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We are delighted to share that Dr Alicia Greated, a member of Interface’s Strategic Board, has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE). This prestigious honour recognises Alicia’s significant contributions to research, innovation and international collaboration. We’re proud to work alongside her and extend our warmest congratulations on this well-deserved recognition.

We extend congratulations to all the 2025 fellows. Read the full announcement here: Hubble scientist and legendary cartoonist among RSE Fellows 2025 : Royal Society of Edinburgh

The winners of the 10th Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards have been revealed.

An event held at the Edinburgh Futures Institute on the 19th March brought together Scotland’s rich ecosystem of talent to celebrate transformational collaborations between businesses, communities, universities, colleges, and research institutes which are solving industry challenges, improving productivity, advancing research and supporting Scotland’s ambition to be one of the most innovative small nations in the world.

Developments in renewable energy, mental health, medicine and food and drink scooped awards across 10 categories.

Business Minister Richard Lochhead said: “It was good to see the full breadth of academic and business-led innovation on show at Interface’s annual awards.

“It demonstrated why our expertise in so many sectors is revered around the world, from renewable energy and health technology, to food and drink.

“Scotland has been at the forefront of many of the world’s most impactful innovations, from the MRI Scanner and penicillin to televisions and telephones. Yet, by combining research and business, so many new and exciting Scottish breakthroughs are just on the horizon and that is something we should all champion.””

Amelia Whitelaw, Director of Interface, which organises the Awards, said: “The Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards celebrate successful partnerships where knowledge is shared to create new solutions. The nominees and winners we are celebrating exemplify how collaboration drives valuable advancements. These partnerships have led to the development of new technologies, products, and services that contribute to economic progress and societal benefit. Their innovations are not only transforming Scotland but also have the potential to make a global impact.”

The winners are:

Innovation of the Year – sponsored by HGF Ltd

SolarSub Ltd, in collaboration with the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) at the University of Strathclyde, for refining the design of a solar panel cooling system, optimising it for manufacturing and scalability. Additionally, in partnership with Heriot-Watt University, the technology underwent rigorous field trials to evaluate its performance under extreme heat conditions, ensuring its robustness and efficacy.

Innovator of the Future – sponsored by Highlands and Islands Enterprise

Joint winners: Dr Dayi Zhang and Matthew Gibson

Dr Dayi Zhang, Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate working with the University of Strathclyde and Inspectahire Instrument Co. Ltd for developing a portable, non-invasive ultrasonic device that revolutionises whisky cask monitoring. Designed for Scotland’s iconic whisky industry, the device enhances safety, reduces costs, and minimises carbon emissions, aligning with net zero goals. This innovation preserves cultural heritage while driving environmental progress and local economic growth.

Matthew Gibson, KTP Associate working with the University of Strathclyde and Ailsa Reliability Solutions Ltd, is creating the next generation of data-driven condition monitoring solutions for the oil and gas sector. This project is developing the Vision© reliability platform and has demonstrated reduced machine downtime and energy waste, in pursuit of net zero and sustainable engineering processes.

Inward Investment Impact – sponsored by International Social Enterprise Observatory

Canon Medical Research Europe and the University of Edinburgh for bringing new AI Innovation and thinking to the heart of the business. The relationship contributed to increased inward investment and headcount in Canon Edinburgh as well as new collaborative research funding opportunities in the research and translation of Causal AI.

Knowledge Exchange Champion – sponsored by Knowledge Exchange UK

Winner: Professor John Bachtler

Professor John Bachtler has transformed Scotland’s regional policy knowledge exchange through 40 years of leadership at the European Policies Research Centre at the University of Strathclyde. He advanced policy innovation via networks such as EoRPA and IQ-Net, linking Scotland with European policy frameworks. His strategic insights, mentoring, and impactful KE collaborations strengthened regional development policy, inspired future leaders, and enhanced Scotland’s European policy influence.

