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Scaling Music Education Technology Through Academic Partnerships

Background

SymphoMe Ltd is an Edinburgh-based EdTech start-up transforming the way music is taught and learned. Much like Duolingo has done for language learning, SymphoMe is pioneering an AI-driven, gamified platform that makes music education measurable, affordable, and accessible.

Private music education is prohibitively expensive, where in the UK, over 50% of music education funding has been cut, further widening the accessibility gap. This is significant, given the well-documented social and psychological benefits of music education.

Its technology uses advanced AI, audio signal processing, and gamification to provide real-time feedback, personalised learning pathways, and exam preparation aligned with global standards

The Journey

Following an introduction via Edinburgh Innovations Student Enterprise team, Interface have helped them navigate and tap into the rich diversity of academic and student expertise.

These collaborations have allowed the start-up to tap into a vast array of skills, knowledge, and expertise across multiple disciplines—from computing and data science to psychology, marketing, animation, immersive technologies and sound design – supporting SymphoMe’s vision of becoming a leader in AI-driven, personalised music education.

University of Stirling – Data Analytics & Psychology

The flagship collaboration has been with the University of Stirling, where SymphoMe main challenge was to harness cutting-edge AI to measure knowledge gaps and automatically tailor learning journeys to support users’ unique needs. They worked with Dr. Sandy Brownlee on data analytics and machine learning and together they developed a data-driven engine to analyse user progress, identify knowledge gaps, and inform the creation of an AI-driven personalised recommendation system—the foundation of SymphoMe’s vision for a “Multimodal Music Teacher.”

This partnership also extended to Stirling’s Psychology students, who explored accessibility and inclusivity in EdTech. Their research provided insights into neurodivergent learners and strategies for ensuring the platform could engage diverse users. Additionally, Marketing students undertook a research on marketing plan and strategic market analysis for SymphoMe.

Impact:

Abertay University – Computing and Ethical Hacking

Students helped convert SymphoMe’s mobile prototype into a functional web version while integrating gamification features for content delivery, exercises and knowledge gap analysis. This additional technical support was crucial in helping develop the concept to a scalable product.

Edinburgh Napier University – Software, Animation & Sound Design

Glasgow School of Art – XR & Virtual Reality

Collaborations explored how VR could create immersive learning environments for music education, positioning SymphoMe at the forefront of next-generation learning experiences.

Company achievements

SymphoMe has:

The Benefits

Company

Academic

Reinventing Product Authentication with Quantum Science

Background

Quantatrace is a Glasgow-based deep-tech start-up building physical authentication technology that binds a product’s optical signature to its digital identity, closing the gap between digital serialisation, which proves a code is valid, and true product authentication, which proves the physical item is genuine. The company’s founder has been part of multiple enterprise system deployments, most recently DEUTZ in Germany for their S/4HANA implementation across their China and Germany plants, and is certified in SAP ICSM and serialisation (SAP ATTP), an origin that shaped Quantatrace’s central thesis: today’s systems verify the number, not the product.

Turning that thesis into a working system required a validated library of luminescent nanoparticle formulations, characterised against the real substrates used across Quantatrace’s target sectors. As an early-stage company without in-house chemistry infrastructure, this meant finding an academic partner combining specialist nanoparticle synthesis expertise with appropriately equipped laboratory facilities, a combination that could not be sourced through a commercial contract research organisation.

The Challenge

Counterfeiting is a persistent, costly problem across global supply chains, and in pharmaceuticals it is a matter of patient safety: the World Health Organisation estimates that around one in ten medical products in low- and middle-income countries is substandard or falsified, with falsified medicines linked to hundreds of thousands of deaths each year.

The specific challenge facing Quantatrace was threefold: developing quantum dot formulations with consistent, tunable optical properties; applying them reliably across a commercially representative range of substrate types with widely varying surface properties; and characterising each formulation-substrate combination to a standard of documentation suitable for future patent filings, investor diligence, and Fraunhofer CAP optical reader calibration. The work demanded wet chemistry infrastructure together with expertise in nanoparticle handling, extraction and stabilisation, beyond anything the company could assemble in-house at this stage.

