid pilot-scale glass furnace, delivering decarbonisation R&D, AI-driven digital twin simulation, and collaborative innovation programmes to global glass manufacturers, brand owners, and government partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersSt. Helens, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Glass Futures does
Glass Futures Limited is a UK-registered not-for-profit research and innovation platform serving the global glass, ceramics, and foundation industries. It operates the £54m Global Centre of Excellence in St Helens — a 165,000 sq. ft. facility housing the world's first multi-fuel hybrid 30-tonne-per-day pilot-scale glass furnace, capable of firing green electricity, hydrogen, biofuels, and natural gas blends at 1600°C, alongside a 350kW Combustion Test Bed and bespoke biofuel, electric-boost, and hydrogen delivery systems. Its core technology stack pairs physical pilot-line instrumentation (16 furnace sensors, Siemens SIMATIC PCS Neo control) with an AI-driven digital twin running physics-informed neural networks on NVIDIA RTX Pro 6000 GPUs, plus the anomalyseTM machine-learning anomaly detection module.
The organisation generates revenue through a three-tier membership model (Strategic £250K, Corporate £50K, Affiliate £10K per year), supplemented by substantial UK government grants from UKRI, DESNZ, Innovate UK, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, and St Helens Council — over £25.6m of named awards across AI-GLASS (£1.5m), Low-Cost Biofuels (£5.6m), RaD-Electric (£6m), IRIFIO (£4m), and the Centre build (£9m) — plus fee-based technical consultancy including CFD modelling, fuel trials, and emissions analysis. Its membership of 30+ organisations spans leading glass manufacturers (AGC, Şişecam, Ardagh, Pilkington/NSG, O-I, Encirc, Guardian Glass, AGI Glaspac), downstream brand owners (Diageo, Nestlé, Molson Coors), technology partners (Siemens, NVIDIA, i3D Robotics, Lucideon), academic bodies (University of Liverpool VEC, STFC Hartree Centre), and trade associations (British Glass, AIGMF).
Glass Futures is governed by a Board chaired by Adrian Curry (former Encirc MD, ex-British Glass President) with CEO Justin Kelly and Founder Richard Katz. Its commercial posture combines R&D-as-a-service to industry with policy advocacy through the UK Glass & Glazing Collective and standards-setting via its founding membership in ResponsibleGlass. The stated mission is to de-risk and accelerate decarbonisation pathways for energy-intensive foundation industries, with quantified customer outcomes including up to 90% CO2 reduction in biofuel trials and £1.8m of savings per toughened glass supplier from IRIFIO defect detection.
Glass Futures firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Glass Futures
- Legal name
- Glass Futures Limited
- Website
- https://glass-futures.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Glass Futures is a UK not-for-profit operating the world's first multi-fuel hybrid pilot-scale glass furnace, delivering decarbonisation R&D, AI-driven digital twin simulation, and collaborative innovation programmes to global glass manufacturers, brand owners, and government partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Glass Futures industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Glass R&D and Decarbonisation Services
- NAICS
- Flat Glass Manufacturing (327211), Glass Container Manufacturing (327213), Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing (32721), Glass Product Manufacturing Made of Purchased Glass (327215)
- SIC
- Flat Glass (3211), Glass Containers (3221), Glass Products, Made Of Purchased Glass (3231)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Flat Glass (Float/Sheet/Plate) Manufacturing (IMADAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Tempered & Heat-Strengthened Safety Glass (IMADAHAD), Food & Beverage Glass Packaging (Beer, Wine, Spirits, Soft Drinks, Water) (IMALAEAA), Glass Fabrication & Processing Services (Cutting/Edging/Drilling/Polishing) (IMADAHAI)
Keywords
Where Glass Futures is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- St. Helens
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Glass Futures business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Tiered membership model providing access to pilot-scale R&D facilities, collaborative programmes, technical projects, and consortium working groups. Three tiers: Strategic (£250K), Corporate (£50K), Affiliate (£10K). Members gain full access to publicly-funded programme data and insights, networking opportunities, and technical workshop participation.