Highly Commended: Dr Andrea Rodriguez and Dr Bryan McCann

Dr Andrea Rodriguez, the University of Dundee, for sustaining engagement and impact on non-academic audiences by co-designing an international knowledge exchange programme on youth homelessness. Helping Young People Feel at Home took a multi-agency approach, involving critical thinking and dialogue with young people in Scotland and Brazil to improve service provision and professional practices.

Dr Bryan McCann, Glasgow Caledonian University, has championed knowledge exchange throughout his academic career, establishing several strategic partnerships within the physical activity and mental health sectors. These partnerships have facilitated innovative and high-quality student placements, generated income for impactful knowledge exchange programmes, and contributed to health and wellbeing across Scotland.

Knowledge Exchange Heroes – team and individual – sponsored by Azets Ltd

Individual

Susan Armstrong, KE Lead at Glasgow Caledonian University, has been instrumental in transforming the knowledge exchange landscape at the university through her strategic and collaborative approach. Her efforts, dedication, and unwavering support have significantly advanced the university’s KE initiatives, benefiting both the academic community and industry partners.

Team

The Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation (SCFDI) at Queen Margaret University has for 10 years championed KE in the food and drink sector in Scotland. They have developed progressive models for industry/academia KE career pathways, supported an impressive SME client portfolio and attracted increasing attention from global food companies and retailers.

Making a Social Difference

Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH) and Glasgow Caledonian University are collaborating to review, redesign and deliver SAMH’s Psychological Wellbeing services. Through partnership SAMH and GCU have developed the Time for You service, supporting mental health of thousands of members of the public via immediate access to free mental health support, delivered by GCU Trainee Psychologists.

Making an Environmental Difference

Renewable Parts Ltd and the University of Strathclyde’s collaboration applies circular economy principles within the wind turbine decommissioning process, promoting the refurbishment and remanufacturing of high-integrity, high-value parts within the wind energy sector, instead of being recycled and returned to raw materials or, worse still, landfill. This circularity approach will have a significant impact on the UK economy and net-zero targets.

Multiparty Collaboration

Winner:

Medical Device Manufacturing Centre (MDMC) – Heriot-Watt University, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Glasgow, the University of Dundee, Robert Gordon University and over 170 medical device companies, to develop and commercialise innovative medical devices.

Highly Commended:

The Underwater Intervention for Offshore Renewable Energies (UNITE) project, a partnership between The National Robotarium, Heriot-Watt University, Imperial College London, Frontier Robotics and Fugro, is developing advanced AI and autonomous systems for undertaking remote inspections of offshore wind farms to offer a safe, efficient and sustainable solution for global energy providers.

Place-based Impact sponsored by Business Gateway

Winner:

Digital Dairy Chain – Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), the University of Strathclyde, the University of the West of Scotland, First Milk, Lactalis, NMR, SmartSTEMs, Kendal Nutricare, CENSIS and Cows & Co, is transforming the dairy sector across the South and West of Scotland and Cumbria. This partnership is driving innovation, enhancing productivity, and stimulating job creation, contributing to sustained economic growth in the region.

Highly Commended:

Control of Sheep Scab – Moredun Research Institute, Lewis and Harris Sheep Producers Association, The Old Mill Veterinary Practice, Scottish Government, The Crofters of Lewis & Harris, Lewis Crofters, Neil Fell Mobile Dipping Ltd, Zoetis Animal Health Ltd and Bimeda Ltd has developed a community-led approach to prevent and control sheep scab. This project demonstrates how a coordinated, collaborative effort can effectively prevent disease, improve sheep welfare and productivity, and rekindle a strong sense of community.

Powerful Partnership sponsored by Skillfluence

Vertebrate Antibodies-EpitogenX Ltd and the University of Aberdeen have developed transformative AI-powered diagnostics leveraging the innovative Epitogen® recombinant technology for diagnosing autoimmune and infectious diseases. This long-term collaboration has yielded world-first solutions, fostering global recognition, creating skilled talent, and driving economic and health advancements.

Join the conversation on X at #SKEAwards and LinkedIn at @Interface.