The Solution

Interface’s matchmaking identified Dr William Peveler, UKRI Future Leaders Fellow in Molecular Engineering, Nanomaterials and Biosensing at the School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, as the right academic partner for this work. Dr Peveler brings extensive hands-on experience with luminescent nanoparticles, including quantum dots and other materials, applied to sensing and biosensing research.

His laboratory provides wet chemistry facilities, including compressed gas systems, fume cupboards, dedicated chemical storage and disposal infrastructure, and spectrometry equipment, and is one of very few facilities in Scotland capable of supporting this work safely and to the required scientific standard.

Supported by Interface and funded through an Innovation Voucher, Quantatrace partnered with Dr Peveler’s lab to develop and characterise a diverse library of luminescent nanoparticle formulations for authentication use. The nanoparticles were modified and incorporated into proprietary formulations, and deposition optimisation was carried out within the Peveler Lab, giving Quantatrace a materials pipeline that is not dependent on a single formulation approach. Multiple deposition approaches were developed and validated for applying formulations consistently across substrate types, supported by dedicated in-house equipment for application and rapid quality control.

Formulations and substrate samples were developed in direct, three-way coordination with Fraunhofer CAP, who are concurrently developing the optical reader system for Quantatrace’s authentication platform, ensuring the materials library was calibrated to the reader hardware’s detection specifications from the outset, rather than adapted to it after the fact.

Company Benefits

Academic Benefits

Next Steps

Quantatrace is building toward supply chains where physical proof and digital identity verify each other. Quantatrace is the physical layer of trust.

“What can I say – we have worked alongside colleagues at Interface since 2019 with over 20 different projects under our belt. Each project has sharpened and nudged us forward. This genuine relationship has also led to a long‑term partnership with UWS and connections with multiple universities. From immersive tech to engineering, sustainability and now social robotics, Interface has helped us open ourselves up to fresh, innovative thinking with real impact. It’s a win‑win‑win.”
Mike Benson, Director, The Scottish Crannog Centre

Crannog Staff and Volunteers

Background

The Scottish Crannog Centre, located on Loch Tay in Perthshire, is an award‑winning museum and living history site dedicated to caring for, researching and sharing the stories of Scotland’s Iron Age crannogs. Through reconstructed dwellings, experimental archaeology, traditional crafts and immersive interpretation, the Centre brings to life how people lived, built and engineered over water some 2,500 years ago.

Since the original Interface‑supported project, the organisation has undergone a period of profound change. Following the devastating fire in 2021, the Centre relocated to a larger, better‑situated site at Dalerb on Loch Tay. This move accelerated its transformation from a successful but ageing visitor attraction into a values‑driven, museum‑focused organisation with social justice, sustainability and community at its heart. The Centre has since more than tripled its income, doubled staff numbers and embarked on a £6m redevelopment programme, including the construction of a new, full‑scale crannog using predominantly Iron Age techniques and materials.

All of this growth has been underpinned by long‑term collaboration with universities across Scotland, brokered and supported by Interface.

The Challenge

As the Centre evolved, it faced multiple, interconnected challenges:

Meeting these challenges required specialist academic expertise, fresh perspectives and the capacity to experiment – resources that are difficult for a small cultural charity to access alone.

The Journey and Interface’s Role

Interface has played a sustained, strategic role since 2019, acting as a trusted connector between the Scottish Crannog Centre and academic expertise. Innovation Engagement Executive Lorna Watson worked closely with Director Mike Benson and the wider team to understand evolving ambitions and identify the right academic partners at each stage of development.

Rather than a single intervention, Interface enabled a portfolio of collaborations that grew alongside the organisation, spanning technology, engineering, design, sustainability, social impact, marketing and robotics. Over 20 projects have now been delivered, many supported by Scottish Funding Council Innovation Vouchers and follow‑on funding.

