Imperial College London will host Creative Destruction Lab (CDL)-London, a new international site for the CDL Minerals programme – with Rio Tinto as founding partner.
CDL is a global non-profit that supports early-stage science- and technology-based companies through a structured mentorship programme. The CDL Minerals stream is focused on ventures developing breakthrough technologies for mineral exploration, processing and decarbonisation. By connecting scientists and entrepreneurs with experienced mentors, CDL provides the guidance, networks, and structure needed to help teams refine their value propositions, set clear milestones, and prepare to raise early-stage investment.
A new hub for minerals innovation
CDL-London will be hosted by the Imperial Institute for Deep Tech Entrepreneurship, an Imperial-wide initiative led by Imperial Business School, working in collaboration with the Imperial Enterprise Lab.
The programme expands on the success of CDL-Vancouver, launched in 2023 at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business. With London now joining the global network, CDL will be able to engage with new talent, research, and innovation ecosystems across Europe.
Rio Tinto’s support for CDL-London is part of its $150 million, 10-year investment in the Rio Tinto Centre for Future Materials, announced in December 2024. The Centre unites Imperial College London with four other world-leading universities – University of California, Berkeley; Wits University; The Australian National University; and The University of British Columbia – to drive transformational research in sustainable materials and technologies for a net-zero future.
Connecting research and entrepreneurship
The link between the Rio Tinto Centre for Future Materials and CDL’s global network will strengthen pathways from world-class academic research to high-impact commercial ventures.
Dan Walker, Chief Innovation Officer at Rio Tinto, highlighted the importance of this connection:
“Startups have a vital role to play in solving some of our industry’s biggest challenges and providing the materials the world needs. Our investment in the Rio Tinto Centre for Future Materials is focused on transformational research. But we know that research alone isn’t enough – academic theory must translate into real-world impact. That is why we’re backing CDL-London to help turn breakthrough discoveries into the next generation of game-changing companies.”
Professor Mary Ryan, Vice Provost (Research and Enterprise) at Imperial, said:
“The global energy transition will rely on sustainable ways to discover, extract, use, and reuse critical minerals. We are proud to host CDL-London at Imperial alongside our Rio Tinto Centre for Future Materials. This collaboration will help accelerate the development of deep-tech cutting-edge materials and CleanTech businesses.”
New applications opening soon.
Applications for CDL-London are opening soon. Founders working at the frontier of minerals innovation – from critical raw materials and resource efficiency to low-emissions processing and automation – are encouraged to apply.
cdl-london@creativedestructionlab.com
https://creativedestructionlab.com/locations/london/