Innovation support
IBioIC can support your transition into industrial biotechnology by helping you to understand the benefits and opportunities, overcome any barriers and make sure you’re in touch with the right people to guide you through the technology and its consequent translation and implementation in your business.
Technical Expertise and Advice
Industrial biotechnology is a complex multi-disciplinary sector where no individual organisation has the expertise or capacity to develop and commercialise a bioprocess alone. Through IBioIC’s Technical Network, we connect our members with specialist individuals whose expertise covers the vast space of industrial biotechnology. Our network includes industrial biotechnology expertise from a range of industries from food and pharma to materials. The Technical Network is an exclusive service open only to IBioIC members.
Bioprocessing Scale-Up Centres
IBioIC’s bioprocessing scale-up centres offer a comprehensive approach to support your innovation journey.
Members can gain access to our expertise and technical support to help progress the development of projects from basic research to scaleup. In addition, we can help identify collaborators and support the bid writing process for external funding to realise your scale up ambitions.
Funding opportunities from IBioIC
Growth is a priority for many of our member organisations and, at IBioIC, we understand that securing funding and investment to accelerate and de-risk your innovation and scale-up activities is high on your agenda.
Take advantage of our funding opportunities to progress your R&D activities, use our ever-expanding network to find collaborators for consortia building, and make use of the IBioIC team to help you build your business case. Get in touch with us today to find out how membership of IBioIC can help you access funding support.
IBioIC Open Funding Calls
In order to support the application reviewing process, we have a panel of expert reviewers who assess and score the technical or commercial merits of each application. We are currently looking to expand our pool of reviewers. If you are interested, please complete the Technical and Commercial Reviewer Form and we will be in touch.
Case Studies
From Scotland's IB conference - to project outcomes - to student experiences, find out all about the work of IBioIC, its members and academic partners, and take a look at our case studies demonstrating examples of work in practice across all our services.
The Scottish Bioresource Mapping Tool
The Scottish Bioresource Mapping Tool is a pioneering approach to developing value chains in the bio- and circular economies. The Tool maps raw material and bioresource arisings across Scotland down to the local authority level, which allows us to provide companies, investors, and stakeholders uniquely detailed insights and visuals related to the >27 million tonnes of bioresources arising in Scotland every year.
The Bioresource Mapping Tool is the result of analysis undertaken in preparation of the Biorefining Potential for Scotland Report by Zero Waste Scotland; it compiles and models data from four key material groupings:
• Waste streams (municipal solid wastes, commercial and industrial wastes)
• Food & drink production by-products
• Agricultural residues
• Waste waters and sludges
In addition, modelling allows for understanding not only of material arisings, but bioresource arisings for resources critical to biorefining, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, metals, etc.
Enquires related to streams not contained the above are also welcomed, as additional datasets and bioresources will be integrated into the Tool in the future.
Enquires should be made via email at info@ibioic.com in the first instance, and should specify the requestor’s name, organisation, email address, and a brief description (<100 words) detailing the nature of the enquiry.
The IBioIC team will follow up, provide consult, and ensure that information requests are handled in a timely manner.
Data sources:
[a] Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA)
[b] Zero Waste Scotland Whisky, Beer & Fish Sector Study, 5th Quarter Blood Report, other misc. reports
[c] Scottish Government Agricultural Census, Scotland’s Rural College consultants
[d] Scottish Water
Boosting Biobased Manufacturing in Scotland
Innovate UK's Launchpad programme aligns with the UK Government’s “Levelling Up” White Paper and aims to deliver regional economic growth across 11 regional clusters. In collaboration with Scottish Enterprise, Innovate UK has awarded £7.5M of funding to innovative SMEs to accelerate Biobased Manufacturing in Scotland. The key objective is to boost Scotland’s bioeconomy, creating regional economic growth and new jobs through sustainable and scalable innovation.
In early 2024, Round 1 of the funding programme awarded £1.8M across 12 companies and 13 projects while Round 2 is funding 19 projects valued at £5.25M.
