The latest round of the Scottish Inward Investment Catalyst Fund (IICF) has awarded three projects up to £10,000 each. The fund, supported by Interface and the Scottish Government, attracts investment through R&D with Scottish universities.

The projects awarded are:

Development of a lithium titanate oxide battery by Titanvolt and University of St Andrews. The pouch cell battery, which has no fire risk, is more energy efficient and 95% recyclable, has been produced by Grinergy, a leading South Korean battery manufacturer and brought to the market by North East England based Titanvolt. While the technology has gone through extensive testing. they will test and validate for the UK market and support product development with the intention to develop battery manufacturing facilities in Scotland in the future.

Australian healthtech company Oraid Solutions is working with the University of Strathclyde to develop a low-powered, high-frequency microphone for hearing aids to improve sound clarity and speech recognition in noisy environments. This innovation doubles frequency capture, minimises battery use, and enhances noise cancelling capabilities.

Masterisk Ltd, a software company based in England, has developed RASBOX, a risk quantification solution to help financial services organisations quantify and manage their non-financial risk exposures. The collaboration with the University of Strathclyde will involve research and development into risk modelling to develop the product’s capability of processing risk data into valuable business information.

The fund, set up by Interface and the Scottish Government attracts companies from out with Scotland to collaborate with Scottish academics, creating opportunities and growing the economy.  To date, the fund has awarded 34 projects up to £10k in opportunity areas for Scotland such as energy transition, health tech and decarbonisation of transport.

Business Minister, Richard Lochhead, said: “Attracting inward investment drives economic growth and prosperity across Scotland. The Inward Investment Catalyst Fund helps build early-stage partnerships between potential investors and Scotland’s world-renowned academia to develop these opportunities.

“The fund is supporting high quality and innovative projects and laying strong foundations to help potential investors consider Scotland as a destination for their business.”

Howell Davies, Interface’s Head of Strategic Programmes and Funding, added: “The specific nature of the projects being funded through the Inward Investment Catalyst Fund demonstrate the strength and depth we have in a range of academic disciplines, where Scotland is seen as a destination to access facilities and expertise and is a key factor when considering inward investment here.”

Pictured above, Business Minister Richard Lochhead. Video below shows the Colin Vincent Centre for Battery Technology at University of St Andrews, the collaboration partner of Titanvolt.

A new range of ready meals has been launched that contains all 5 recommended portions of your 5-a-day.

DONE meals was developed with the support of a fund launched by Food and Drink Federation Scotland, in partnership with Interface, and with specialist help from the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.

The Healthier Product Innovation Fund covered the cost of initial prototyping and scale up assistance. This initial assistance proved product concept and allowed the company to progress to the next stage. 

DONE meals are delivered frozen to preserve freshness and reduce wastage. Dishes include Vietnamese Ragu Ga, Smoked Chipotle Chilli – both a beef and a vegan version, Moroccan Tagine – which is vegan, Tortiglioni Bolgnese, Brisket Beef Bourguignon, and a Chicken and Chorizo Estofado.

Paul Mason, Co-founder and Creative Director of DONE, said:
“I was delighted when I realised it was possible to get all 5 portions of veg or fruit into a single, delicious meal.

“We understand that doing what you can, when you can – little bits here and there, can make a massive difference to our dietary health. That’s where DONE comes in. If we can help people save time, eat well, and ultimately feel better, that’ll be job done for us.”

Joanne Burns, FDF Scotland’s Reformulation for Health Manager, said:
“I am delighted to see the launch of DONE meals, providing healthy, nutritious and convenient meals for all.

“Increasing your intake of fruit and vegetables is such a crucial part of a healthy diet and it is essential that food manufacturers strive to increase their content.

“Most people fall 11 portions short of the recommended weekly intake of fruits and vegetables. These 5-a-day ready meals can help provide the boost that many need.

“The success of this project and the wider Healthier Product Innovation Fund proves the importance for continued funding for innovative academic partnership projects to improve the health of Scotland’s products and people.”

