The ZERO Institute - University of Oxford

What The ZERO Institute - University of Oxford does

The ZERO Institute (Zero-carbon Energy Research Oxford) is a multidisciplinary research hub at the University of Oxford, founded in 2022 and headquartered at Holywell House, Osney Mead, Oxford. It operates as an interdisciplinary platform spanning engineering, materials science, chemistry, geography, and policy, structured around five research themes — Generation, Conversion, Distribution, Storage, and Usage — that together address the technical, economic, and social dimensions of the zero-carbon energy transition.

The Institute's technology portfolio includes lithium-sulfur battery research under the Faraday Institution's LiSTAR programme (achieving 400Wh/kg), the ZEBRA Living Lab post-occupancy evaluation and intervention protocol (demonstrating 20% energy and 24% carbon reductions), tandem photovoltaics combining silicon with metal-halide perovskites, and AI-driven battery diagnostics and energy-systems control. It produces flagship outputs such as the DPhil Programme in Zero Carbon Energy, the Oxford Climate Ventures and Founders Programme spin-out accelerators, the Early Career Researcher Network (250+ members), and policy engagement with the UK House of Lords, EU Commission, and DESNZ.

Commercially, ZERO does not operate as a revenue-driven entity; it is funded primarily through research council grants (notably a £41M EPSRC Prosperity Partnership matched with £56M from industry and academia, plus a £39M Royal Academy of Engineering award), philanthropic and venture-aligned partners (Breakthrough Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, Oxford Science Enterprises), and institutional support from the University of Oxford. Most outputs — workshops, competitions, travel bursaries, writing retreats — are provided free of charge; monetisation pathways run through industry partnerships, technology translation via spin-outs, and policy advisory rather than fee-bearing services.

Name

The ZERO Institute - University of Oxford

Legal name

Oxford Zero Institute

Website

https://zero.ox.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The ZERO Institute is the University of Oxford's multidisciplinary research hub, founded in 2022, accelerating the zero-carbon energy transition across Generation, Conversion, Distribution, Storage, and Usage through research, doctoral training, industry partnerships, and climate-tech venture creation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clean Energy Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Sector-Specific Net-Zero Pathways & Benchmarking (hard-to-abate methodologies) (EUABAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regulatory & Disclosure Strategy (CSRD/ESRS, ISSB/IFRS S2, SEC, TCFD) (EUABAKAH), Decarbonization Strategy & Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) Advisory (EUABAKAC)

Keywords

• Clean energy research
• Battery technology research
• Energy storage systems
• Decarbonisation research
• University research institute

Headquarters

HQ city

Oxford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Funding: Primary funding from research councils (EPSRC, Faraday Institution), government agencies, and international organizations. Major £41M EPSRC Prosperity Partnership with matched £56M from industry and academia.
2. Educational Programs: DPhil Programme in Zero Carbon Energy, teaching and internship programmes, professional development workshops for industry and policymakers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The ZERO Institute is a multi-disciplinary zero-carbon energy research hub at the University of Oxford that coordinates and funds research, postgraduate training, and industry collaboration across batteries, electrolysers, power electronics, energy systems, and decarbonisation policy. It runs flagship projects (LiSTAR, MaxBatt, ZEBRA Living Lab), delivers DPhil/early-career researcher programmes, and convenes an entrepreneurship programme (Oxford Climate Ventures) and a founders programme.

Product overview

The ZERO Institute is a multi-disciplinary research hub at the University of Oxford focused on accelerating the transition to a just and fair zero-carbon energy system. It offers a comprehensive portfolio spanning research programs across five themes (Generation, Conversion, Distribution, Storage, Usage), doctoral education (DPhil Programme in Zero Carbon Energy), entrepreneurial support (Oxford Climate Ventures, Founders Programme, Founders Network), early career researcher development (ECR Network with travel bursaries and writing retreats), and specialized research initiatives (ZEBRA Living Lab, MaxBatt, LiSTAR). The institute functions as an interconnected ecosystem where research feeds into education, policy engagement, and commercial translation to deliver real-world impact.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Oxford Climate Ventures: A hands-on programme designed to help entrepreneurs validate, develop and launch climate-focused business or spinout ventures, delivered by Oxford Saïd Entrepreneurship Centre and the ZERO Institute.
• Founders Programme
• ZEBRA Living Lab
• ECR Network

