Call for Proposals: Commercial Strategies and Market Intelligence for Sustainable Silica & Silicon
The Frontier Tech Hub, in partnership with CT-Wood and Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UNIMAP), is testing whether agriculture waste products in Malaysia, in the form of rice husks, can be used to produce high-purity Silicon. We are seeking an expert(s) to provide intelligence, analysis and recommendations on the market for Silica and Silicon – including on helping to identify customers across different applications and levels of purity.
Deadline for applications: Monday 4th August at 11.59pm BST (UK)
Image credit: iStock
This solution could provide Malaysia, a high rice production country, a more lucrative and environment friendly alternative to agricultural waste disposal. It could also provide an opportunity to diversity Silica and Silicon supply chains globally, and create a high value industry in Malaysia, bringing economic growth to regions more dependent on agriculture.
Since September 2023 the pilot has:
Proven that it is possible to extract Silica from different forms of rice husk waste – including white rice husk ash (WRHA), raw rice husk (RH), black rice husk ash (RHA).
Tested different methods of high temperature electrolysis needed to create high-purity Silicon from Silica for efficiency, sustainability and cost – including whether the process can be made circular and low energy options such as low temperature roasting to create biochar.
The exact activities the expert will undertake will be determined by the results and learnings following the current experiments (or ‘sprint’) being undertaken by the Pilot team. The current sprint involves:
Testing the scale up of WRHA and RHA derived Silica from lab-scale production levels to higher levels of efficiency.
Further testing of alternative Silica production processes via chemical separation of RHA. This may be more commercially viable due to lower energy consumption and costs.
Planning development of lab-scale production of high-purity Silicon from bio-derived Silica.
Expected tasks undertaken by the expert include:
The expert will produce a comprehensive mapping of the market for Silica and Silicon – including specific buyers both in Malaysia and globally by differing morphological structure and levels of purity. The expert will also provide advice to the Pilot team and FT Hub with insights into routes to market and scale, business modelling and direct introductions to potential Silica and Silicon buyers and/or investors. This could include:
Building on and validating the team’s initial high level market scoping of Silica and Silicon customer sectors - including a differentiation by Silica / Silicon purity level.
Providing significant detail on market expectations on product purity and specifications by sector and industry.
Identifying specific Silica & Silicon buying firms and organisations. Ideally, the expert will facilitate introductions to these firms and provide advice ahead of any meetings.
Identifying relevant trade events with significant networking, business development and research collaboration opportunities.
Support and advice on the development of a sustainable business model and a route to market strategy.
The expert should have a proven track record of advising organisations (including start-ups) on routes to market strategies for critical mineral products (ideally Silica or Silicon) and in making connections to potential customers and/or partners. They should have expertise on business model development within the critical mineral sector (ideally Silica / Silicon).
For more details please see the linked ToR here
Applications instructions:
Please submit the following materials to frontiertechhub@dt-global.com with Samuel.fookes@dt-global.com in copied with “Application for Silica & Silicon Market Expert consultancy” in the subject line:
A cover letter of no more than 2 pages, which includes:
A demonstration of your understanding of and familiarity with the market for Silica and Silicon market and wider sector
How you approach working with organisations and researchers testing early-stage innovations and technologies – including on how you would supporting them to develop business models and route to market strategies
Experience related to the assignment described above
2-page CVs for each team member
Fee rate(s) in GBP for individuals you envision being involved across the scope of work. Please use the templates provided in APPENDIX 4 - Commercial Tender Template.
We are open to applications from individual experts or from organisations.
Application process:
The deadline for questions is Thursday 31st July
The deadline for applications is Monday 4th August at 11.59pm BST (UK)
An assessment of applications will take place between Tuesday 5th August and Thursday 7th August
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview during w/c 11th August
The evaluation criteria can be found in the more detailed TOR linked above.
Date published: 18th July 2025