Howell Davies, Interface’s Head of Strategic Programmes, said:
“DONE had the vision and ambition to develop a range of healthier ready meals to take to market with access to the support we have in Scotland such as the Healthier Product Innovation Fund to collaborate with the excellent academic expertise and facilities we have available here. 

“In this case with the team at Queen Margaret University who were up for a challenge and relished supporting the development to make it viable from a commercial and scale up perspective to take to market.”

Scotland’s premier knowledge exchange awards launch today, celebrating 10 years of exceptional, inspiring and ground-breaking business-academic people and partnerships.

The awards will be the biggest yet with two new categories, bringing the total number of categories to 10.

We’re excited to reconnect with past winners in the lead-up to the awards, sharing spotlights on their journeys and celebrating how they continue to drive innovation forward.

Business Minister, Richard Lochhead, said: “Supported by the Scottish Government, Interface plays an important role connecting businesses to the expertise of our world leading academic institutions, helping drive economic growth.

“These annual awards, commendably in their 10^th year, are an opportunity to highlight important success stories and put the spotlight on Scotland’s entrepreneurial and research excellence.”

Amelia Whitelaw, Director of Interface, which organises the annual awards, said: “This is a significant year for the awards, and we are planning a special celebration in March. The introduction of two new categories, Place-based Impact and Inward Investment Impact, reflects the growing range of collaborations between businesses and academia. We are pleased with how the awards are evolving, firmly establishing themselves as a valued platform for celebrating knowledge exchange. I encourage everyone from both business and academia to enter.”

The 10 awards categories are:

• Innovation of the Year – sponsored by HGF Limited
• Innovator of the Future – sponsored by Highlands and Islands Enterprise
• Inward Investment Impact – sponsored by International Social Enterprise Observatory
• Knowledge Exchange Champion – sponsored by PraxisAuril
• Knowledge Exchange Heroes – one for team, one for individual
• Making a Social Difference
• Making an Environmental Difference
• Multiparty Collaboration
• Place-based Impact – sponsored by Business Gateway
• Powerful Partnership – Skillfluence

The deadline for applications is 5pm, Thursday 12th December, 2024. The Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards will take place in March 2025.

Click here for our helpful entry toolkit and application forms.

Photo above shows the Interface team launching the 10th Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards. Photo by Glen Rutter.

As we look ahead to new opportunities, it’s equally important to reflect on the significant achievements of the past year. Interface continues to be a Scotland-wide service, with a dedicated local team supporting academic institutions and businesses alike. Our network has now grown to over 3,500 innovation-active businesses, reflecting our ongoing commitment to ensuring businesses have access to the resources and knowledge they need to innovate.

Our Annual Review highlights just some of our achievements, and spotlights a few of the business-academic partnerships we supported with connections and funding.

Two alternative protein ventures and an educational digital children’s game about business, are some of the research and development projects awarded funding through the Scottish Inward Investment Catalyst Fund (IICF).

The fund was set up by Interface and Scottish Government to attract companies from outwith Scotland to collaborate with Scottish academic institutions to create future opportunities in R&D and manufacturing and grow the economy.  IICF has awarded just under £60k to six projects involving universities and a college.

Business Minister, Richard Lochhead, said: “Scotland is open for business and we are committed to attracting further overseas investment to help boost economic growth.

“Scotland remains the UK’s top location for inward investment outside of London and our world-class universities and academia have a vital role to play in helping attract potential inward investors to Scotland. The latest round of the Inward Investment Catalyst Fund has attracted an array of innovative projects, aligned with the Inward Investment Plan. The funding, backed by the Scottish Government, is an important tool in driving close collaborations and early development to kick-start new growth. I strongly encourage all interested businesses with innovative projects to apply for the next round of funding.”

