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A new fund aimed at supporting food and drink companies make healthier products has awarded £75K of funding to eight collaborations between businesses and universities in Scotland.

The Healthier Products Innovation Fund for Scotland (HPIF) was developed by Interface and Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Scotland’s Reformulation for Health Programme to support food and drink businesses as part of the Scottish Food & Drink Recovery Plan.

Howell Davies, Sector and Business Engagement Manager, Interface, said: “It was great to see the number of applications submitted and the wide array of activity and health improvements through fortification and reformulation being proposed.  Scotland is blessed with its talent pool of academics applying their expertise to the food and drink sector and we look forward to hearing about the results of the collaborations later in the year.”

Joanne Burns, FDF Scotland’s Reformulation for Health Manager, said: “Since the launch of our Reformulation for Health Programme in 2019 we have had the pleasure of providing funding directly to food producers to help them make their products healthier. We are delighted for the first time to provide funding that will support innovative reformulation projects between food and drink producers and academics. I was enthused to see the range of applications and look forward to seeing the results.”    

Projects ranged from improving products high in fats, sugars and salts in bakery products and ready meals; to addressing public health challenges such as fortifying products with fibre and new formats to help people meet their 5-a-day requirements.

The funded projects are:

The whisky industry in Scotland is an intoxicating blend of traditional methods of distilling and innovation through all facets of production.

Packaging, transport, energy use and the natural ingredients which go into the distilling process are all subject to research and development as distilleries look to improve efficiencies, reduce their impact on the environment and create exciting new products and experiences to help future-proof the industry.

For one distillery in Edinburgh, finding a prime site in Leith Docks led to the unique build of a £12m 9-storey vertical distillery. Port of Leith Distillery, which opens this summer, has capacity to produce 1million bottles of whisky annually and is expected to welcome 25,000 visitors a year.

Getting to that point has, however, taken a phenomenal amount of dedication, passion and desire to create something unique both in terms of the distillery but also the whiskies being developed. Researching flavour and ingredients started several years ago with an introduction through Interface to the International Centre for Brewing & Distilling (ICBD) at Heriot-Watt University which led to a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP).

KTPs are unique 3-way collaborations which enable graduates to spend a significant length of time working in industry on specific projects bringing many benefits to the individuals, businesses and universities as knowledge exchanges between the partners.

Through the KTP, new yeast strains were identified that produced an exceptional “new make” spirit which will be taken forward in the production of single malt whisky. The KTP was a first step in developing a longer-term strategic partnership between the university and distillery which will provide on-going opportunities for student projects, employment and access to respective facilities.

The knowledge generated from the KTP has enabled Port of Leith Distillery to openly engage with other producers to share the fruits of their research with a goal of fostering more of a start-up community within the whisky industry that promotes best practice.

Meanwhile, family-owned Arbikie Distillery is aiming to be one of the world’s most sustainable distilleries. In fact, they have such strong environmental credentials that they have produced the world’s first carbon positive spirits.

The soon-to-be hydrogen-powered distillery at their Angus farm is a stone’s throw from the fields, where the raw ingredients are grown, meaning their produce has a negligible supply miles. Starting with vodka made from their own wonky potatoes in 2014, they now produce a range of award-winning whisky, gin and vodka, including pea-based spirits which have a carbon avoidance of more than 1.53kg per bottle.

They describe themselves as “craftsmen of the soil”, where the crop is king, so it was a natural progression to explore the potential of making whisky from old barley varieties. Conservation grains have been grown in the UK for millennia but have largely been replaced by higher-yield modern varieties. However, conservation barley is renowned for thriving in harsher conditions with increased resilience to drought and disease, so are better suited for the changing Scottish climate. They are also less resource intensive in the malting process, so are a win-win for growers.

Recent funding from Interface and the Scotland Food and Drink Partnership through the Food & Drink Net Zero Challenge Fund enabled the company to demonstrate the potential of making whisky from conservation barley varieties and produce a quality malt.

Collaborating with Heriot-Watt University’s International Centre for Brewing and Distilling, the project focussed on characterising the behaviour of conservation barleys on exposure to industry-typical malting regimes and sought to exploit some of the known resilience present in barley to reduce water/energy input into malt production. Within its scope, the project successfully identified conservation barley varieties that could be used to produce malt of favourable quality.

