Hydrogen fuel cell firm raises £22m Dr Henri Winard, chief executive, said the firm - founded by four Loughborough University academics in 1995 - had adopted the licensing model used by Cambridge-based ARM to compete against larger international rivals and roll out its semiconductor chip technology to consumer electronics manufacturers around the world. It works with taxi firm Manganese Bronze and has helped build a fleet of 15 zero emission black cabs for the Olympic Games. Last month it signed a joint venture agreement with Suzuki to develop the world's first mass produced fuel cell powered cars and motorcycles in Japan. Intelligent Energy is also working with five automotive companies in Europe and the Far East to develop vehicles powered by its air-cooled cell technology in time for State-backed hydrogen vehicle production programmes in Germany and the UK, Dr Winard added. Nissan, Tata, Toyota, Vauxhall, Daimler and Hyundai are among 13 companies working with the Government to bring hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles to market in the UK. Dr Winard said the company, which employs 300 people, planned to join the stock market in the near future. "It could happen in the short term or in the slightly longer term, but we are ready," he said.