A clean and cool solution for the energy challenge

Technology, team work and tenacity. These were the attributes that clinched Physics student Azann Qureshi the top prize (GO RE-Think CleanTech Award) at the London Business School CleanTech Challenge 2025  for his innovation, the Thermal Floater!

This accolade is true validation for Azann, who has always dreamed of ideating creative solutions to address the global energy crisis.

Thermal Floater, the flagship innovation of startup Incy Tech, aims to tackle the problem of clean electricity supply in the domestic and industrial sectors.

Azann, who co-founded Incy Technologies with his team-mate Sparsh from the College of Design and Engineering, says, “Sparsh and I are problem-solvers, so it is easy for both of us to work together, by integrating the theoretical and practical areas of our expertise.”  

Incy Tech seeks to create sustainable and cost-effective energy solutions for global communities. Just as solar radiation is used for energy generation, the thermal floater uses the principle of thermoelectrics (electricity from heat) to produce more power per unit area, thereby offering more affordable electricity. The device converts solar energy into electricity while floating on water, which acts as a coolant to maintain a high temperature difference.

At the company, Azann designs and develops crucial proprietary components for the thermal floater and manages the theoretical research that goes into developing the “fundamental blueprint” of the device. 

He says, “I have more understanding of the inner technical workings of the thermal floater and I ensure that the science behind the thermal floater is sound and full-proof…while Sparsh draws on engineering principles, like the types of materials, methods of manufacturing, etc. used for different components of the device.”

Azann describes his experience participating in the CleanTech Challenge as “surreal”.  He says, “I had never pictured myself competing with talented and gifted students from all over the world, in an environment which brought together some of the world’s most successful people.”

Being compelled to do things he was uncomfortable with, such as public speaking and responding to questions “thrown on the spot” was clearly a challenge but “somehow, somehow, things worked out,” Azann says. The result - he came away with a better handle on business and enterprise by researching potential markets and working on business planning and sustainability metrics. He also took away valuable learnings from his pitching experience, such as the ability to speak confidently and clearly to a crowd.

He adds, “The connections I formed, especially with the mentors, was one of the most enriching aspects. Working with people who have so much experience and knowledge was truly life-changing for me!”

In the future, the team will complete their working prototype, with plans to commercialise their pilot devices. They also hope to patent the proprietary components of the device and continue their research and development to improve their device’s performance and efficiency. 

The 2025 edition of the CleanTech Challenge received applications from 87 universities in 27 countries.