- Government Grants and Funding: Significant funding from UK government bodies including Innovate UK, DESNZ, UKRI, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, and St Helens Council for decarbonisation research projects including AI-GLASS (£1.5m), Low-Cost Biofuels (£5.6m), and Electric Boosting (£6m).
- Technical Consultancy Services: R&D services, technical consultancy, expert training, and supply chain support provided to members and external parties. Includes CFD modeling, fuel trials, emissions analysis, and data-driven insights for furnace design improvements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Strategic Member - £250K annually - Full access to research direction and programme data |
| Subscription | Annual | Corporate Member - £50K annually - Access to collaborative programmes and project participation |
| Subscription | Annual | Affiliate Member - £10K annually - Entry-level membership access |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Glass Futures product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Glass Futures operates a 165,000 sq ft Global Centre of Excellence in St Helens, UK, housing the world's first multi-fuel hybrid 30-tonne-per-day pilot-scale glass furnace. The organisation delivers collaborative R&D programmes, pilot trials, AI-driven digital twin simulations, and technical consultancy to glass, ceramics, and foundation industry manufacturers seeking to decarbonise production processes and test alternative fuels such as hydrogen, biofuels, and electric boosting.
Product overview
Glass Futures operates as a global innovation platform delivering R&D services and technology programmes rather than a traditional product company. The core offering is the 165,000 sq ft Global Centre of Excellence featuring the world's first multi-fuel hybrid 30-tonne-per-day glass furnace. The portfolio includes the AI-Driven Digital Twin for virtual furnace testing, the Combustion Test Bed for low-carbon combustion innovation, and membership programmes providing access to pilot facilities and collaborative R&D. Funded research programmes include the £5.6M Low-Cost Biofuels, £1.5M AI GLASS, and £6M RaD-Electric projects. Add-on capabilities include the anomalyseTM anomaly detection platform integrated with Siemens systems. Together these offerings enable glass, ceramics, and foundation industries to de-risk and accelerate decarbonisation through shared trials, simulation, and expert technical support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Global Centre of Excellence A purpose-built R&D facility housing the world's first multi-fuel hybrid pilot-scale glass furnace, advanced batch plant, combustion test bed, and digital platforms for industry-scale decarbonisation trials. Used by glass and ceramics manufacturers to test fuels, materials, and processes away from live production lines.
- AI-Driven Digital Twin Physics-informed AI digital twin of the glass furnace combining real sensor data with physics modelling to predict glass output, energy use, emissions, melt quality, and operating costs. Enables manufacturers to virtually test changes in temperature, pressure, fuels, and other variables before production implementation.
- Combustion Test Bed A 350kW scalable replica of an end-fired regenerative glass furnace enabling accurate testing of new fuels, burner designs, and operational strategies before scaling to full-size furnaces. Supports testing with natural gas, hydrogen, biofuels, and liquid-gas combinations across an air preheat range of 0°C to 1,000°C.
- Membership Programmes Tiered credit-based membership programme providing Strategic (£250K), Corporate (£50K), and Affiliate (£10K) levels of access to collaborative programmes, pilot facility usage, technical workshops, publicly-funded programme data, and the global Glass Futures innovation network.
- AI GLASS Project A £1.5M UKRI-funded multi-physics simulation and digital twin programme providing furnace optimisation models, advanced onsite simulation tools, AI/ML training workshops, and a virtual training environment for furnace optimisation and workforce development.
- Low-Cost Biofuels Programme A £5.6M DESNZ-funded research programme demonstrating low-cost biofuels made from waste cooking oil as a scalable low-carbon replacement for natural gas in glass and ceramics manufacturing. Offers industrial trials, CAPEX/OPEX modelling, and supply chain development.
- Flames to Currents (RaD-Electric) A £6M DESNZ-funded project demonstrating high-capacity electric-boosting technology that cuts the glass sector's reliance on natural gas and enables demand-side response capabilities on local electricity networks.
