Although science and engineering have made important progress in modern and contemporary history, many technologies we use today are reaching a limit of functional efficiency. What if, to solve this problem, we could use the magnitude and power of natural processes to find technological alternatives for our ways of life on the planet?

It is with this transgressive ambition and captivating life story that, in mid-2012, Brazilian scientist Al Cruz presented a radical idea for capturing and transmitting solar photons through a special fiber to Sean McKaughan, Chairman of the Board of the Avina Foundation. For many, Al’s proposals were so radical that they generated suspicion. However, it was ideas with a high potential for innovation and impact that the then newly created WTT was looking for.

With the support of WTT and the Avina Foundation, the project went through an important and complex validation process structured by the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany. In the course of development, other scientists joined the project and PERA Complexity took shape over the years: the startup established itself in the Netherlands and now has a portfolio of frontier technologies in energy (PERA Fiber), desalination (D-SAL), green hydrogen and post-quantum cryptography (Sekure).

One of the first major impacts of PERA Fiber technology, for example, is the replacement of the heat source in thermoelectric power plants: instead of burning fossil fuels, the heat would come from the sun and be delivered by the fiber. On this path, accompanied and supported by WTT, Avina and the Center for Unconventional Processes of Sciences, PERA has already collaborated with important research and development institutions such as the University of Zurich in Switzerland, St. Andrews University in Scotland, KAUST University in Saudi Arabia and the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany.

www.peracomplexity.com

The Brazilian Expertise Research Group (BRAERG) has dedicated itself to developing a highly efficient process for producing cellulosic ethanol, i.e. ethanol derived from breaking down cellulose chains. The disruptive factor of the procedure consisted of an unprecedented grouping of micro-organisms that provide an exceptional yield of chemical reactions in sugar cane bagasse and straw and, consequently, generate a lower environmental impact. With the support of WTT, BRAERG went on to develop a portfolio of innovations in the areas of biotechnology and pharmacology.

The Advanced Innovation Center (AIC) has developed a highly efficient water purification technology. The Plasma Water Sanitation System requires no chemical inputs and therefore generates no effluents. The technology uses only a minimal amount of energy, making it a sustainable and effective solution to various water-related problems. The project represents a significant initial moment in WTT’s trajectory and its first work with disruptive technologies.