Sports Technology student Joe Porter has received a £10,000 grant for his idea, PowerRide, which aims to stem global warming.

In its simplest form, PowerRide is a system that captures energy from cycling that can be stored and used later on a whole host of applications. The idea came from Joe’s keen interest in Physics, natural energy and how they can be used to solve the global warming and energy crisis.

Joe entered the Exciting Engineering competition for the experience of developing a real world project. His idea was successful, winning a £10,000 grant from the Sport Technology Innovation Fund, a fund set up by the Mayor's Office and London Sport to support start-ups with ideas to make London more physically active.

Of the award, Joe said:

“Money is always the barrier to success for any start-up business, but the funding from London Sport has really bypassed that whole difficult first struggle for us, and has allowed us to open up our creativity without the restriction of finances. 

“Winning is something I'm not used to, so when I won the Exciting Engineering award it gave me a form of recognition that my ideas aren't crazy! All of the attention and investment is beyond anything I could have imagined when I was sat in my garden with a beer and my sketchbook. I'm very excited for what the future holds.”

With the support of Andy Harland, Director of Loughborough University’s Sports Technology Institute, Joe has now started Team PowerRide, a group of four like-minded Sports Technology students working to see how far Joe’s idea and vision can go.