A new £9m virtual production studio will drive research, innovation and economic growth in Scotland’s screen, games, immersive and performance industries.

Abertay University launched the CoSTAR Realtime Lab at Water’s Edge, Dundee on Tuesday 18 February marking the start of operations for a major infrastructure project that will provide a significant boost to Scotland’s screen industries. This cutting-edge programme will bring new opportunities and expert support to UK creative and technology companies working across the breadth of the creative industries.

The CoSTAR Network represents the largest investment in Creative Industries R&D to date with a £75.6M grant awarded by the UKRI Infrastructure Fund and delivered by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

The CoSTAR Realtime Lab is led by Abertay University and the total project investment is £9m operated in partnership with the University of Edinburgh, CodeBase, Interface and Chroma Developments.

Creative companies from across the UK and beyond will have the opportunity to work with the CoSTAR Realtime Lab, benefitting from state-of-the-art research and development (R&D) facilities and access to industry experts and academic researchers.

The studio at Chroma Developments’ Water’s Edge in Dundee marks the beginning of the CoSTAR Realtime Lab’s work, with a further studio led by the University of Edinburgh to open at First Stage Studios in Edinburgh in March 2025. The facilities will be connected through the Realtime Cloud Lab supporting remote access and collaboration from anywhere in the world.

Virtual production—a cinematography technique that employs computer-generated imagery (CGI), augmented reality, and motion capture to create immersive virtual film, game and performance sets – will be at the heart of the CoSTAR Realtime Lab’s work and represents a significant opportunity for creative companies working with real time technologies.

Researchers will support industry-led projects to generate new products and processes to improve production pipelines including, 3D environments and video processing, performance and motion capture, facial animation, automated speech and dynamic generation of hyper-realistic digital film sets and many others. The CoSTAR Realtime Lab’s work will also look at ways to enhance spectator experiences at concerts, live events and museums and how immersive technologies like Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality can be better used and integrated.

Blending Abertay University’s internationally renowned expertise in video games and technology with the University of Edinburgh’s world-leading AI, animation and film capabilities, the partnership will build transformative new processes, pipelines, tools and workflows to help companies grow, while de-risking opportunities to diversify and take on new projects and clients.

The CoSTAR Realtime Lab will create opportunities for Scotland’s screen innovators to access next generation production technologies and support them to apply their creativity, skills and expertise to create new technologies, design new experiences and establish new markets. Access will be offered through a series of open programmes, giving companies and creatives the opportunity to test, develop and refine their ideas.

One of the main programmes is the Realtime TEST Lab, which offers creative companies, creatives and innovators access to resources to experiment with virtual production and creative technologies in content production or software development before committing further investment in their final productions. The Realtime TEST Lab is supported with funding from Screen Scotland.

The CoSTAR Realtime Lab will also offer support through Collaborative R&D – a way of working in partnership that can be activated by companies, individuals and project staff in conversation with the CoSTAR Realtime Lab. Scale-up and start-up training and support will also be provided by CodeBase through its Techscaler programme.

Further CoSTAR Network programmes include the Pilots and Prototypes Programme (PPP), a £3.6 million fund for UK companies to develop new ideas by accessing technical and research capabilities, and the Enterprise and Commercial programme (E&C) supporting the growth of highly capable, inclusive, and sustainable creative technology businesses.

In addition to its main partners, CoSTAR Realtime Lab is supported by Screen Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, Amazon Web Services, Nvidia and VSS-Scotland.

For more information visit https://www.costarnetwork.co.uk/ or follow @costarnetwork.

Full information and funding calls can be found online: Access Programmes | CoSTAR

Professor Gregor White, Director of the CoSTAR Realtime Lab said: “With the technologies that power our screen-based experiences in film, games and performance rapidly converging there’s an opportunity for companies working in these sectors to diversify their offer, explore new markets and push the boundaries of what was previously thought possible in their sectors. Bringing together international-quality academic researchers with industry experience and enterprise support, CoSTAR Realtime Lab is a truly collaborative project which will break down barriers for the Scottish creative industries, encourage entrepreneurship and experimentation, and provide a space where innovation can flourish.”