Key Collaborations and Developments

Immersive Technology and Interpretation (University of the West of Scotland)

The original Innovation Voucher project with UWS laid the foundations for a step‑change in interpretation. It delivered:

These outputs informed the creation of a new gallery and continue to shape the Centre’s approach to storytelling, helping collections to “sing” to different audiences. The partnership has since expanded to include branding, marketing, student placements, VR development and sustainability‑focused projects, forming a long‑term strategic relationship.

Artefacts, Design and Creative Media (UWS & UHI)

Follow‑on projects that brought unseen artefacts to life and enhanced The Crannog brand include:

Engineering the Iron Age (Heriot‑Watt University)

As part of the move to Dalerb, Interface connected the Centre with Heriot‑Watt University engineering students to explore the structural ingenuity of crannog construction. Working alongside craftspeople, archaeologists and engineers, students designed interactive model crannogs made from sustainable materials reclaimed from the main build.

These hands‑on models, launched in spring 2025, allow visitors to experiment with forces, stability and construction strategies, translating Iron Age engineering into playful, contemporary learning. For students, the collaboration reframed engineering beyond industrial contexts, highlighting sustainability, logic and longevity.

Crannog Building

Measuring Social Impact and Sustainability (University of Glasgow)

A 2023/24 student placement focused on articulating the Centre’s societal impact. This work examined:

The project helped evidence a sustainable museum model based on growing materials, skills, partners and audiences, supporting award submissions and future funding.

Film, Storytelling and the Rebuild (Edinburgh Napier University)

A filming placement documented the reconstruction of the new crannog, capturing traditional skills, community participation and the ambition to create a national museum with activism and inclusion at its core. This content supports interpretation, fundraising and digital engagement.

Looking Ahead: Social Robotics (University of Glasgow, 2026)

The next phase of innovation will explore human‑centred social robotics. In a co‑design research partnership, researchers will work with staff and visitors to prototype robots that enhance public engagement, for example, supporting tours or multilingual interpretation while reflecting the Centre’s values of inclusivity and care.

Impacts on the Organisation and Community

Organisational Growth and Resilience

Innovation and Visitor Experience

Community and Social Impact

Skills, Learning and Talent Pipeline

Academic Benefits

Academic partners have gained access to a rich, real‑world testbed for applied research and teaching. Students engage with authentic challenges, while universities strengthen their civic mission and visibility. Relationships have extended into advisory roles, placements, curriculum enrichment and long‑term research collaborations.

Moving Forward

The Scottish Crannog Centre demonstrates how sustained academic collaboration – enabled by Interface – can transform a small heritage organisation into a resilient, innovative, community‑centred national museum. Geography has proven no barrier to excellence; instead, partnership, curiosity and shared values have driven growth, impact and ambition far beyond the loch shore.

Improving gut health through scientifically validated products such as ió Gut Health Drinks (formerly ió fibrewater).

“Interface has been a true catalyst in our journey. Their support helped us secure a pivotal academic partnership that not only validated our product but also opened doors to further studies and global growth. The credibility gained through these collaborations has directly led to investment, award recognition, and market expansion. For any company looking to scale through innovation and evidence, Interface is a game-changer.”

Alyssa Reid, Co-founder, The Prebiotic Company Ltd

Advancement of Product and Technology


Since the successful Asda launch in March 2024, ió fibrewater has evolved into the broader ió Gut Health Drinks brand. The rebrand better reflects the comprehensive health benefits beyond fibre intake, emphasising gut and overall wellbeing.

Building on this, The Prebiotic Company has:

The Journey

2022-2023 Initial Collaboration – Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU)

Facilitated by Interface, the collaboration with GCU provided the crucial first step in validating the efficacy of their core product, ió fibrewater, and lay the groundwork for future product development. They sought to understand how ió fibrewater impacted different probiotics. As prebiotics feed beneficial microbes (probiotics), the company needed to know exactly how, and what probiotics responded to the core ió fibrewater recipe which would be crucial for expanding their product range.

