Dr Johnson Fernandes, from India, used the knowledge and expertise he gained studying for his PhD in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Newcastle University to set up Equiwatt, with help from one of the university’s START UP Founderships.

Equiwatt is an innovative, energy-saving app that helps households and communities to reduce electricity use at peak times.

After experiencing first-hand a number of power cuts, he saw the opportunity to reward consumers for cutting their usage at peak times and help them shift it to times when cleaner, renewable energy is more abundant. The company now employs 10 people at its headquarters in Gateshead.

Find out more in the "From Newcastle" podcast.