Professor Melissa Terras MBE, Edinburgh College of Art, Co-director of the CoSTAR Realtime Lab said: “Scotland has vibrant creative industries, with world-leading activity in festivals, film/TV, music, heritage, and games in particular. Building a bridge between creatives and technologists will allow us to support the development of new products and services, while also ensuring that we are encouraging diverse access to cutting edge facilities, which will then produce diverse outputs. The partnership behind CoSTAR Realtime Lab is expertly placed to deliver this exciting innovation vehicle to support our creative communities”.

AHRC Executive Chair Professor Christopher Smith said: “The CoSTAR Realtime Lab will build on the strong foundations of Scotland’s gaming cluster, bringing together next generation production technologies, the latest in video game development, and AI and machine learning, to support innovators in the creation of new technologies, experiences, and markets. As part of the CoSTAR network it will play a key role in ensuring that the UK’s creative industries act as a key driver of growth as identified in the government’s industrial strategy. It is by strategically investing in the industries of the future that AHRC shows how arts and humanities research drives innovation and growth in a 21st century economy.”

Chris van der Kuyl CBE, FRSE, Chairman, 4J Studios said: “I’ve always believed in Dundee’s potential as a global leader in technology and digital innovation. That’s why we’ve invested in spaces like Water’s Edge to provide a collaborative infrastructure for the next generation of creators and companies to thrive. The launch of the CoSTAR Realtime Lab is a major step in that journey, bringing cutting-edge virtual production technology to Dundee and securing its position at the forefront of real-time content creation. This is a huge opportunity for Scotland’s screen industries, and I’m incredibly proud to support it.”

UK Government Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said: “This project is beyond exciting – the possibilities it creates for the entertainment industry are endless. The UK Government’s investment in cutting-edge initiatives like this is central to our Plan for Change to create the jobs and opportunities that will raise living standards right across the UK.

“It’s a tremendous feather in the cap of Brand Scotland too, demonstrating to the world that Dundee and Scotland is a centre of excellence for the screen and gaming industries as we push into new markets and further strengthen the sector. I wish the team at Abertay University every success with the opening of the new facility.”

Stephen Coleman OBE, CEO & Co-Founder of CodeBase said: “Supporting the CoSTAR Realtime Lab is another great opportunity for CodeBase to play our part as a Scottish ecosystem builder and a champion of tech-driven enterprise and entrepreneurship. We are always looking for new ways to collaborate with specialists in different technology domains and to leverage our delivery of Techscaler, Scotland’s national tech backbone for the benefit of the ecosystem as a whole, building on Scotland’s unique strengths in talent, research, and innovation.“

Howell Davies, Head of Strategic Funding and Programmes at Interface, said: “CoSTAR’s Realtime Lab is a game-changer for industry seeking to harness the power of real-time technologies. With access to cutting-edge tools, a deep and diverse pool of expertise and talent with a support system for organisations to empower them to innovate and create groundbreaking experiences, it will create significant impact and legacy for the UK’s creative industry and wider.”

Councillor Mark Flynn, Leader of Dundee City Council said: “Dundee has a long history of being at the forefront of technology and innovation for the creative industries and it is wonderful to see the CoSTAR Realtime Lab and its virtual production studio being added to the city’s digital cluster. The video games, screen and performance industries already make a significant contribution to Dundee’s economic and cultural success and collaborative projects like this, supported by both academia and business, are important for the continued growth and future of the sector.”

Revolutionary developments in renewable energy, mental health, education, sport, medicine and food and drink have made it to the finals of the 10th Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards highlighting the diversity of sectors and disciplines thriving in Scotland.

With 32 individuals, teams and projects shortlisted across 10 categories, the 10th anniversary celebration will be the largest to date.

