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This event will unpack what Techscaler means for you and your region.

Open to everyone, connect with CodeBase representatives, regional partners, ecosystem stakeholders, and members of the tech community.

Representatives of CodeBase will be joined by regional partners and members of our community to discuss how Techscaler activity will provide support, enable collaboration, and facilitate growth within the Scottish tech ecosystem.

This event will feature a panel discussion and a Q&A session with the audience, followed by an opportunity to network with fellow attendees.

This event is taking place in-person at:
The Abertay CyberQuarter
Abertay University
Bell Street
Dundee
DD1 1HG

For more information go to https://www.techscaler.co.uk/

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The Transform Business Festival is coming to Tayside

The Transform Business Festival will connect entrepreneurs, start-ups and businesses of all shapes and sizes and will support you in developing your Tayside business.

What’s happening:     

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Are you looking to develop a new product, process or service? Do you have a particular challenge you don’t know how to solve? Could you benefit from expert advice and access to specialist facilities and machinery?

If so, an Innovation Voucher with the University of Dundee can help take your business to the next level.

This event will explore: what Innovation Vouchers are, the benefits they bring to your business and how The University of Dundee, can help you apply.

Brian McCormack – a former coal miner turned inventor, will share with us how an Innovation Voucher with the University of Dundee was the catalyst for the global success and impact of his business, McCormack Innovation.

Join us for insights, discussions and networking followed by lunch.

From more information go here

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Lorna Watson, Interface’s Business Engagement Executive for Tayside and Forth Valley, will be speaking on this panel. If you’d like to schedule in some time to speak with Lorna before the event, please send an email to Lorna.Watson@interface-online.org.uk to organise a time to chat.

Venue: APEX City Quay Hotel, Dundee

The Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards, sponsored by Salix Finance, is the flagship event that celebrates the partnerships between business, third sector or public sector organisations and academia. Now in its eighth year the annual event recognises, rewards, and celebrates the impacts achieved through these exciting collaborations that enrich society and support sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

To discover more about the categories, and how to apply visit our recent article. Read More.

Background

The Scottish Crannog Centre, located on Loch Tay in Perthshire, includes a museum, the reconstructed crannog (typically a partially or entirely artificial island, usually built in lakes and estuarine waters of Scotland) and living history area with interactive demonstrations of ancient crafts and technologies from the Early Iron Age. 

As a community, they care for and make accessible the finds of Scottish crannog excavations and interpret the lives of crannog dwellers for the benefit, enjoyment, education and inspiration of all.

All work is funded from visitors supporting their work through paid admissions, grants and donations or undertaken on a voluntary basis.

Challenge

The Scottish Crannog Centre is shifting from a successful, though tired, visitor centre to a museum-focussed organisation, encompassing all the various roles of modern museums to educate, entertain, stimulate debate and involve diverse people meaningfully in the museum.

The short-term goal for the Crannog Centre was to look at identifying ways to modernise the current exhibitions and telling of more compelling stories. They required specialised assistance from an academic group to review current exhibits and layout of the visitor centre and expertise in heritage interpretation and immersive technologies.

The long-term plan is to move across Loch Tay to a better situated site which can house larger, more extensive visitor facilities including a visitor centre, parking and learning space. A crucial part of this project is building new crannog reconstructions, based on say three different styles of dwelling found in different areas of Scotland. The nature of the build would be to involve communities and volunteers and foster traditional skills and well-being benefits of participants.

Solution

The Museum Director, Mike Benson, was referred to Interface through Perth & Kinross Council and picked up by our local Business Engagement Executive Lorna Watson. Lorna worked closely with Mike to understand the Centre’s requirements and identified expertise within the University of the West of Scotland (UWS).

Dr Marco Gilardi, Lecturer, School of Computing, Engineering and Physical Sciences, undertook a feasibility study and design of a new form of interactive, mixed reality, immersive experience to virtually link past dwellers and present visitors.

The project delivered:

The project was funded by a Scottish Funding Council Innovation Voucher, administered by Interface.

Business benefits

The project delivered a new gallery, and the designs for the interactive immersive experiences were integrated within the gallery design and some of them prototyped using different media including virtual reality and mobile apps.

