Mathys & Squire’s startup client BirdShades featured on BBC News
2025
3 mins
Earlier this month, BBC News published an article featuring startup BirdShades’ innovative product for bird safety.
The article reveals the first nature reserve in the UK to install BirdShades’ technology: the Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in Gloucester.
BirdShades emerged from a desire to reduce the damage inflicted on natural habitats by human activity and, with this, the loss of animal life. Glass collisions are the second most prevalent killer of birds worldwide, impacting approximately 100 million birds a year in the UK. As cities keep growing and the amount of glass in birds’ habitats increase, BirdShades is trying to prove that conservation and expansion can go hand in hand, and aesthetics and sustainability don’t have to counteract each other.
Bringing together cutting-edge scientific knowledge and a compassion for nature, a specialist team of biologists and material scientists developed a window film which is active in the UV range. As birds can see UV light, whilst humans cannot, the glass becomes visible to them, preventing collisions, whilst having no visual impact for humans.
Founder Dominique Waddoup says: “We’re incredibly proud to see that our technology is making a difference.”
Mathys & Squire Partner Andreas Wietzke has supported BirdShades in their journey from idea to market, assisting them in gaining comprehensive IP production and managing their IP strategy. We are happy to be a part of their growing success.