Products and services

• DPhil Programme in Zero-Carbon Energy

Quantifiable outcome

• 20% energy consumption reduction and 24% carbon emissions reduction in buildings through ZEBRA living lab interventions
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fortescue ZerocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2025Global leader in zero emissions solutions and electrifying mining equipment partnering with University of Oxford through the EPSRC Prosperity Partnership 'Energy storage for decarbonisation'. Project anchored in the ZERO Institute to develop safer, longer lasting, and more efficient industrial batteries for vehicles in difficult to decarbonise industries.
• Oxford Energy NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrings together energy researchers across the university and facilitates knowledge exchange with industry, policy makers and civil society. ZERO Institute works closely with aligned organisations on the zero-carbon transition.
• Oxford Net ZerocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterdisciplinary research programme aimed at informing effective, equitable, and ambitious climate action. ZERO Institute collaborates on research initiatives and shares expertise on net-zero pathways.
• The Faraday InstitutioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK's independent institute for electrochemical energy storage research. ZERO Institute researchers including Paul Shearing lead LiSTAR and Safebatt research programmes focused on lithium-sulfur batteries and battery safety.
• Henry Royce InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK's national institute for advanced materials research and innovation. ZERO Institute members including Robin Morris serve as Enterprise Manager coordinating and co-authoring roadmaps on materials challenges for hydrogen and energy storage.
• Oxford Saïd Entrepreneurship CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Oxford Said Business School to deliver Oxford Climate Ventures programme combining entrepreneurship expertise with zero-carbon energy research capabilities.
• Oxford Martin SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZERO Institute collaborates with Oxford Martin School programmes including Future of Cooling and Circular Battery Economies, leveraging interdisciplinary expertise across the university.
• University of BirminghamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZERO Institute inaugural associate Professor John Loughhead holds joint affiliations, bringing expertise in sustainable energy policy and connections to climate tech investment.
• OxLEP (Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting the Mini TESA (Energy Systems Accelerator) pilot that has created 115 jobs for Oxfordshire through zero-carbon energy research collaboration between academia and industry.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stanford Precourt Institute for Energy: Stanford's interdisciplinary energy research institute spanning generation, storage, and usage themes. Closely comparable mission, structure, and industry partnership model to ZERO Institute at Oxford.
• Faraday Institution: UK's independent institute for electrochemical energy storage research. Directly comparable as a partner funder of ZERO's LiSTAR and Safebatt programmes, with a shared focus on battery research translation.
• Oxford Martin School: ZERO Institute's sister programme within the University of Oxford. Directly comparable as an Oxford-based interdisciplinary research hub addressing global challenges with strong policy engagement and industry collaboration.
• MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI): MIT's flagship interdisciplinary energy research hub. Directly comparable to ZERO as a multi-disciplinary energy research, education, and industry partnership model based at a leading global university with similar translation pathways into startups and policy.
• Cambridge Centre for Energy, Environment and Natural Resources: Cambridge University's hub for energy and environmental policy research. Comparable to ZERO as a UK university-based, multi-disciplinary energy research and policy engagement platform.
• Oxford Net Zero: University of Oxford's interdisciplinary climate action research programme. Closely comparable mission on net-zero pathways, policy engagement, and multi-stakeholder research partnerships; ZERO Institute is already a collaborator.
• Imperial College London Energy Institute: UK-based university energy research hub with strong industry partnerships and translation focus. Directly comparable as a leading UK academic energy transition research and policy institute.
• ETH Zurich Energy Science Center: Leading European university-based energy research hub. Comparable as an interdisciplinary energy systems research, education, and industry partnership platform at a top technical university.

Others

• Henry Royce Institute: UK's national institute for advanced materials research. Comparable as a strategic ZERO Institute partner for materials science dissemination, roadmapping for hydrogen and energy storage challenges.
• Breakthrough Energy: Bill Gates-founded climate technology investment and programme organization. Comparable as a key funding/ecosystem partner supporting ZERO's Oxford Climate Ventures and Founders Programme for climate tech ventures.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-zero-institute-university-of-oxford

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The ZERO Institute - University of Oxford