Outside of the formal outputs, the evidence from this project will support a step change that will look to secure the museums future, location and expansion. Being at the forefront of innovation in immersive heritage experiences will attract larger visitor numbers and thereby support the economy of the local area and in Scotland.

The Centre has now received permission and bought the land to move across the loch as part of a £6 million project.

Academic Benefits

The project developed for the Scottish Crannog Centre was challenging, as it needed to contribute to the stakeholders’ vision of the Scottish Crannog Centre of the future by integrating new technologies without detracting from the excellent visitor experience that the Centre already provides and will provide in the future.

The major benefit UWS got from the project is the relationship established with the Scottish Crannog Centre. Through this relationship, the Centre has enriched their student experience by contributing business-based scenarios for the assessment of some of their modules as well as providing honours degree project opportunities, and opportunities for summer projects with the Digital Arts programme’s students.

Finally, the Centre invited Dr Gilardi to join the Advisory Panel for the new Scottish Crannog Centre development, increasing UWS prestige as an applied University that supports Scottish communities.

Follow on

The initial project with UWS led to a further project to bring to life an artefact which had never been displayed before. The bridge of a musical instrument, possibly a lyre (a stringed instrument like a small u-shaped harp), was created from the original artefact using 3D printing and is used as a physical exhibit for visitors to be able to hold and feel.

A third project to design a small comic book aimed at children as a paper-based product was undertaken by a student from the University of the Highlands & Islands. This comic, which will be sold in the gift shop, is designed to educate children and young people on life in Iron Age Scotland, as well as the artefacts found on the excavation site and how they relate to life in 500BC.

Mike and the team at the Centre are still actively working with UWS and trying to raise the funding to take projects further. Interface are also continuing to provide support with future projects in the pipeline.

Background

Highland Boundary is a craft distillery based in Alyth, near Blairgowrie founded by Marian Bruce and Simon Montador who identified a gap in the market for Scandinavian-inspired spirits with the botanicals sourced from local woodlands. The name comes from the geological feature, called the Highland Boundary Fault, on which their farm lies – they have one foot in the Highlands and one in the Lowlands of Scotland. By combining botanicals from the Highlands with grain spirit from the South the company are crafting a new generation of Scottish spirits firmly rooted in the Scottish Landscape.

Challenge

Although both Marian and Simon have significant experience in scientific research and business, they were keen to tap into academic expertise to support the development of their new products.

Solution

Heriot-Watt University’s International Centre for Brewing and Distilling expressed an interest in working with the company and Lorna, Interface’s Business Engagement Executive for the Tayside region, introduced the teams.

An MSc student at the university investigated ways of including the woodland botanicals to maximise flavour and consistency.

The project was funded by a Scottish Funding Council Standard Innovation Voucher which is administered by Interface.

Business benefits

“By accessing the expertise at Heriot-Watt University we were able to try out different botanicals to produce new flavours of spirit with distinct Scottish flavours reflecting Perthshire’s “big tree country.
Now that we have launched our first product, Birch and Elderflower Wild Scottish Spirit, we want to build the company and create employment in an area where manufacturing jobs are few and far between.” Marian Bruce, Highland Boundary

April 2019 – Highland Boundary Wild Scottish Spirit Awarded Gold at San Francisco World Spirits Competition. 

Academic benefits

Please note that Interface administers the Innovation Voucher Scheme on behalf of the Scottish Funding Council. All funding applications are reviewed on a case by case basis by the Scottish Funding Council, guidelines can be found here.

Background

Dundee entrepreneur, Karen Hamilton is a designer and a bespoke dress-maker creating tailored bridal and evening wear. As an independent fashion designer, Karen offers a unique service that means her outfits are made to fit the customer rather than a generic size that does not exist.

Challenge

Taught by her grandmother how to sew since the age of five, and with over 30 years’ experience of dressmaking and garment construction, Karen was keen to further develop her recently launched fashion business.

While studying for her Higher National Diploma (HND) in Textiles, Karen began to experiment with 3D printing and was keen to explore new ways of how it could be used within the creative industries sector. The entrepreneur began developing lace designs for printing and managed to print 3D lace samples and collar pieces which could be added to garments. 