With substantial scope for further investigation, Arbikie Distillery and Heriot-Watt University are planning to continue their research in this area.

One of the more unusual uses of whisky which Interface has helped through its university connections is ZAZA & CRUZ, a natural skincare blend made using by-products of the whisky distillation process.

Working with the highly specialized and qualified team at Robert Gordon University has given the company an understanding of the extraction process for antioxidants, how to adopt a more scientific approach towards testing and incorporate ingredients into the products.

This World Whisky Day we will raise a dram to celebrate these exceptional projects and partnerships.

If you are interested in finding out how Interface can help your company through university collaboration, please contact the regional member of our team nearest you.

April 22 is Earth Day, a global event to demonstrate support for environmental protection.  As we reflect on the official theme for 2023, Invest in our Planet, we reflect upon Interface’s role in the call to action to innovate. Interface have long supported the energy entrepreneurs, carbon capture creators and green game-changers who have the ambition to make a real difference.

A recent example is Entergaia Technologies an energy technology startup based in Aberdeen with a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure environmental sustainability through the development of long-range wireless power technology to transmit electricity without using cables. The technology aims to reduce greenhouse emissions from transport and energy, accounting for over 50% of the components of overall greenhouse emissions.

Interface introduced Entergaia to the University of Aberdeen for the development of an initial proof of concept. This testing and simulation and the collaboration enabled Entergaia to further embark on product development work with Edinburgh Napier University, focussing on optimising both the transmitter and the rectenna.

The findings are helping inform the company’s future strategy in deploying associated products such as wireless electric vehicle charging, beaming electricity from space, wireless electricity deployment during emergencies, wireless electricity to charge robots, IOT devices and remote vehicles (ROVs).

Whilst Aberdeen is synonymous with the energy industry, there are numerous other companies around the country plugging into Scotland’s knowledge and expertise in its universities to tackle climate change in different ways.

A recent winner of the Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards category, Making an Environmental Difference, was CloudEARTHi, a multi-university/business collaboration around the circular economy.

One key output of CloudEARTHi (and the focus of the award nomination) is a tool developed to enable start-ups to embed net zero and circular economy into their philosophy. The Earth Centred Business Design (ECBD) tool development was led by University of Edinburgh’s commercialisation service, Edinburgh Innovations.

Two Interface-supported startups have benefited from ECBD framework, which enables startup founders to think differently about how they operate to build a more sustainable future and create better impacts for the world from the outset.

Crover and Danu Robotics are receiving support from Edinburgh Innovations to use the tool to incorporate resilience tactics, align business development to net zero and change business strategies to be more circular.

The Crover is a world-first robotic device which “swims” through grain, using on-board sensors to monitor its condition and provide information such as moisture content and temperature. It is helping transform agriculture by identifying spoilage in cereals such as wheat and barley in storage.

Meanwhile, Danu Robotics are applying the ECBD tool to integrate resilience into business planning. The start-up is working to develop a robotic sorting system to significantly increase rates of recycling worldwide.

Another winner in the Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards (Innovation of the Year) and a circular economy champion, is Sustainable Thinking Scotland. The community interest company has developed a functional “biochar” from green waste which tackles algal blooms in water caused by nutrient pollution.

The company was referred to Interface through their engagement in Firstport’s LaunchMe accelerator, which is aimed at supporting Scotland’s highest potential social enterprises.  After Interface put out a call to the relevant universities in Scotland, STS CIC decided to work collaboratively with both the University of the Highlands & Islands (UHI) and the University of Strathclyde to test biochar production from wood waste and investigate its potential use in nutrient removal. 

This Earth Day, let’s work together to innovate and invest in protecting our valuable planet.

*This article also appeared in The Scotsman.

The winners of the Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards 2023 have been revealed at a celebration marking incredible achievements of business and academic successes.

Mr Ivan McKee, Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, said: “Today’s awards showcase the impactful collaborations between businesses and the academic community and their role in translating Scotland’s world-class research into knowledge that makes impact.

“Bringing together Scotland’s businesses with the knowledge, expertise and networks of our research community is central to achieving the ambitions of the Scottish Government’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation and our upcoming Innovation Strategy, both in creating the inventions and innovations of the future, and in supporting translation of these into impact and opportunity.”

