Research has revealed the scale of natural hydrogen beneath our feet, but could it be harnessed to drive the energy transition? That was the question an expert team brought to Oxford Science Enterprises – and the spark for Snowfox Discovery.
Snowfox’s origin story follows a different path to many spinouts. It didn’t begin as a piece of science searching for an application, but with a clearly defined global challenge: how to unlock natural hydrogen to support the energy transition.
Research by Oxford Earth Sciences Professor Chris Ballentine had quantified the scale of natural hydrogen resources hidden underground – a discovery that added weight to the idea that natural hydrogen could play a role in achieving Net Zero.
Building on this breakthrough, Chris partnered with Professor Jon Gluyas of Durham University, former bp exploration chief and Oxford Professor Mike Daly. They explored the opportunity with OSE, who introduced Daniel McMahon, a seasoned venture builder with a background in geoscience.