Previously, designers have developed component pieces that can be joined together to create clothing or component parts. However, Karen wanted to develop this further and produce a prototype using different printing filaments which would allow her to print unique lace designs that can be used as a textile.

Karen’s pioneering idea was that the lace fabric would be printed in a single piece and not printed in component parts that are then joined together. By using all recycled materials to produce the prototypes and because the design will be printed to the shape, there would be no material waste.

This is a new innovative use of an established printing technique as no other company or designer is using the technology to produce textiles with the potential to transform the industry. Therefore, academic support was required to access the specialist equipment and resources to develop a lace textile that is flexible, could be easily adapted and printed quickly by using 3D printing. 

Solution

Karen’s project was successfully awarded a £5000 Scottish Funding Council (SFC) Innovation Voucher, administered by Interface, which enabled her to collaborate with Dundee and Angus College to access their specialist facilities. The Learning Lab at Dundee and Angus College, which is a space promoting the use of innovative technology through hands-on learning, with the support of learning technologies staff, provided Karen with guidance, expert knowledge and practical supervision of the use of equipment.

Dundee has always been a hub for design and innovation and in December 2014 it became the UK’s only UNESCO City of Design. The city has a long-established connection with the textiles industry, dating back more than a century.

Business benefits

Academic benefits

Additional impacts

Earlier this year, Karen joined some of the best and brightest talents in the city and presented her first ever collection on the catwalk at Dundee Fashion Week.

The impact of the project has the potential to change the way how textiles can be manufactured in Scotland/UK and Karen Hamilton is going from strength to strength with additional support through Zero Waste Scotland. 

There is also a societal impact to create a new form of textiles industry within Dundee and being able to develop a saleable product that can be produced directly by Karen’s business, to create jobs within the city for digital production as well as manufacturing 3D printed textiles.

The novelty and success of the project (in terms of producing a physical artefact) has also generated interest and welcomed publicity for the Dundee and Angus College as a participant in the Scottish Funding Innovation Voucher scheme.

Please note that Interface administers the Innovation Voucher Scheme on behalf of the Scottish Funding Council. All funding applications are reviewed on a case by case basis by the Scottish Funding Council, guidelines can be found here.

Background

Christopher McCann founded Current Health (formerly Snap40 Ltd) which proposed a patient health early warning system for the hospital and community. Christopher explained:

“Research has shown that up to 35% of in-hospital cardiac arrests are preceded by warning signs that are missed by stretched healthcare staff. Current Health has developed a wearable medical device that continuously monitors the health of a patient across a wide range of indicators and then analyses this data in real-time to accurately detect the early warning signs of deterioration.  Notifications are then pushed to healthcare staff through a mobile device, allowing interventions to be put in place earlier. This will save lives, as well as reduce healthcare expenditure and stress on resources”

Challenge

As dehydration is a significant problem in hospitals, accounting for approximately 83,000 bed days at a cost of £0.95 billion a year in the UK alone, Current Health wanted to incorporate an ultrasound measurement into their medical device for non-invasively monitoring hydration levels in individual patients.

Solution

The knowledge, expertise and facilities for producing wearable ultrasound sensors were available at the University of the West of Scotland’s (UWS) Sensors and Imaging Group, who have a long history of developing ultrasound transducers. In particular, Dr. Dave Hughes, a Research Fellow at UWS, has devised a novel method for rapidly fabricating ultrasound transducers that operate at high frequency, vastly simplifying the process. 

With the collaborative project between Current Health and UWS being funded by a Scottish Funding Council Innovation Voucher, administered by Interface, the University of the West of Scotland will demonstrate the feasibility of using Current Health’s current transducers for contact measurements of properties of skin with (a) coupling gel; (b) minimal coupling and (c) no coupling.  The development of the Ultrasound sensor will feed directly into the product design of the Current Health device, with ongoing knowledge exchange between the University and the company.