Professor Andrea Nolan, Chair of the Interface Strategic Board and Principal & Vice Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University, said: “The annual flagship awards event for business-academic partnerships have gone from strength to strength since launching eight years ago. They celebrate the very best of people and partnerships involved in shaping game-changing innovations across Scotland.”

The winners are:

Innovation of the Year – sponsored by HGF Ltd

Sustainable Thinking Scotland CIC and University of the Highlands and Islands for optimisation of biochar, a stable form of carbon obtained from baking waste wood. This biochar assists tackling nutrient pollution, preventing toxic, algal blooms whilst improving water quality, filtering algae, reducing particulates in water and providing a carbon biochar that can be re-used on land as a slow-release fertiliser.

Innovator of the Future – sponsored by SCI Scotland Group

Joint winners:

Ed Blissitt, Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate from the University of Aberdeen, who collaborated with Motive Offshore Group Ltd on the development of a novel Digital Winch technology that integrated sensors and IT hardware into existing equipment.

Dr Emmanuel I. Epelle, KTP Associate from the University of the West of Scotland, who collaborated with Advanced Clothing Solutions to develop a novel and automated decontamination process.

Highly Commended: Dr Shu Yang, KTP Associate from the University of the West of Scotland, who collaborated with Consult Lift Services to embed leadership and management skills alongside modern business systems and processes.

Knowledge Exchange Champion

Professor Naeem Ramzan, University of the West of Scotland, is an international scientist, engineer, and innovator in Artificial Intelligence and Multimedia Processing. He actively supports knowledge exchange projects from grassroots level through to providing strategic insight to industry thought-leaders.

Knowledge Exchange Heroes – sponsored by PraxisAuril

University of the West of Scotland KTP Centre for delivering business, societal and environmental impact as well as propelling the careers of the next generation of business leaders in the UK and internationally through a culture of support, recognition and excellence in customer service.

Making a Social Difference – sponsored by CEIS

Child Rights Coalition Asia, Terre des hommes and other partners with the University of Strathclyde’s Institute for Inspiring Children’s Futures for developing the COVID 4P (Protection, Provision, Participation, Prevention) Log for Children’s Wellbeing in urgent response to the rapidly developing pandemic emergency and the adverse implications for children’s rights worldwide.

Making an Environmental Difference – sponsored by Zero Waste Scotland

The University of Edinburgh, The Arctic University of Norway, FH Burgenland, Technical University of Varna, Alicante University and business partner G-Force for their collaborative work on the CloudEARTHi project in developing, testing and commercialising a new business framework that supports start-up companies to embed net zero, circular principles into their business models.

Multiparty Collaboration

The Industrial Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research in Digital Diagnostics (iCAIRD) comprising nearly 40 partners from across industry, the NHS and the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, St Andrews and Aberdeen. With twin tracks in radiology and pathology, iCAIRD’s programme of work is establishing the infrastructure and environment required to support development, validation & deployment of AI technologies for use in healthcare.

Powerful Partnership

The University of Glasgow and National Nuclear Laboratory for pioneering research in the field of Muography, using natural radiation produced in the upper atmosphere to shed unique light on the contents of shielded nuclear waste containers.

The Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards 2023 sponsored by Salix Finance were held on Thursday, March 23 in Dundee.

The finalists have been revealed for the Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards 2023, the annual celebration of business-academic partnerships hosted by Interface.

Twenty-two nominees have been shortlisted in the eighth Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards, sponsored by Salix Finance. The showcase of impactful collaborations and individuals highlights the remarkable achievements which have the potential to create positive change in Scotland and beyond.

The finalists are:

Innovation of the Year – sponsored by HGF Ltd

The Prebiotic Company and Glasgow Caledonian University for collaborating on a study to prove the prebiotic potential of the beverage ió fibrewater. This study proved that ió fibrewater is prebiotic in nature and it significantly increases specific beneficial microbes (probiotics) and that ió fibrewater could be combined with probiotics for the creation of a new pre and probiotic beverage.

The Robert Burns Ellisland Trust and the University of Glasgow for developing an interactive Robert Burns Minecraft digital gaming experience to highlight the life and great works of the National Bard and to explore innovative interactive ways of engaging with younger audiences.

