Deep Heat, Smart Connections

How Eden Geothermal is energising progress through collaboration

In late 2025, with support from Innovate UK Business Growth, Eden Geothermal Limited (EGL), published a targeted collaboration call on konfer, the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB) innovation matchmaking platform, to connect with academic expertise that could help accelerate its geothermal energy ambitions. 

This simple action unlocked significant national academic interest and resulted in two strategically important collaborations: demonstrating the power of targeted partner-matching tools, like konfer, for innovative companies.   

Gus Grand, CEO of Eden Geothermal (EGL), is a woman on a mission with little time to waste. At the heart of Cornwall’s rugged landscape, her company is pioneering a shift toward geothermal energy. By tapping into the natural heat stored in deep granite rocks, EGL already powers the iconic Eden Project Biomes. But Gus knew that for geothermal to truly propel the UK’s energy transition, the industry needed more than just hardware; it needed world-class data and sophisticated modelling.  

The challenge wasn't a lack of ambition, but a lack of hours in the day. To move from a pilot site to a national leader, EGL needed research partners capable of advanced subsurface characterisation and whole-system energy analysis.  

Gus admits "Traditional networking takes immense effort. We couldn't spare the capacity for broad academic outreach while we were in a period of rapid operational growth. It must be easy, otherwise we don’t do it,"  

The breakthrough came in late 2025. Working with Innovate UK Business Growth Innovation and Growth Specialist, Angelo Spencer-Smith, EGL decided to bypass the traditional "coffee and conference" circuit. Instead, they published a precision-targeted collaboration call on konfer. The call showcased EGLs unique assets: the UK’s deepest coaxial geothermal well and a treasure trove of high-quality subsurface data. They weren't just looking for "partners", they were looking for specific expertise to solve precise technical hurdles.  

Within days, the call attracted over 10 expressions of interest from UK universities and specialist consultancies. With the Innovate UK Business Growth service triaging responses and scheduling follow up calls, the "friction" simply evaporated.  

"We have been able to build a national network of academics without having to traipse around the country," says Gus. "Innovate UK Business Growth service and konfer got us into academic networks quickly and painlessly."  

Unlocking High-Value Partnerships  

The digital call led to two transformative collaborations that are now shaping the future of British energy.  

1. The University of Liverpool: Validating the Future The University of Liverpool’s geothermal working group saw EGL’s site as a rare, real-world platform to validate their geological models. In a twist of fate, Gus had actually met the lead academic before, but in the rush of daily business, they had never realized their professional needs aligned.  

Through the structured lens of konfer, the connection finally clicked. Today, EGL is a key industrial partner influencing Liverpool’s research direction. They are co-developing funding proposals to conduct joint feasibility projects, ensuring that academic research has a direct pathway to industrial application.  

2. Brunel University London & The British Geological Survey: Breaking New Ground The second major win was an active collaboration on an EPSRC research proposal. Brunel and the BGS identified EGL as the ideal partner for research into fracture pathways in deep granite - the "holy grail" for scaling geothermal energy across the UK.  

Beyond the science, Brunel provided a reputable, independent voice that aligned perfectly with Cornwall Council’s regional energy visions. EGL is not just a local operator; they are now positioned at the centre of the UK’s next-generation geothermal research capability (UKForge).  

The Catalytic Effect  

What started as a single, well-drafted post on a digital platform became a catalytic gateway. For Eden Geothermal, these partnerships have done more than solve technical puzzles. They have strengthened their innovation ecosystem, boosted investor confidence, and cemented their role as a pivotal player in the UK’s green transition.  

 For Angelo Spencer-Smith, konfer is transforming how the companies he supports connect with innovation, giving them fast, direct access to the right university experts and the specialist knowledge needed to move ideas forward. 

Gus Grand’s advice to other innovative SMEs looking to connect with UK academia through konfer is simple: "Just go for it."  

In the race to halt climate change, Eden Geothermal has proven that sometimes the most impactful leap forward isn't a complex new strategy, it is simply finding a smarter way to connect.  

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