- anomalyse Cooling System Monitoring A machine learning-driven anomaly detection platform that provides continuous model-based monitoring of industrial cooling water systems, identifying developing issues such as pump degradation, blockages, fouling, and valve drift before they trigger alarms or cause failures.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 56% reduction in carbon emissions through electric boosting
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Glass Futures
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Glass Futures technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability7 records
Feature8 records
Glass Futures partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
27 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, core and strategic.
- anomalysesupportingAnomalyse anomaly detection platform deployed for continuous monitoring of critical cooling water system on Glass Futures' 30-tonne glass furnace. Uses machine learning-driven behavioral models to identify developing issues before they trigger alarms or cause failures, integrated with existing Siemens SIMATIC PCS Neo control system.
- F.I.C UK LtdsupportingSupported installation and commissioning of bespoke electric-boost (e-boost) system at Glass Futures pilot facility. E-boost technology heats molten glass via electrodes to enhance furnace efficiency and reduce reliance on natural gas.
- Ryze PowersupportingHydrogen and hydrogen infrastructure supplier partnered on successful demonstration of 100% hydrogen firing in custom-designed ceramics pilot-kiln at Glass Futures facility. Contributed to hydrogen fuel delivery system commissioning.
- Encirc (Vidrala)coreMajor glass container manufacturer and key trial partner in biofuel, electric boosting, and hydrogen technology trials. Conducted 2021 biofuel trial producing bottles from 100% recycled glass with up to 90% carbon reduction. Barry King, Engineering Manager at Encirc, stated collaboration brings industry closer to finding viable alternatives to fossil fuels.
- ResponsibleGlassstrategicInternational multi-stakeholder not-for-profit standards and certification programme for responsible low-carbon glass production. Glass Futures joined as founding member to co-develop and validate the ResponsibleGlass Standard and support its global adoption. ResponsibleGlass brings together manufacturers, suppliers, automotive companies, and civil society to develop first global standard for responsible glass production.
- University of Liverpool Virtual Engineering Centre (VEC)coreAI-GLASS project partner creating fully immersive 3D digital twin of Glass Futures site through BIM data, LiDAR scanning, and UAV photogrammetry. Dr Konstantin Vikhorev, CTO at VEC, stated: 'AI Glass will revolutionise how industry approaches decarbonisation by merging advanced modelling and AI to help manufacturers explore new fuels and materials in seconds.'
- SiemenscoreAutomation technology partner providing SIMATIC PCS Neo control system and high-definition cameras for Glass Futures pilot facility. Fully automated furnace with Siemens control technology allows real-time adjustments to optimise energy use and glass quality. Mike Houghton, Chief Commercial Officer of Process Industries Software at Siemens, served as former Board Chair.
- NVIDIAcoreWorld-leading AI company providing RTX Pro 6000 GPUs powering the AI-GLASS digital twin project. NVIDIA's accelerated computing combined with physics-informed modeling enables 11,530+ simultaneous calculations for accurate furnace performance prediction. Anthony Hills, Director of UKI, stated: 'AI-GLASS shows how advanced AI can unlock entirely new ways of understanding and improving complex industrial processes.'
- AGI GlaspaccoreFirst Indian-owned member; leading Indian container glass manufacturer producing over 2000 TPD. Joined on World Environment Day 2025 to collaborate on sustainability projects. CEO Rajesh Khosla stated commitment to pioneering sustainable future for glass manufacturing globally.
- Ceramics UKsupportingLed hydrogen and hydrogen-natural gas blend firing demonstration in custom-designed ceramics pilot-kiln at Glass Futures facility. Successfully demonstrated 100% hydrogen firing and blends, providing valuable insights into hydrogen impact on ceramic products.
- i3D RoboticssupportingLed the IRIFIO (Intelligent Robotic Inspection for Foundation Industry Optimisation) project delivering transformative defect detection using machine learning and robotics. First cold trial on Glass Futures' new state-of-the-art pilot line successfully identified microscopic defects smaller than 150 microns.