Howell Davies, Interface’s Head of Strategic Programmes and Funding, said: “The catalyst funding is a valuable way to kickstart relationships and develop R&D activity in Scotland with the intention of leading to longer term impacts and economic growth in priority areas such as decarbonisation of transport, software and IT, and food and drink innovation.  I would encourage other companies interested in investing in Scotland to use the fund to access the world-class research base we have here on our doorstep.”

The projects were each awarded up to £10,000. They are:

AlgiSys UK Ltd and the University of Stirling’s project aims to determine the viability of a fermented algae-derived feed ingredient as a source of omega-3s and marine plant protein in aquaculture. The findings of this study hold promise in advancing sustainable aquafeed practices, reducing the dependence of Scottish aquaculture and salmon farming on fish oil and fishmeal.

University of Edinburgh have teamed up with Aquallite Data Ltd to develop seafloor data integration software to enable the production of data models of the ocean floor to help de-risk offshore wind development and accelerate progress to a more sustainable future.

Fermentation Technologies Ltd and Abertay University have developed a lab-based system for the production of a valuable and nutritious protein ingredient by upcycling spent grains from breweries and distilleries. The product has been successfully tested with several large food companies and is preparing for pilot-scale production. The funding will allow for a technical viability feasibility study.

Gruppo Sismica are working with the University of Strathclyde on a project to pave the way for the use of HiStrA Bridges, the software developed by Gruppo Sismica, for the assessment of masonry arch bridges in Scotland and the rest of UK.

Edinburgh College and Vaste Technologies are collaborating to develop a ground-breaking digital platform that connects biomass suppliers directly with bioenergy producers, streamlining market access and improving transaction efficiency. The platform will also verify the sustainability credentials of biomass feedstocks and monitor carbon emissions throughout the entire lifecycle, from procurement to distribution and use.

ZIYX and the University of the West of Scotland will develop an early-stage proof of concept for educational games to teach young people about starting a business. The games will be integrated within a mobile platform that is currently being developed by the company. The aim of these games will be to enhance social mobility by making education on business subjects more accessible.

The next round of the Inward Investment Catalyst Fund is now open inviting companies outwith Scotland to collaborate with Scottish universities, colleges, research institutes and innovation centres. Details of the fund can be found here. The deadline for application is 15 November, 2024.

Scottish Enterprise and Interface have announced £250,000 funding for research and development collaborations to create new products, processes and services.

The Advanced Innovation Vouchers are aimed at building sustained relationships between business and academia. They are open to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Scotland and are awarded on a sliding scale with the business match funding the award up to £20k.

Since 2011, the Advanced Innovation Voucher programme has awarded £1.77m for 143 business-academic projects.

Paul Cross, Innovation Team Leader at Scottish Enterprise, said: “We are really pleased to invest in this funding which will enable businesses to create impacts as they innovate and scale whilst deepening their relationships with academics”

Laura Goodfellow, Associate Director of Business Engagement and Systems at Interface said: “Interface encourages universities and colleges across Scotland to collaborate with SMEs on groundbreaking products, processes, and services. This funding provides a significant opportunity for businesses aiming to scale their innovative projects—whether building on a successful partnership or launching a new venture. Interface is here to help businesses connect with the academic expertise that can drive their ideas forward.”

The initial deadline for applications is 27th September 2024, with subsequent deadlines on 31st October and 29th November, 2024.

Further information on application criteria can be found here.

Photo shows Laura Goodfellow of Interface.

By Suzy Powell, Interface

Do you know your prozymes from your prebiotics?

The health of our gut is a complicated business, and one which has prompted a huge amount of research, leading to the development of new products aimed at everything from increasing fibre intake to balancing hormones.

The science behind developing innovative food and drinks is important – not just from a consumer point of view, but for health benefits claims and legal requirements.

Collaborating with academic experts is often a key element of a business’s strategy in creating healthier products.

Several Scottish universities, research institutes and colleges have dedicated departments led by teams of experts focusing on food and drink development with food labs, tasting panels and testing equipment, however expertise can be found throughout Scotland’s institutes.

The team at Interface has more than a gut feeling about where – and how – to find the right expertise to help organisations develop, test and analyse products, with extensive connections and networks to support research and development.