The project yielded significant findings, released in November 2022 promoting Food Science, academia and industry collaboration. The findings also bolstered investor interest for The Prebiotic Company and paved the way for further collaborations with academic and healthcare institutions.

This collaboration not only provided funding for research but also enriched the academic portfolios of the researchers involved, providing an interdisciplinary project in the fields of microbiology and prebiotic food science.  Additionally, it provided valuable experience for an undergraduate BSc Food Science student to generate preliminary work as part of their final year research project. 

The collaboration also benefited academia through new laboratory methods, expanded bacterial culture collections, and public engagement in food science outreach. These outcomes continue to support ongoing teaching and research initiatives at GCU.

2024-2025 – University of Roehampton, London

Building on the GCU results, The Prebiotic Company partnered with the University of Roehampton to investigate the broader health implications of ió products, specifically their influence on blood glucose regulation, weight management, mood, and sleep. Early results have strengthened scientific credibility and the findings will be published in 2026.

2026 – University of Roehampton, London

A third academic collaboration will begin in January 2026, again with the University of Roehampton, London, focusing on how ió Gut Health Drinks may help reduce the risk of glucose intolerance and Type 2 diabetes in post-menopausal women. This targeted research further demonstrates the company’s commitment to evidence-based innovation and public health impact.

Impact of Academic Collaboration

The Prebiotic Company’s academic collaborations have become a cornerstone of its success having:

Interface’s Role

Interface has been instrumental throughout The Prebiotic Company’s innovation journey. From the initial introduction to GCU in 2022 to continued advisory support connecting the company with further academic partners.

 Interface has:

Looking Ahead

The personal health journeys of the company’s founders Mohsin Laginaf, Alyssa Reid and Jay Curthan continue to drive their commitment to improving gut health for consumers through innovative products.

The Prebiotic Company continues to expand its product range and research base, driven by its founders’ shared mission to improve gut health and wellbeing through evidence-based innovation. With new studies, product formats, and markets on the horizon, the company is poised for sustained impact, supported by a collaborative model that integrates academic excellence, entrepreneurial drive, and Interface’s facilitative expertise.

Sentiental Limited & University of Strathclyde – A Powerful Partnership

Introduction

In 2018, a connection brokered by Interface set in motion a transformative collaboration between Welbot Ltd and the University of Strathclyde. What began as a project about workplace wellbeing, has evolved into a long-term, strategic partnership, resulting in a newly formed company Sentiental Limited (trading as Sentinel), that is tackling some of the most pressing health challenges faced by frontline workers today.

This case study explores how the partnership has grown, the critical role of Interface in connecting business with academia, and the significant impact of co-created innovation.

The Challenge

Welbot was established to address growing concerns around workplace wellbeing. Early efforts focused on reducing sedentary behaviour and supporting staff health through Welbot, a digital desktop tool.

However, by 2022, it was clear that an even greater challenge was emerging: the escalating mental health crisis among frontline workers, including emergency services and healthcare professionals. These groups face trauma, chronic stress, and burnout, yet often lack accessible and stigma-free support. Thus, Sentinel was formed and, together with University of Strathclyde, they bring together technology, commercial, and scientific expertise to help employees understand and manage trauma.

The Role of Interface

The partnership might never have begun without Interface’s facilitation. By linking Welbot with University of Strathclyde’s academic expertise, Interface enabled the business to access specialist researchers in trauma, psychology, and workplace health. Interface’s support also unlocked early funding opportunities, including an Innovation Voucher, which laid the foundations for further collaborative projects.

This first connection was pivotal leading to the formation of a new company, the exploration of new opportunities, industry applications and funding opportunities. It transformed what could have been a one-off project into a long term, multi-faceted partnership delivering real-world impact.