Sustainable Thinking Scotland CIC and University of the Highlands and Islands for optimisation of biochar, a stable form of carbon obtained from baking waste wood. This biochar assists tackling nutrient pollution, preventing toxic, algal blooms whilst improving water quality, filtering algae, reducing particulates in water and providing a carbon biochar that can be re-used on land as a slow-release fertiliser.

Innovator of the Future – sponsored by SCI Scotland Group

Ed Blissitt, Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate from the University of Aberdeen, who collaborated with Motive Offshore Group Ltd on the development of a novel Digital Winch technology that integrated sensors and IT hardware into existing equipment.

Dr Emmanuel I. Epelle, KTP Associate from the University of the West of Scotland, who collaborated with Advanced Clothing Solutions to develop a novel and automated decontamination process.

Dr Shu Yang, KTP Associate from the University of the West of Scotland, who collaborated with Consult Lift Services to embed leadership and management skills alongside modern business systems and processes.

Knowledge Exchange Champion

Professor Fiona Macpherson, University of Glasgow, renowned researcher in philosophy and Director of the Centre for the Study of Perceptual Experience has championed the importance of virtual reality for education and has been leading developments in immersive technology to benefit students in Scotland and beyond.

Professor Naeem Ramzan, University of the West of Scotland, is an international scientist, engineer, and innovator in Artificial Intelligence and Multimedia Processing. He actively supports knowledge exchange projects from grassroots level through to providing strategic insight to industry thought-leaders.

Professor Pete Smith, University of Aberdeen leads research on land-based ecosystems and carbon cycling, greenhouse gas emissions, soils, agriculture, food systems, bioenergy, and modelling for climate change mitigation with environmental and agricultural sustainability whilst also advising the Scottish Government on global best practice in tackling climate emergency.

Knowledge Exchange Heroes – sponsored by PraxisAuril

University of the West of Scotland KTP Centre for delivering business, societal and environmental impact as well as propelling the careers of the next generation of business leaders in the UK and internationally through a culture of support, recognition and excellence in customer service.

Making a Social Difference – sponsored by CEIS

Child Rights Coalition Asia, Terre des hommes and other partners with the University of Strathclyde’s Institute for Inspiring Children’s Futures for developing the COVID 4P (Protection, Provision, Participation, Prevention) Log for Children’s Wellbeing in urgent response to the rapidly developing pandemic emergency and the adverse implications for children’s rights worldwide.

Police Scotland and Edinburgh Napier University for several projects at the policing and public health intersection resulting in an increased focus by Police Scotland on responses to the mental health pathways and drug related deaths.

Public Health Scotland, Scottish Government and University of Glasgow, for research into the low COVID-19 vaccine uptake in the African, Caribbean, and Black communities culminating in a film now being used as an educational tool to engage and connect communities and public bodies to influence policy to reduce health inequalities in Scotland.

Making an Environmental Difference – sponsored by Zero Waste Scotland

Baxters Food Group, and University of the West of Scotland forembedding waste and process management knowledge and expertise, helping reduce their environmental footprint, achieve best-in-class performance and support business growth.

Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST), EcoSystems Technologies and Edinburgh Napier University’s Transforming Timber project for building the first mass engineered two-storey Scottish timber house – displayed at COP26 – and advancing the proof of concept for a new Scottish net zero manufacturing industry.

The University of Edinburgh, The Arctic University of Norway, FH Burgenland, Technical University of Varna, Alicante University and business partner G-Force for their collaborative work on the CloudEARTHi project in developing, testing and commercialising a new business framework that supports start-up companies to embed net zero, circular principles into their business models.

Multiparty Collaboration

The Centre for Excellence in Bioprocessing 2.0 (CEB), partnership led by FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies (FDB) and the University of Edinburgh. The partnership combines FDB industry insight and knowledge with world-leading research expertise from the Universities of Edinburgh, Manchester and York and industry-skills training from the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) to perform innovative research and provide training to enable more efficient manufacture of biologics drugs and meet the future demands of complex biologics production for the treatment of life-changing diseases.

The Industrial Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research in Digital Diagnostics (iCAIRD) comprising 40 partners from across industry, the NHS and the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, St Andrews and Aberdeen. With twin tracks in radiology and pathology, iCAIRD’s programme of work is establishing the infrastructure and environment required to support development, validation & deployment of AI technologies for use in healthcare.

