P2i's technology is based on PhD research carried out by P2i's now CTO, Dr Stephen Coulson, at Durham University.
P2i originated as a project within the UK Government's Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL), to make soldiers' protective clothing more effective against chemical attack while maintaining comfort.
P2i Ltd was established as a company in 2004 as the first DSTL Technology Transfer process, which was created to commercialise technologies developed by the UK Government.
P2i's intellectual property is very heavily protected by 46 patents, three of which are defended by the UK Government. P2i has the sole, royalty-free, worldwide licence to the platform technology developed by Dr Stephen Coulson and the DSTL.