The Journey

Early Collaboration – Welbot (2018–2020)

Evolution into Sentinel (2022–present)

Research, Innovation & Global Expansion

Benefits and Impact

Impact on Sentinel

Impact on University of Strathclyde

A Model for Business–Academic Collaboration

“The Sentinel–University of Strathclyde partnership is an exemplar of what Interface set out to achieve: turning an initial connection into a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship. The collaboration demonstrates that when businesses and academics work closely together, supported by effective brokerage and relationship management, the results extend far beyond individual projects -creating solutions that deliver societal, economic, and international impact.”
Louise Arnold, Senior Innovation Lead, Interface

From tackling sedentary behaviour in office settings to pioneering digital trauma support for frontline workers, the journey of Sentinel and the University of Strathclyde is a testament to the power of strategic, co-created partnerships.

With Interface’s facilitation, this collaboration has:

The Sentinel – University of Strathclyde journey showcases how enduring partnerships between academia and business can change lives – locally, nationally, and globally.

Airglove innovative healthcare products disrupting the Peripheral Arterial Disease treatment market, improving patient care and leading to clinical efficiency.

Background

Airglove Medical Ltd is a Scottish medical innovations company based in East Kilbride, Scotland. The company was started in July 2016 formerly known as Green Cross Medico Ltd, with Chairman Giovanni (Gio) Benedetti, a serial entrepreneur, the driving force behind the company. They operate with a lean structure, focusing on innovation and collaboration with healthcare institutions.

The company specialises in developing and commercialising healthcare products aimed at improving patient care and clinical efficiency. Their flagship product, Airglove, is a patient warming system designed to facilitate intravenous access by gently warming the patient’s lower arm through an inflatable double walled glove which is thermally regulated, thus making veins more accessible for cannulation.

They developed Airglove Arm (first generation), a thermal vasodilatory, CE certified device designed to facilitate cannulation of the peripheral veins in difficult intravenous access patients (DIVA).  Airglove technology provides a safe, convenient and effective way of vasodilation treatment for DIVA patients, but Airglove Medical also recognised that their unique technology could be revolutionary for people who suffer from Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD).

200M people globally suffer from Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) with 716,817 over 55’s in the UK with symptomatic PAD costing on average £23,502 per patient, per year (NICE). This is a common condition where a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries restricts blood supply to the leg muscles and is treated by diet, reducing weight, reducing alcohol and exercise. However, in the UK every year there are 72,000 angioplasties, 18,000 lower limb bypasses and 3,500 amputations.

Current self-care therapy for PAD is walking therapy, which is difficult for people with moderate-to-severe PAD. Independent exploratory research indicates that gentle heat therapy delivers significant PAD benefits.

The Challenge

Airglove Medical required academic expertise to help develop a second generation Airglove, delivering two distinct units: Airglove LEG for Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) treatment and Airglove ARM for Difficult Intravenous Access (DIVA) treatment to be used in both the UK and globally.

The Solution

Expertise was required in the areas of product design, electronics, electrical engineering and biomedical devices, due to the company’s lack of knowledge in these areas.  Jackie Sanderson of Interface connected Airglove Medical with Edinburgh Napier University as they had the necessary expertise and background IP in product, biomedical devices, electronics, electrical and power electronics designs.

Working in partnership with Professor Chan Hwang See and the specialist academic team at Edinburgh Napier University the aim was to develop the first PAD prototype of Airglove LEG (with cradle resting unit).

Two new improved versions of the practical prototype of Airglove LEG resting unit (“Cradle”) were designed, built and tested at Edinburgh Napier’s in-house facility.

Several heat transfer measurements of the Airglove LEG unit were setup and carried out with good indication of thermal distribution on the human leg and by testing the power handling performance of the Airglove ARM unit, the results suggested that the existing 300W motor would suffice for the new Airglove LEG unit, leading to the development of a simulated electronic prototype for the Airglove unit.