The University of the West of Scotland KTP Office, Advanced Clothing Solutions, Innovate UK, Scottish Enterprise, Belmos Electrical Services and Autopak Solutions, for delivering a sustainable solution that prolongs the life of garments, reduces their impact on the environment and  transforming negative consumer perceptions on garment hygiene.

Powerful Partnership

Heriot-Watt University’s International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD) and Edinburgh Gin (Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd) have collaborated for 10 years, launching products and careers. The relationship has also opened new areas of investigation and has helped to further cement the reputation of the ICBD as a centre of excellence within distilling research and teaching.

The University of Glasgow and National Nuclear Laboratory for pioneering research in the field of Muography, using natural radiation produced in the upper atmosphere to shed unique light on the contents of shielded nuclear waste containers.

The University of the Highlands and Islands and the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) for immersive multimedia events with direct relevance to Brodie Castle and NTS wider strategic aims and objectives. The partnership has brought substantial benefits to the economy of the local area.

The Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards 2023 winners will be announced on Thursday, March 23 in Dundee.

Join the conversation on Twitter using #ScotKEAwards.

One might struggle to draw the common link between an expert in virtual reality, an innovative health drink and a 10 year-old partnership between a gin producer and a university.  But these collaborations, along with 19 other people and projects, have been shortlisted for the 2023 Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards.

The showcase of impactful collaborations and individuals highlights the remarkable achievements which have the potential to create positive change in Scotland and beyond.

Sixteen judges from academia, business and key players in the innovation system, worked through applications across eight categories before hotly debating the finalists in some fiercely-contended battles.

The shortlist includes collaborations with strong environmental credentials from a proof of concept for a new Scottish net zero manufacturing industry to optimising the use of biochar and improving fashion sustainability.

In the Powerful Partnership category, the shortlist could not be more diverse, from distilling gin, to pioneering research in nuclear waste, to boosting visitor numbers to a north-east castle through immersive multi-media.

Given the challenges to the tourism industry in recent years, it is perhaps not surprising that tourism features strongly in the shortlist as organisations have benefitted from academic expertise to engage virtual reality, augmented reality and gaming techniques to widen audience reach.

Students and academics at the University of Glasgow, through the Games and Gaming Lab and the University’s Minecraft Society, worked with Robert Burns Ellisland Trust to faithfully recreate, in Minecraft, the 18th-century farm in Dumfriesshire where Burns and his family lived whilst he produced some of his best-known work.

While Minecraft may sound familiar, Muography most likely won’t be – it is a technique that uses natural radiation produced in the upper atmosphere to shed unique light on the contents of shielded nuclear waste containers.

The University of Glasgow and National Nuclear Laboratory are pioneering research in this field, which has applications in other industries such as construction because of its ability to assess the structural health of concrete buildings.

The food and drink industry is renowned for its ability to reinvent, and several collaborations focus on developing products and processes. The health benefits of a drink made by The Prebiotic Company were explored with Glasgow Caledonian University, whilst Baxters Food Group partnered with University of the West of Scotlandonembedding waste and process management knowledge and expertise, helping reduce their environmental footprint.

Meanwhile, a 10-year relationship between Heriot-Watt University’s International Centre for Brewing and Distilling and Edinburgh Gin (Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd) has launched new products and careers.

We are delighted to recognise early-stage career researchers in the Innovator of the Future category, and the three finalists have brought their knowledge and skills to the offshore oil industry, circular fashion and lift specialists.

The knowledge exchange champions have built a wealth of experience through interactions with industry, and the 2023 shortlist celebrates three worthy winners where virtual reality, immersive technology, artificial intelligence and climate change are the areas covered by three researchers at Scottish universities – Glasgow, Aberdeen and the West of Scotland.

The shortlist can be found at https://interface-online.org.uk/news

The big reveal of winners will take place on 23 March, at an awards ceremony in the City of Discovery, Dundee.

Join the conversation on Twitter using #ScotKEAwards.

Five business-academic research projects have been awarded almost £45,000 funding from the Scottish Inward Investment Catalyst Fund.

