As an engineering scientist, the world of business and commerce hadn't previously interested Dr Paul Brewster, at least from a personal perspective, but when he was working as an offshore engineer for Queen's University, the growing interest in alternative energy forms began to resonate with him.

Paul realised that before long a wide range of business and industrial operators would be looking to source their power from an alternative supply. He also believed that there are huge untapped renewable energy resources in the world's oceans which, if developed, could go a long way to satisfy the growing thirst for renewable energy.

Wave energy technology was the area which really interested Paul and in May 2007 he decided to leave his job and set up his own research and development company, Pure Marine Gen Ltd. Around the same time, he heard about and applied to the Transform programme.

"It was perfect timing," Paul says. "I was just trying to get to grips with how to run my own business and Transform really helped me to focus on what I needed to do. The mentor who was assigned to me had a financial background and he made me concentrate on planning and taught me to look at the bigger picture. The most important thing to come out of the Transform experience for me however, was that, thanks to the coaching and advice I successfully applied to the Carbon Trust for a significant research grant, which has been crucial for the business. Without it I simply wouldn't be able to develop my prototype."

Pure Marine Gen has developed a design for a floating, multi-mode wave energy convector called the DUO WEC. The device can capture power from vertical and horizontal energy components in waves, resulting in improved productivity and ultimately, lower electricity generating costs.

"The prototype will be ready to demonstrate in 2009" says Paul. "Over the next ten years, Pure Marine Gen will focus on becoming one of the world's leading ocean energy engineering teams, delivering cost-competitive wave energy technology across the globe."