Partnering with Edinburgh Napier University, Moray-based Gut Feelings make small batch production of flavoured Kombucha. Founder, Hannah Taylor, said: “Kombucha is a fermented drink, believed to provide healthy micronutrients and beneficial bacteria which can help to detoxify, aid digestion and strengthen immunity. However, very little research exists which can substantiate these claims.

“I wanted to work with an academic partner, with expertise in food science and microbiology, to establish the bacterial composition of the drink and to undertake an analysis of the product to determine and quantify the antimicrobial effects of the drink on human health.”

One of the academic partners at Edinburgh Napier University, Dr Sophie Foley, added: “The project with Gut Feelings used DNA sequencing technology and data analysis, which the company had found difficult to source commercially, to analyse the microbiome of their produce.

“As they scale up production, the company will be able to use the new information they have gained from analysis, confident that the microbiome is not impacted with alterations to production and that the potential health benefits remain intact with increased volumes.”

One company tackling gluten intolerance is Edinburgh based biotech, Prozymi Biolabs Ltd, which has turned to academic expertise multiple times throughout their innovation journey towards better tasting gluten-safe foods.

They have developed a pioneering method to craft bread and baked goods using a new enzyme technology that degrades gliadin, the protein that causes food sensitivities.

Through Interface, the company have embarked on several research collaborations with Queen Margeret University, Scotland’s Rural College, Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC), University of Aberdeen, University of Edinburgh and Stirling University, to support their development.

The collaboration with University of Edinburgh was so impressive, it won the Innovation of the Year in the Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards 2024. The partners developed a pipeline for identification and characterisation of novel gluten-degrading enzymes using mass spectrometry.

South African company Nutrigo, a spin-out from Tshwane University of Technology, secured funding through the Inward Investment Catalyst Fund to partner with Abertay University’s Food Technology Centre of Excellence to develop Niselo, a sorghum- based non-dairy and vegan probiotic enriched drinking yoghurt. Originally developed to fight malnutrition across sub-Saharan Africa, the partners re-imagined, repurposed and repositioned Niselo for an upcoming launch into the UK free-from consumer sector through new Scottish company, BiaGo Ltd in late 2024.  

With a characteristically “sharp and yoghurt like” fresh taste, the UK Niselo vegan probiotic drink contains both African and European gluten free grains (sorghum, millets and /or oats) coupled with precisely cultured probiotic bacteria (lactobacillus spp.) to support “gut health”, digestion and leverage an increasing body of evidence that the diverse flora and fauna within our microbiome strongly influence human health and wellbeing (immune system, digestion etc.). 

Sorghum drinks are new to the UK market and Prof David Katerere, Co-founder of BiaGo Ltd, CEO of Nutrigo SA Pty, said: “Our R&D collaborations with Abertay University have been crucial throughout the proof of concept and pre-launch process for Niselo, especially in understanding the UK consumer need through sensory evaluation and careful product formulation to match against challenging consumer expectation.

“Around 94% of the UK population eats less than the UK government recommended amount of fibre of 30g per adult a day; with additional funding through Interface and the Food and Drink Federation Scotland’s Healthier Products Innovation Fund, a range of new products co-developed with Abertay and fortified with fibre and higher protein levels will come to market in 2025 through BiaGo as the team continues their collaboration with the expertise and first class food and drink facilities within Abertay University.”

These innovative projects were awarded funding through Interface, which manages tailored funding programmes for inward investment, food and drink and innovation, with partners including Scottish Government, Scotland Food and Drink, the Scottish Food and Drink Federation and Scottish Funding Council. To find out more about funding opportunities for research and development please visit our website.

Photo by Greg Macvean shows Prozymi Biolabs Ltd co-founder Ioannis Stasinopoulos and team member Niki Christopoulou at the Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards earlier this year.

Interface has welcomed new members to its Strategic Board, from business and academic backgrounds, with a focus on supporting business-academic collaborations.