The fund was set up by Interface and Scottish Government to support businesses not yet located in Scotland to work with Scottish academic institutions. As well as funding research and development it provides an opportunity for the business to establish relationships and offers insight into Scotland as a great place to invest.

The funded projects are:

Dutch aircraft manufacturer Cormorant SEAplanes BV and Robert Gordon University are awarded £9,978 to investigate the use of lightweight materials for an innovative electric aircraft designed for short take-off and landing.

UK and US-based Cumulus Energy Storage Ltd, manufacturer of energy storage batteries, with University of St Andrews are awarded £5,000 for a feasibility study into a rechargeable battery storage system which can then be bench marked against alternative solutions.

London-based tech company Geotourist, and University of Dundee are awarded £10,000 to develop further insight into their platform and the economic and societal impacts for the tourism sector both in a Scottish and international context.

Belfast-based healthtech company Take Ten Ltd and Edinburgh Napier University are awarded £9,998 to develop their digital stress management tool into new markets and assessing requirement for the products to be successfully adopted by potential market-users.

Smartify, a tech company working with museums and galleries across the world, and the University of the West of Scotland are awarded £9,834 for a proof of concept for developing their immersive technologies platforms to enable scale-up of their products.

The fund was launched in 2021 as part of the Scottish Government’s Inward Investment Plan. Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, Ivan McKee, said:  

“It is excellent to see the success of the Inward Investment Catalyst Fund in attracting high-quality and innovative projects, aligned with the key areas of the Inward Investment Plan and our ambitions set out in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation.

“This funding highlights the strengths and expertise of our internationally recognised universities, encouraging potential investors to grow their businesses here in Scotland.

“These partnerships are also helping to lay the foundations that will support economic growth in Scotland resulting in the potential for creating high-skilled jobs.”

Howell Davies, Sector and Business Engagement Manager, Interface, said: “The catalyst funding is a valuable way to kickstart relationships. We see examples of projects from last year leading on to funded PhD Studentships and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships which deepen the business-academic relationship and help to create opportunities for inward investment in Scotland.”

All the funded projects will support a net zero, health and wellbeing economy with the principles of fair work and sustainable, inclusive growth, and are part of the Scottish Government’s Inward Investment Plan, which articulates the important role that inward investment can play in Scotland’s economic growth and in delivering net zero ambitions.

Interface connects businesses from all sectors to Scotland’s universities, research institutes and colleges. Funded by the Scottish Funding Council, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise, Interface is a free and impartial service which aims to stimulate demand for innovation and help companies to collaborate with academics to solve business challenges.

What does a South African drinks company and a Romanian leisure company have in common? Both have plans to invest and develop sites in Scotland. Interface brings together opportunities between organisations, wherever they are based, with the world-class academic institutions here in Scotland. When it comes to supporting inward investment, our job is made easier as Scotland is blessed by a supportive business environment, a talented workforce, world-class universities, natural resources and the ability to collaborate with one another which makes international companies want to locate here.

Following the latest round of the Inward Investment Catalyst Fund (IICF), which we set up in partnership with the team at Scottish Government, what is apparent is the opportunity these companies see in engaging with Scottish academics to develop their products and offerings.  There are also wider benefits to collaborating in Scotland, whether it’s for the burgeoning travel technology sector here; to embed testing in remote areas; or for the built facilities such as the Michelin Scotland Innovation Park and the National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland.  

The Scottish Government recently produced a values-led inward investment policy focusing on net zero, fair work, inclusive prosperity and the creation of a wellbeing economy. We are seeing the effect of this in the types of business coming to our doorstep who are wanting to make a difference in Scotland, to help create a healthier, fairer and more prosperous place to live.

For example, Therme successfully applied to the IICF working with the University of Glasgow on a feasibility study to develop a research and development Centre of Excellence, alongside their proposed £100m Wellness Centre. An unforeseen benefit for the University has been the multi-disciplinary interactions, which have expanded their engagement with a global organisation from a medical focus to also explore engineering and social science opportunities.

Another company realising the value of expertise in Scotland is Silicon Valley-based education and care tech company, 2m Foundation. Their mission is to bring people and technology together to create change for individuals with autism. They have accessed the Laboratory for Innovation in Autism at the University of Strathclyde. The facility is uniquely placed to evaluate this technology being developed and, if successful, to elevate its commercial potential. The business-academic partnership is seen as a step towards developing a base for the company in Scotland.

