Completed Education & Skills

Angstrom: multimedia franchise to teach chemistry

Funder InnovateUK (part of UKRI)
Recipient organisation Angstrom Project Limited
Funding £80K
Period Apr 2025 — Apr 2026

In plain English

AI plain-English summary

A children’s television animation called *Angstrom* will teach chemistry to 7-to-12-year-olds by turning elements into collectible creatures that kids can “catch” and train for battle—like Pokémon meets the periodic table. The UK faces a skills gap: over 40 percent of science and engineering jobs go unfilled, and students underperform compared to international peers. This project tackles the problem early, before children lose interest or confidence in science. The team—combining children’s TV experience with scientific and educational expertise—will use the same proven formula that taught a generation hundreds of Pokémon characters to teach the periodic table instead. If successful, *Angstrom* could become a major children’s franchise that makes chemistry feel intuitive and fun. The grant funds an award-winning scriptwriter and visual team to complete the story and visual development. The goal is not to replace classroom teaching but to embed scientific fundamentals into entertainment that children seek out themselves—potentially shifting how a generation first encounters chemistry, long before they sit in a lab.

View original technical description
The UK has a problem with science, and our students continue to underperform compared to foreign peers. As a result over 40 percent of science and engineering jobs go unfilled. But what if we could introduce the scientific fundamentals a lot earlier in life? Introducing the world of Angstrom, a children's television animation that brings chemistry to life with stories, action and adventure for the scientists of tomorrow. In the world of Angstrom, people catch these as pets and train them for battle. Think "Pokemon meets Chemistry". Pokemon has taught a generation worldwide hundreds of its monsters. We will apply the same proven formula to teach a generation the periodic table and chemistry with a show that both entertains and educates children from ages 7 to 12\. Our unique team draws on years of kids television experience combined with scientific and education expertise. This grant enables the team to bring on an award-winning scriptwriter and visual team to complete the story and visual development, to create a truly compelling universe for children. This Launchpad fund will enable us to set up the foundation which will catalyse a great concept into a massive children's franchise.

View the original record at the funder ↗

Related Research

Grants with similar aims, by meaning.

Angstrom
The Molecular Odyssey - a journey through molecular assembly
The Periodic Table of Videos: MolVids
Deep Space High: Intergalactic Weather Watch
Ensonglopedia of the Human project: Tools & Technology / Us & The Universe

Original classification

Grant for R&D

Plain English summaries and category classifications on this site are generated by AI and may not perfectly reflect the original research.