Four students, three final year undergraduate students and one MSc student were involved in the product design including Computer Aided Design (CAD) drawing and prototyping, Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design and testing, electrical engineering as well as contributing to the medical device and signal processing of the product.

The students proposed new electronics features, i.e. remote control, battery power, new sensors, smart control unit and wireless connectivity of the device, for the future advanced model of the Airglove unit.

The project was funded through a Standard Innovation Voucher and Advanced Innovation Voucher.

The Benefits

Academic Benefits

The Next Steps

Re-imagining high-performance homes running entirely on renewable energy and being completely self-efficient protecting their occupiers for decades.

Background

Kionnali Living Systems is a startup based in Aberdeenshire created by co-founders Avriel Skolnick and Corrin Fox whose backgrounds in science and engineering and experience in construction and manufacturing has enabled them to design and build LightForm, a prototype home utilising regenerative and resilient building technologies and integrated systems.
LightForm is a modular off-site manufactured home, featuring a unique home climate control system which generates all the heat a house needs, using renewable inputs, distributed recovery and local storage. Inputs include solar thermal collectors, air source heat pump powered by local renewables, and a clean burning biomass back up.

The Journey

Kionnali Living Systems is working to reimagine and build systems that take care of basic needs, from shelter, to energy, to food and water, locally and regeneratively and combine those systems into a modular home that deploys anywhere in minutes and provides everything needed to live, sustainably, on or off grid.

Kionnali was keen to collaborate on several areas including system architecture, materials study and thermal analysis. Initially referred by Business Gateway, the first collaboration instigated by Interface involved a PhD student with the National Environmental Research Council (NERC) and the University of Edinburgh who looked at how a structure with low compaction, no permanent foundation, combined with the introduction of carbon rich compost and clean water, would affect the microbiome of soil.  The research found that Kionnali’s adaptable foundation and lightweight construction could significantly reduce impact from housing on compaction and soil biodiversity.

Taking cognisance of Scotland’s long-term climate change targets and the Scottish Government’s vision that by 2045 homes and buildings will be warmer, greener, and more efficient with renewable energy playing a significant part, Kionnali wanted to test their net-zero energy system concept for the development of self-sustained, net-zero energy buildings suitable for rural and farming communities.
Gillian Hambley, Business Engagement Executive at Interface connected Kionnali with Professor Alireza Maheri of the Centre of Energy Transition at Aberdeen University to perform a feasibility study to verify the Kionnali Net-zero Energy System concept and also evaluate the performance of Kionnali’s innovative technologies (low cost thermal storage system and biomass backup generator) in the context of a net-zero energy system integrated with renewable components (wind, PV, solar thermal) and storage systems.
Funded by an SFC Innovation Voucher the feasibility study conducted by Professor Alireza Maheri found that the Kionnali system can be 100% self-sustaining in any climate, with an 80% reduction in lifetime system cost and negative carbon emissions.

Through the project the company were able to confirm assumptions and develop new design spaces with multifactor optimisation. With the help of a SMART Scotland Grant which funded two full-time positions, the project led on to the development of a full-scale demonstration model.

Interface have continued to support Kionnali connecting them into the Advanced Materials Research Lab at the University of Strathclyde to develop a unique high efficiency, light weight, insulated, modular building panel.

The Benefits

Company

Academic

The Next Steps

Revolutionising gluten-safe food production

Background

Prozymi Biolabs Ltd, an Edinburgh based biotechnology start-up was founded with a mission to revolutionise gluten-free food production. With a significant portion of the UK population affected by gluten-related disorders, including coeliac disease, gluten sensitivity and IBS, there is an increased demand for gluten-free products. However, existing gluten-free options often lack the taste, texture, and nutritional value of traditional gluten-containing foods, posing challenges for consumers.

Scientists from Prozymi Biolabs are testing a new enzyme technology that degrades gliadin, the protein that causes food sensitivities.