Nutri-Go, a South African-based company, identifies Scotland as a key strategic location for them to develop, manufacture and distribute their healthy drink products. They have tapped into the technical support and expertise at Abertay University Food Technology Centre of Excellence, developing the product for the Northern Hemisphere taste palate. They have now registered a company in Scotland BiaGo, which is derived from Gaelic for food (Bia/Biadh), which can be thought of as “food on the go”. It doesn’t get more Scottish than this!

The unique ‘Team Scotland’ partnership approach which sees the public sector, including Scottish Enterprise, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise, working together with academia and industry to promote the very best Scotland has to offer does mean we punch well above our weight when it comes to Inward Investment.  

From an Interface perspective and the academic institutions we support, the catalyst funding leads  to longer term strategic partnerships. We see examples of projects from this year leading on to funded PhD Studentships and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships which deepen the business-academic relationship, allowing ongoing exchanges of skills and knowledge which greatly benefit the wider workforce in the company as well as individual academics.  From a personal perspective there is still plenty of work to be done but I look forward to the day I get to relax in Therme’s wellbeing centre in Glasgow, sipping on a BiaGo health drink!

This is a challenging time for organisations all over Scotland affected by the cost crisis and steep hikes in the many areas of running a business. Business owners are needing to identify creative ways to address these challenges of growth and survival. Interface can support business by catalysing connections between business and the knowledge base in universities.

Expertise and insights from individuals within the Scottish academic ecosystem can support current business operations by helping to validate cost saving ideas, reduce waste and streamline processes. Interface is a free, well established and impartial service that facilitates business accessing academic expertise, research, technologies, specialist facilities and funding. Here, I look at how reviewing energy costs can strengthen commitment to sustainability, how by-products can be turned into profits, and how university facilities can make cost savings.

83% of businesses which Interface have worked with record reduced operating costs, increased productivity, profits, export, turnover and new or safeguarded employment.

Looking at how energy is used is a good starting point for many businesses, third sector and public sector organisations. In 2011, luxury knitwear manufacturer Johnstons of Elgin wanted to analyse its energy use across the main business units of dyes, weaving, logistics, finishing and yarns, as it was difficult to differentiate across the company the exact energy costs associated with each of these utilities.

A partnership between the company and The Energy Academy at Heriot Watt University was established, resulting in a PhD student reviewing strategies that would enable the company to reduce energy costs and market the carbon footprint in each area of the business, as well as each product.

Since then, the company’s commitment to sustainability has been recognised with a Queen’s Award for its 360-degree approach to sustainability and leading the way in ethical manufacturing.

Using by-products as an additional income stream is another way of helping balance the books.

Ayrshire-based W&J Knox Ltd is the largest UK manufacturer of nets, mainly for the salmon farming industry.

When the nets are cleaned, a nutrient-rich solid cake is produced which goes into landfill. The company was looking for expertise to analyse the waste product to establish if a new product could be created.

Interface connected them to a researcher from Abertay University, who investigated how the useful materials could be extracted from the waste and now, instead of being sent to landfill, tonnes of salvaged protein and oil is turned into fish, pig and chicken feed.

Dr Boon-Seang Chu, Lecturer in Food Science at Abertay University, said: “Abertay has a strong track record in research focussing on the reuse of food waste products and this is an area that is going to become increasingly important on both a national and international level in the coming years.” 

Accessing university facilities is another way that businesses can curb costs, rather than buying equipment themselves.

Cycling performance innovators Flaér contacted Interface when they were in the last stage of testing a new chain system as they were looking to engage with an academic department with full wind tunnel facilities and associated expertise. Interface was able to find the support required in a cost-effective way, with on-going support.

The project led to improved processes and new products, with an increase in overall productivity and turnover.

Interface were able to support business growth through collaboration with academia in the agricultural sector. Crover Ltd.’s robotic device, which “swims” through grain, is revolutionizing the agri-food sector helping identify early onset of spoilage from infestation by insects and moulds, to reduce food waste, improve grain management, and save money.

Funding projects with academics can be an important consideration, and Interface is well-placed to advise on currently available grants and funding programmes open to businesses or academic partners.