Professor Wayne Powell, Principal and Chief Executive of Scotland’s Rural College, will succeed Professor Andrea Nolan, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University, who has been Chair of the board since 2018.

Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne and Dr Alicia Greated have joined the 11-strong Board, along with Dr Andrea Taylor, from Edinburgh Innovations Ltd, which hosts Interface. 

Amelia Whitelaw, Director of Interface, said: “I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Professor Nolan for her exceptional leadership and unwavering support as Chair of the board. Andrea has been a strong champion of Interface’s work, and her stewardship has guided us through some very challenging times, helping us to continue making a significant impact.

“I am absolutely delighted to welcome Professor Powell as our new Chair, along with the new board members, who bring a wealth of experience to help guide and shape Interface’s ambition to create meaningful impact for society and the Scottish economy.

“The changes in our Strategic Board reflect Interface’s growing ambition to leverage the collective expertise of academia and industry in Scotland. With the addition of our new members, we are better positioned than ever to support business innovation, regional strategic programmes, and the evolving priorities of our colleges and universities. Their diverse perspectives and deep knowledge will be invaluable as we continue to expand our impact and drive forward Scotland’s innovation agenda.

Professor Wayne Powell added: “As I step into the role of Chair, I am inspired by the transformative journey Interface has undertaken and the strategic vision we have set for the future. Our mission is clear: to drive impactful collaborations between academia and industry, enhancing innovation capabilities across Scotland’s colleges and universities. With business innovation as our strong foundation, we aim to support strategic programmes and facilitate diverse partnerships to maximize our impact. I look forward to working with our exceptional team and partners to build on these successes and firmly establish Interface as a cornerstone of Scotland’s innovation ecosystem.”

Professor Andrea Nolan said: “I have greatly enjoyed my association with Interface over the past seven years. I’ve seen first-hand how Interface has strengthened vital connections between businesses and academia, driving real impact. As I step down as Chair, I am confident Interface will continue to be a key player in Scotland’s future success and prosperity.”

Interface will further strengthen the Strategic Board with a call for new board members opening in the Autumn.

Biographies

Professor Wayne Powell – Chair

Professor Wayne Powell is Principal and Chief Executive of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), the UK’s leading agri-food-environment, tertiary education institution.

His previous roles include Chief Science Officer at CGIAR, a global agri-food partnership, Professor & Founding Director of the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, and CEO & Director NIAB, Cambridge. He is a Senior Fullbright Scholar and worked for the DuPont Company in the USA.

Wayne has more than 30 years’ experience working in plant genetics and has extensive experience leading organisational and cultural change programmes.
Wayne is a member of Scotland’s Science Advisory Council, Board member of NatureScot and member of the FCDO Research Advisory Group (RAG). Until recently he was a member of both DEFRA and DFID’s Science Advisory Council and Convenor of the Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee of Universities Scotland. He maintains an active research group and is an elected Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales and the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Dr Andrea Taylor

Andrea is CEO of Edinburgh Innovations (EI), the commercialisation service of the University of Edinburgh. She has worked at EI for 7 years during which time EI has helped the University grow its industrial and translational income from £10m to over £90m and double company launches to 123.

Andrea has secured multimillion pound seed investment from first time investors leading to the creation of several spin outs. She has led numerous commercial and licence deals contributing to the University of Edinburgh rising from 15th to one of the top 5 UK universities for business engagement (HESA HE-BCI Survey).

Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne FRSE

Chef, author, and founder of gluten-free pioneers, Genius Foods, Lucinda is Chair of Scotland Food and Drink. She mentors and invests in innovative new food and well-being businesses.  

Appointed as Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence at Edinburgh University in 2018 to 2021, Lucinda continues to support the School of Physics and Astronomy as industry advisor. 

Dr Alicia Greated

Dr Alicia Greated is Executive Director of Campaign for Science and Engineering where she leads a dynamic organisation that has shaped significant changes in UK public policy.