- Science and Technology Facilities Council Hartree CentresupportingProject manager and data analyst for IRIFIO robotic inspection project, providing computational expertise and analysis of vision sensor data from Glass Futures pilot trials.
- Glass Technology ServicessupportingGlass manufacturing supply chain consultants collaborating on IRIFIO project to advance defect detection technology in glass production.
- LucideonsupportingInternational materials consultancy exploring similar defect detection advancements in glass and ceramic production processes through IRIFIO project collaboration.
- UK Glass & Glazing CollectivestrategicStrategic alliance of British Glass, Glass Futures, Glass & Glazing Federation, and Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers formed to elevate sector's voice in government and policy. Hosted parliamentary event at House of Commons October 2025.
- Argent EnergysupportingSupply chain partner for waste-derived biofuels contributing to industrial decarbonisation without disrupting food supply resources.
- Watson FuelssupportingFuel supplier partner supporting waste-derived biofuel supply chain for industrial decarbonisation trials.
- Supergen Bioenergy Hub at Aston UniversitysupportingAcademic research partner providing expertise on sustainable fuel choices and transition towards more sustainable energy solutions.
- ŞişecamcoreOnly global company operating in all core areas of glass production (flat, hollow, fibre) joined as strategic member. Signing ceremony at Şişecam headquarters with CEO Görkem Elverici and Glass Futures CEO Justin Kelly. Şişecam pursuing 2050 carbon-neutral commitment; collaboration will enhance environmentally friendly and sustainable production capabilities.
- DiageocoreGlobal beverage company and strategic member expanding partnership with Glass Futures into India and globally to explore effective routes for decarbonising glass industry. Supported AIGMF Executive Committee meeting in Goa to discuss decarbonisation goals.
- All India Glass Manufacturers' Federation (AIGMF)supportingIndustry association facilitating Glass Futures engagement with Indian glass sector. Glass Futures supported AIGMF Executive Committee meeting in Goa to discuss decarbonisation goals and ESG strategies.
- Guardian GlasscoreOne of world's largest float glass manufacturers and partner in £6m RaD-Electric project. Successfully implemented and trialled new e-boosting system at Goole plant, demonstrating how high-capacity electric-boosting can cut reliance on natural gas.
- Glass ServicesupportingAI GLASS project partner contributing to multi-physics simulation model for furnace optimisation and digital twin development.
- Ardagh GroupcoreMajor glass packaging manufacturer and partner in £5.6m Low-Cost Biofuels project. Industrial trials benchmarking biofuels against natural gas across float glass, container glass, and ceramics production.
- Pilkington UK (NSG Group)coreLeading flat glass manufacturer participating in Low-Cost Biofuels project trials and alternative fuel demonstrations at Glass Futures pilot facility.
- O-IcoreGlobal glass packaging manufacturer participating in Low-Cost Biofuels project, contributing to industrial-scale biofuel trials alongside other major glass manufacturers.
- DSF Refractories & MineralssupportingUK's largest shaped refractory producer supplying products into glass sector, participating in Low-Cost Biofuels project trials.
Scale indicators23 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Glass Futures competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- ResponsibleGlass: ResponsibleGlass is an international multi-stakeholder standards and certification programme for low-carbon glass production, of which Glass Futures is a founding member. It is an emerging industry body in the same ecosystem that could influence certification protocols, with overlap on standard-setting and member engagement in the glass decarbonisation value chain.
- WattGlass: WattGlass is an emerging US-based startup developing anti-reflective and UV-blocking glass coatings. While focused on a downstream product innovation rather than furnace-level decarbonisation, it targets glass manufacturers as customers and is a smaller-scale emerging player in glass technology R&D with similar end-customers to Glass Futures' flat glass members.