The Journey

Since its inception in early 2021 Prozymi Biolabs has experienced rapid growth and made a significant impact in the biotech world – more specifically in gluten-safe technology.

Co-founders Ioannis Stasinopoulos and Andreas Andreou were awarded their PhD’s at the University of Edinburgh and came up with the idea of developing a pioneering method of making gluten-safe bread while baking sourdough bread in their spare time. Receiving seed funding through the University of Edinburgh’s Data Driven Entrepreneurship program, which supports high growth start-ups associated with the university, gave Prozymi Biolabs the kick-start required to embark on their journey revolutionising the gluten-free bread experience.

Following an introduction via the student enterprise team at Edinburgh Innovations, Louise Arnold, Business Engagement Executive at Interface, has supported the Prozymi Biolabs team since they started, helping them navigate the academic research and development landscape, making relevant connections into universities, support networks and funding.

Some of these connections and projects include:

The Benefits

Prozymi Biolabs are creating employment opportunities, generating collaborations with university facilities and provide experiential learning opportunities for students through Interface support. The project outcomes could yield multidimensional benefits in the future as follows:

Benefits to Prozymi Biolabs

Benefits to Academics

Next Steps

Prozymi Biolabs’ innovative approach to gluten-free bread production has the potential of transforming the food industry, offering consumers high-quality gluten-free products with improved taste, texture, and nutritional value. Through collaboration with academic partners and participation in incubator programs, the company is poised to further advance its research and development efforts, paving the way for a new era of gluten-free innovation.

Next steps for Prozymi Biolabs include:

Redefining hospitality through a culture of innovation, sustainability and embracing diversity, equality and inclusion

Background

Glen Mhor, a hospitality business based in Inverness, is committed to redefining hospitality by fostering a culture of sustainability, green energy innovation, improved mental health and wellbeing, and embracing diversity, equality, and inclusion.
In 2006, Jon and Victoria Erasmus bought the Glen Mhor Hotel, and have since expanded by purchasing neighbouring buildings converting them into hotel accommodation and apartments. They have also built a low carbon Brewery and Distillery within the grounds of the hotel.
In 2022, they opened their river water source energy centre to decarbonise the hotel’s heating and hot water system. Through the construction of groundwater boreholes and the use of water source heat pumps, there is only one building left to connect in 2024 to see the business entirely gas free. This water source energy centre is the first of its kind in Scotland.
Their mission is to provide an exceptional guest experience whilst leaving a positive impact on the planet and community.

Challenges

Jon and Victoria were keen to explore two distinct areas of their business which they recognised would require external expertise.
The first, to develop a robust, evidence-based methodology for assessing and monitoring the new water source energy centre. As this is the first of its kind there is no data available to study the usage and contrast of how this compares from the old gas systems.
The second challenge focussed on their workforce and the adoption and integration of new workforce processes and practices to enable inclusive workforce onboarding and practices to support neurodiverse staff.

Solution – energy centre

Interface connected Glen Mhor to the School of Engineering, Computing and the Built Environment at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) who have expertise in the area of energy management, carbon assessment and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Professor Jim Baird undertook a detailed assessment of the metered energy systems and costs to develop an economic model for the hotel. The system analysis will also determine the amount of carbon emissions saved through the implementation of the energy centre.
This project was funded through a Standard Innovation Voucher designed to support the development of a new product, process, or service for a company.

Solution – workforce

Interface identified expertise at Edinburgh College from lecturer LizAnn Francis and Student Services Officer Rachel Robinson. Through this partnership, Glen Mhor and Edinburgh College devised a new recruitment policy and inclusive job advert template – both of which prioritise inclusivity, offering a sensory-friendly experience from application to employment.
This project was funded through a Workplace Innovation Voucher designed to develop a company’s internal workforce, including new or enhanced workplace processes, innovative workplace practices, or innovative business expertise.

Business Benefits

University and College Benefits