Prior to this, Alicia was CEO of the Knowledge Transfer Network, and previously was Global Director of Research and Enterprise at Heriot Watt University.

Alicia is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology and holds a number of advisory roles including as a member of the Royal Society’s Science, Industry and Translation Committee, and a recently as a member of the Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee.

More information about the make up of Interface Strategic Board can be found here.

Photo shows, from left, Prof. Wayne Powell, Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne, Dr Andrea Taylor and Dr Alicia Greated.

For over 900 years, St Giles’ Cathedral has stood as an iconic landmark in the heart of Edinburgh, welcoming over 1.4 million visitors annually.  

But unravelling the mysteries of its construction and bringing its rich history to life has been a challenge – until now. 

In a groundbreaking collaboration for its 900^th year, the world-famous cathedral has joined forces with the University of Glasgow’s Games and Gaming Lab (UofGGamesLab), and game development studio Education Evolved, for Project HeritAIge.  

Through this pioneering initiative, St Giles’ Cathedral has been recreated in a captivating historical video game, transporting visitors through its architectural evolution with the aim of engaging as wide a range of public audiences as possible. 

This new freely available game, playable in web browsers and in the Cathedral itself, will allow visitors to build St Giles’ as they answer questions and learn about the Cathedral’s history and architecture.  

Stephen Preston, Deputy Head of Heritage and Culture at St Giles’ Cathedral, said: “I knew showing how the Cathedral was built had to be an interactive experience and probably digital. Thanks to Interface, who put us in touch with the future Project Lead Dr Tim Peacock and his team, we will be realising this vision.”  

“UofGGamesLab really is at the cutting edge of how we interpret heritage sites. It’s great for Scotland (and St Giles’) to have such institutions, and the Advanced Research Centre (ARC) as a whole, on our doorstep.” 

Matthew Leeper, the Managing Director and spokesperson for Education Evolved, said: “Being a part of this project, and bringing the cathedral to life in a new and innovative way, designed to engage and educate people who visit St Giles’ and visit their website around the world, has been a great initiative to be a part of.” 

Departing from traditional text and sign-based interpretation methods, the game will immerse players in the Cathedral’s various ages through original artwork and multilayered information. As they answer questions and learn about the site’s history and architecture, visitors will virtually reconstruct St Giles’.  

This project represents a co-creative collaboration between academia, public bodies, charities and industry. Facilitated by Interface and engaging the innovative education technology company Education Evolved Ltd on game development, HeritAIge has explored responsibly using AI to translate heritage sites into game form.  

Louise Arnold, Business Engagement Executive, Interface, said: “The challenge facing St Giles’ Cathedral is one facing many visitor attractions today – how do you attract more visitors on any given day. It’s been great working with St Giles’ Cathedral connecting them to Dr Tim Peacock at University of Glasgow Games Lab, and the collaboration with Education Evolved Ltd who saw the vision to undertake a cross-disciplinary research initiative exploring AI, cultural heritage and historical data translated into a research-informed historical video game. 

“It’s amazing to now see the working prototype of the interactive game, enabling visitors to delve into a virtual world of history and heritage.” 

Dr Tim Peacock added: “We hope this research-informed game will contribute to making the already truly remarkable historic site of St Giles’ accessible to new generations of visitors from around the world.” 

A pilot for this initiative greatly benefited from the Scottish Funding Council Innovation Voucher scheme, managed by Interface, and the main project has been made possible by significant support from the University of Glasgow Knowledge Exchange Funding and by finance from St Giles’ Cathedral.  

The project was hosted by the University of Glasgow’s world-leading Advanced Research Centre (ARC). Among its objectives, HeritAIge has explored new methods of translating heritage sites into game form, including ways of responsibly using (or of not using) AI to achieve this goal. 

To play the game please click here

Image shows Rev Dr George Whyte, Interim Moderator of St Giles’ Cathedral, viewing the new historical video game launched for St Giles’ Cathedral’s 900th anniversary. Photo by Martin Shields.