Amelia Whitelaw, Director of Interface, which organises the Awards, said: “At Interface, we are proud to deliver the Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards on behalf of Scotland’s vibrant innovation ecosystem. These awards are more than just a celebration of achievements—they showcase the transformative power of collaboration between academia and industry. Each finalist represents the spirit of partnership, driving solutions that create lasting economic, environmental, and social impact. As we mark the 10th anniversary of these awards, we are inspired by the breadth and depth of innovation thriving across Scotland, reaffirming our commitment to fostering connections that unlock new opportunities and strengthen Scotland’s future.”

The awards ceremony will take place at Edinburgh Futures Institute on 19th March.

The finalists are:

Innovation of the Year – sponsored by HGF Ltd

Highland Heat Harvesters Ltd and Robert Gordon University

SolarSub Ltd, Heriot-Watt University and the University of Strathclyde

SymphoMe Ltd and the University of Stirling

Innovator of the Future – sponsored by Highlands and Islands Enterprise

Dr Dayi Zhang – Inspectahire Instruments Company Ltd and the University of Strathclyde

Matthew Gibson – Ailsa Reliability Solutions Ltd and the University of Strathclyde

Dr Sonam Norbu – The Crichton Trust and the University of Glasgow

Inward Investment Impact – sponsored by International Social Enterprise Observatory

Canon Medical Research Europe and the University of Edinburgh

Smartify and the University of the West of Scotland

ZIYX and the University of the West of Scotland

Knowledge Exchange Champion – sponsored by Knowledge Exchange UK

Dr Andrea Rodriguez, the University of Dundee

Dr Bryan McCann, Glasgow Caledonian University

Professor John Bachtler, the University of Strathclyde

Knowledge Exchange Heroes – team and individual – sponsored by Azets Ltd

Individual

Kevin McIver, Heriot-Watt University

Dr Kirsty Ross, the University of St Andrews

Susan Armstrong, Glasgow Caledonian University

Team

Scottish Centre for Food Development Innovation, Queen Margaret University

Formulation Unit, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, the University of Strathclyde

Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science, the University of Dundee

Making a Social Difference

Enable and Edinburgh Napier University

Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH) and Glasgow Caledonian University

Sport Aberdeen and Glasgow Caledonian University

Making an Environmental Difference

Heerema Marine Contractors Nederland SE and the University of Dundee

National Trust for Scotland and the University of the Highlands & Islands

Renewable Parts Ltd and the University of Strathclyde

Multiparty Collaboration

INTErPRET-NAFLD – Bering Limited, HistoIndex, BioDev, Precision Medicine Scotland and the University of Edinburgh

Medical Device Manufacturing Centre (MDMC) – Heriot-Watt University, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Glasgow, the University of Dundee, Robert Gordon University and over 170 medical device companies

Underwater Intervention for Offshore Renewable Energies (UNITE) – Heriot-Watt University, Imperial College London, Frontier Robotics, Fugro

Place-based Impact sponsored by Business Gateway

Digital Dairy Chain – Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), the University of Strathclyde, the University of the West of Scotland, First Milk, Lactalis, NMR, SmartSTEMs, Kendal Nutricare, CENSIS and Cows & Co

Control of Sheep Scab – Moredun Research Institute, Lewis and Harris Sheep Producers Association, The Old Mill Veterinary Practice, Scottish Government, The Crofters of Lewis & Harris, Lewis Crofters, Neil Fell Mobile Dipping Ltd, Zoetis Animal Health Ltd and Bimeda Ltd

Powerful Partnership sponsored by Skillfluence

BAE Systems and the University of Strathclyde

Safehinge Primera and Glasgow Caledonian University  

Vertebrate Antibodies-EpitogenX Ltd and the University of Aberdeen

Read more about the projects here: The Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards | Interface Online

Join the conversation on X at #SKEAwards and LinkedIn at @Interface.

Photo above shows the shortlisted Knowledge Exchange Champions, from left Dr Andrea Rodriguez, the University of Dundee, Dr Bryan McCann, Glasgow Caledonian University and Professor John Bachtler, the University of Strathclyde.

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 10th 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:

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.

Annual Review 2023-2024

Read Now

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.