Direct peers
- Glass Technology Services: Glass Technology Services is a UK-based independent consultancy offering analytical, testing, and R&D services to the glass supply chain. It is already a Glass Futures project partner on IRIFIO but independently serves similar customers with technical consultancy, failure analysis, and supply chain support, competing for the same budget at member companies.
- Glass Service: Glass Service is a Czech-based provider of glass furnace simulation software and optimisation services. The company is already a partner on Glass Futures' AI-GLASS project but also operates as an independent supplier of furnace digital twins, modelling, and process consulting to global glass manufacturers — directly overlapping with one of Glass Futures' core offerings.
- CelSian: CelSian is a Netherlands-based glass technology consultancy and R&D provider offering furnace process optimisation, CFD modelling, and pilot testing for glass manufacturers. It is the closest direct competitor to Glass Futures, serving the same customer base (container and float glass producers) with similar technical services but without the multi-fuel pilot furnace asset.
- Centre for Process Innovation (CPI): CPI is a UK-based technology and innovation centre within the Catapult Network, providing pilot facilities, R&D services, and consortium programmes to process industries. While focused on broader manufacturing sectors including pharmaceuticals and chemicals, it operates the same UK publicly-funded innovation-centre model with member subscriptions and government co-investment, making it a strong structural peer.
- Lucideon: Lucideon is an international materials technology consultancy providing R&D, testing, and process improvement services to glass, ceramics, and construction materials industries. As an IRIFIO project partner it has overlapping customer relationships and capability profiles, serving similar enterprise customers in foundation industries with materials testing and process expertise.
- Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research (ISC): Fraunhofer ISC is a German applied research institute focused on silicate-based materials including glass, ceramics, and construction materials. As part of the larger Fraunhofer Society, it operates on a comparable model of contract R&D, government co-funding, and industry consortia, serving foundation industries with pilot facilities and is the closest European structural analogue to Glass Futures.
- British Glass: British Glass is the UK glass industry trade association and a strategic alliance partner of Glass Futures. While it operates as a representative body rather than an R&D facility, both organisations are funded by overlapping UK glass manufacturer memberships and both shape national net-zero glass strategy, making them directly comparable in terms of audience, funding model, and policy influence.
Broad incumbents
- Corning: Corning is a global materials science leader with significant in-house R&D capabilities across glass and ceramics, including display glass, optical fibre, and life sciences. It is not a consortium but a much larger incumbent with internal R&D scale that competes for the same decarbonisation agenda and competes for technical talent that Glass Futures needs to attract.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Glass Futures social profiles
Digital presenceGlass Futures financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Glass Futures leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Glass Futures funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Glass Futures M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Glass Futures
What does Glass Futures do?
Glass Futures operates a 165,000 sq ft Global Centre of Excellence in St Helens, UK, housing the world's first multi-fuel hybrid 30-tonne-per-day pilot-scale glass furnace. The organisation delivers collaborative R&D programmes, pilot trials, AI-driven digital twin simulations, and technical consultancy to glass, ceramics, and foundation industry manufacturers seeking to decarbonise production processes and test alternative fuels such as hydrogen, biofuels, and electric boosting.
Is Glass Futures a public or private company?
Glass Futures is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Glass Futures founded?
Glass Futures was founded in 2022. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Glass Futures based?
Glass Futures is headquartered in St. Helens, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Glass Futures make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are government Grants and Funding and technical Consultancy Services.
Who are Glass Futures's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are ResponsibleGlass and WattGlass. Direct peers are Glass Technology Services, Glass Service, CelSian, Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), Lucideon, Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research (ISC) and British Glass. Corning is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Glass Futures have an API?
No public API is recorded for Glass Futures.
What industry is Glass Futures in?
Glass Futures's product category is Industrial Glass R&D and Decarbonisation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMADAHAA, Flat Glass (Float/Sheet/Plate) Manufacturing, with a secondary code of IMADAHAD, Tempered & Heat-Strengthened Safety Glass. Its NAICS code is 327211 and its SIC code is 3211.