UFRJ startup transforms academic research into an industrial solution for safety in hydrogen use.

The increasing complexity of processes involving hydrogen—a central element in the global energy transition—has exposed a critical gap between scientific advancement and operational safety. It is at this point that the startup FlowPrint Innovations emerges as an emblematic case of knowledge transfer: a solution born in academia that is now scaling up in the productive sector, proposing a new real-time monitoring architecture for sensitive chemical reactions.

From the laboratory bench to the market: the role of applied science

Founded by chemist Caio Pacheco, a PhD with experience in continuous flow reactions, FlowPrint originated from concrete challenges faced during research involving highly reactive species. In particular, experiments with gases such as hydrogen highlighted the fragility of traditional monitoring methods, often based on point measurements or post-process analyses.

The turning point occurred when this academic experience found institutional support in the Catalisa ICT Program, an initiative focused on transforming scientific research into technology-based businesses. The program was decisive in structuring the solution as a product, validating its application in real-world environments, and accelerating its market entry, connecting the technology to emerging industrial demands.

FlowSense: Real-time data as a safety infrastructure

At the heart of the proposal is the FlowSense multisensor module, a platform that integrates hardware, software, and data analysis for continuous monitoring of critical variables in chemical processes. Unlike conventional approaches, the system allows for real-time monitoring of gas behavior—especially hydrogen, whose high flammability and rapid dispersion pose significant operational risks.

The logic is clear: replace delayed reaction with data-driven prevention. Small leaks, gas accumulations, or process deviations cease to be invisible events until they become critical and are detected early. With real-time dashboards, operators and researchers have access to actionable information capable of guiding immediate interventions and preventing risk escalation.

This capability consolidates safety protocols and also the economic efficiency of processes. By reducing losses due to undetected failures, avoiding rework, and increasing operational predictability, continuous monitoring transforms safety into a direct driver of industrial competitiveness.

Hydrogen, Energy Transition, and the New Frontier of Operational Reliability

On an industrial scale, continuous monitoring is evolving from a safety tool to an operational intelligence platform. The generation of structured data allows not only for risk mitigation but also for process optimization, cost reduction, and meeting the growing demands of environmental governance.

The trend, according to the technology's own development, is a migration to predictive models: systems capable of anticipating failures, suggesting corrections, and supporting strategic decisions in real time. This represents a qualitative leap that redefines the role of chemical instrumentation in the context of Industry 4.0 and the energy transition.

By connecting cutting-edge science, data engineering, and industrial application, FlowPrint exemplifies a broader movement: the transformation of academic knowledge into technological assets capable of safely and efficiently supporting the next generation of sustainable energy processes.

Check out the exclusive interview HERE:

How did the project to make chemical reactions with hydrogen safer in laboratory and industrial environments come about? And how does the Catalisa ICT program contribute to the development of the FlowPrint solution?

This project originates directly from my academic trajectory, especially during my doctorate, where I worked with continuous flow reactions, including ozonolysis of organic compounds. This type of reaction involves highly reactive species and conditions that require rigorous control, which naturally brings a constant concern for safety and monitoring. Throughout this process, it became very clear that, despite the advancement of synthesis techniques, there is still a significant gap in how we monitor critical variables in real time within the laboratory.

It was from this experience that the motivation arose to develop solutions that would increase the safety, predictability, and efficiency of these systems. With FlowPrint, we seek to integrate sensors, automation, and structured data acquisition to give the researcher and operator more control during the experiment. Catalisa ICT played a fundamental role in this transition from an academic environment to applied technological development, helping to structure the solution as a product, validate applications in real-world environments, and accelerate its connection to industrial demands.

How can continuous gas monitoring, especially of hydrogen, reduce operational risks and anticipate critical conditions during chemical experiments?

Continuous monitoring allows us to move from a reactive to a preventive approach. Instead of identifying a problem only when it has already become critical, we can monitor the system's behavior in real time and detect early signs of deviation. This is especially relevant for gases like hydrogen, which are highly flammable and can disperse rapidly without being noticed.

In practice, this means greater operational safety and direct protection for the operator, who no longer depends solely on perception or manual routines to identify risks. Small leaks, gas accumulations, or process deviations can be detected quickly, allowing for immediate action before they escalate into dangerous situations.

Furthermore, continuous monitoring also reduces operational losses. In many cases, flaws in experiments or industrial processes are only noticed at the end, resulting in compromised batches and wasted time and resources. With real-time data, it is possible to identify instabilities during the process, correct course, and avoid loss of materials and production.

What is the technological differentiator of the FlowSense multisensor module, and how do real-time dashboards help transform safety protocols, process validation, and decision-making?

FlowSense was developed to accessibly integrate hardware, software, and data intelligence into a single platform. More than just collecting data, the system organizes and transforms this information into a reliable basis for continuous process monitoring.

Real-time dashboards are fundamental in this context because they make data immediately actionable. The operator gains a clear view of the system's behavior, can identify trends, anticipate deviations, and make decisions with greater confidence. This strengthens safety protocols, improves experimental validation, and reduces dependence on subsequent analyses or manual records.

From an economic standpoint, this also directly impacts the return on investment. By reducing losses due to out-of-specification batches, avoiding rework, and increasing operational efficiency, the system contributes to making processes more productive and predictable. In this context, safety ceases to be merely a requirement and becomes a factor of efficiency and competitiveness.

What are the potential applications of this solution on an industrial scale, especially in strategic sectors linked to the hydrogen economy, green economy, and energy transition?

On an industrial scale, this solution positions itself as a data infrastructure for safety, efficiency, and compliance. As hydrogen gains relevance in the energy transition, so does the need to operate with rigorous control, both from a technical and regulatory standpoint.

Continuous monitoring allows not only for risk reduction but also for process optimization, prevention of production losses, and improved operational reliability. In industrial environments, this translates into direct efficiency gains, cost reduction, and greater predictability of results.

Furthermore, the generation of structured and traceable data meets growing demands for environmental compliance and governance, especially in sectors linked to the green economy. The trend is for these solutions to evolve into increasingly predictive models, in which the system not only monitors but anticipates failures, suggests actions, and supports strategic decisions.

In this scenario, technologies like FlowSense contribute to making the adoption of hydrogen and other sustainable routes safer, more economically viable, and operationally robust.