Benefits

Wearable ultrasound is an emerging field that this project will drive. Currently, ultrasound measurements through skin are undertaken using large commercial scan systems whereas this project demonstrates the use of an ultrasound transducer, developed by the University of the West of Scotland, for portable, wearable, low-power systems. No existing wearable device with the ability to monitor hydration levels was on the market. This will be a significant move forward in the field towards the commercialisation of something completely novel and highly valuable.

The company will benefit via the addition of new value to its proposition, increased ability to sell their product and the revenue generated from this. It will also allow the company to generate a new barrier to competitors entering the market and increase the attractiveness of the company to private equity investment.

The Scottish Economy will benefit through the creation of new jobs, as well as the development of a high growth, high value business headquartered in Edinburgh.

Business Benefits

Academic benefits

Additional Note

In October 2016 Current Health (formerly Snap40) secured £2 million in Seed funding from investment firm Par Equity.

In March 2017, the company was awarded a £1 million SBRI healthcare development contract by NHS England.  The contract supports Current Health to further scale its technology and provides critical validation funding for two clinical studies with NHS Fife and with NHS Lothian’s Emergency Medicine Research Group Edinburgh (EMERGE) based in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

In 2018 Current Health’s wearable device was selected as one of the exhibits for the Scottish Design Galleries when the new V&A opened in Dundee.

In January 2019, Current Health announced that it had closed a $11.5 million (£9 million) Series A funding round led by MMC Ventures.  Legal & General, the FTSE 100 life insurer and asset manager, is Current Health’s first corporate investor and the largest investor in the round as it continues to invest in the future infrastructure of health and care globally.

Please note that Interface administers the Innovation Voucher Scheme on behalf of the Scottish Funding Council. All funding applications are reviewed on a case by case basis by the Scottish Funding Council, guidelines can be found here.

Background:

Uan Wool is an Angus based, family run business producing and manufacturing pure 100% natural, luxury Scottish woollen cushion pads, pillows and bedding products.

The company was founded by Julie Hermitage, who also successfully runs a separate sheep farm located in Angus and set up 10 years ago.

Uan’s innovative high quality products are made from specially selected Scottish sheep breeds, utilising the wool’s natural properties to create temperature regulating, breathable and naturally flame retardant materials. 

Challenge:

The business owners had taken their products to a prototype stage and required external assistance to further develop its features via antimicrobial enhancement by investigating natural antimicrobial properties of wool. They were seeking an academic group with non-woven textiles and natural antimicrobial textile treatments expertise to assist in the technical development of the wool wadding required for their product prototypes.

Solution:

With help from Interface, Uan Wool, was successfully matched with Dr Lisa McIntyre from the School of Textiles and Design at Heriot-Watt University who had the crucial expertise in this field. This research project was funded by a £5k Scottish Funding Council Innovation Voucher.

Business Benefits:

Julie Hermitage, the founder and owner of Uan Wool, said:

“Interface were brilliant at taking me through the first stages of working with a university, helping to identify which one best suited my needs and going that extra bit to ensure successful engagement.  It can be hard at times especially with limited resources and time for both business and academia.  Since our initial engagement we now established a good working relationship with Heriot Watt and working with them in the future is key to our research and innovation needs for our business.”

Academic benefits:

Jim McVee, Business Development Manager at The School of Textiles and Design at Heriot-Watt University, added:

“The School of Textiles and Design at Heriot Watt has a strategic mandate to enhance and develop its knowledge exchange mechanisms. We very much appreciate the opportunity that the Interface vouchers presents in allowing us to work with Scottish start-up companies and entrepreneurs.

Working with Uan Wool has given us the chance to bring the clients’ product closer to market providing tangible outcomes while developing our own expertise.

Post project we will continue to provide Uan Wool with any further assistance it may require.”

Additional note:

Uan successfully launched their products earlier this year at the Royal Highland Show product in Ingliston.

The business is now seeking an independent seal of approval from the Allergy UK, to affirm the products health benefits to allergy and asthma sufferers.

Following this successful collaboration, the company is currently exploring any future opportunities of working with the same team at Heriot-Watt University.

Please note that Interface administers the Innovation Voucher Scheme on behalf of the Scottish Funding Council. All funding applications are reviewed on a case by case basis by the Scottish Funding Council, guidelines can be found here.