IBioIC has been awarded funding as the Cluster Management Organisation, collaborating with Scottish Enterprise and Forth Valley College to provide support through a range of activities focussed around supporting technical development, delivering network events and challenge-based workshops, promoting the sectors success and opportunities, increasing investor readiness and fostering skills development. IBioIC has appointed Kirsty Neilson as Programme Manager to develop and promote the Industrial Biobased cluster in Scotland.
Bio-based Manufacturing in Scotland Round 1 Launchpad projects
Biotech Innovators - Train to Scale Accelerator Programme
Biotech Innovators is an exciting new accelerator programme from IBioIC designed to support early-stage biotechnology companies.
All early-stage companies face substantial challenges but the complex, research and capital intensive challenges encountered by biotechnology based operations are both distinctive and significant. Each step on the journey, from initial research funding and scaling-up processes through to engaging the right personnel and securing regulatory approval, presents potential barriers to innovators in the bioeconomy.
IBioIC's Biotech Innovators accelerator programme recognises these hurdles and takes advantage of the Centre's unique position as a networking and support organisation specialising in this space. This exciting new offering will guide and assist a cohort of companies through a series of themed expert led events and activities - an opportunity to receive guidance on best practice, direct innovation support and peer to peer learning.
Why join Biotech Innovators: Train to Scale?
Access to 14 expert-led interactive in-person modules, including IP, Routes to market and how to build a winning team
Practical, hands-on guidance to de-risk and accelerate your business
A supportive ecosystem of peers, mentors, and industry experts
Resources to help you attract funding, partnerships, and talent
We are no longer accepting applications for this course.
If you have any questions, please contact kirsty.neilson@ibioic.com
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Before you apply, please make sure that you’re eligible for the Biotech Innovators accelerator programme.
The entry guidelines are:
Entrants should be between 12-months pre-incorporation and up to 4 years post-incorporation.
Technology solutions should be at a technology readiness level (TRL) of 2 to 6 inclusive in order to be eligible for the Accelerator. We will accept applications from entrants that have developed other technologies at higher TRLs as long as the innovation they are applying with is TRL 2 to TRL 6.
Entrants can be based anywhere in Scotland or be committed to establishing a presence in Scotland during the Biotech Innovators programme.
Entrants located outside Scotland must be able to communicate clearly how they plan to benefit the Scottish economy.
Entrants must be developing biotechnology solutions that fit one or more of our technology focus areas, set out below. · All entries should be aligned to the Scottish National Plan for Industrial Biotechnology.
All teams must be inclusive and diverse or open to building diverse teams.
Technology focus areas:
Agritech
Bio-based construction
Biopharmaceuticals
Biorefining
Biomanufacturing
Downstream processing
Enzymes and catalysts
Food and drink
Marine biotechnology
Textiles and materials
Waste management
IB Champions
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IBioIC provides support to every university and college in Scotland, which is a significant task for our small team. So, we have recruited a ‘clan’ of enthusiastic helpers to champion industrial biotechnology (IB) across Scotland.
Our Industrial Biotechnology Champions (IB Champions) work to generate local interest and excitement around biotechnology, and to help promote IBioIC. They are also working with our team of Senior Impact Managers to help identify and support relevant research and innovation in collaboration with local business support teams.
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All our IB Champions are volunteers, ranging from post-doctoral researchers to professors. We have at least one Champion in each university so there is Scotland-wide representation.
If you are interested in contacting your local Champion, you can find their contacts below.
Abertay University
Professor Alberto Fiore: a.fiore@abertay.ac.uk
Edinburgh Napier University
Dr Fiona Stainsby: f.stainsby@napier.ac.uk
Glasgow Caledonian University
Dr Róisín Dooley-Nealis: Roisin.Dooley-Nealis@gcu.ac.uk
Heriot-Watt University
Dr Bart Pander: b.pander@hw.ac.uk
Dr Emma Perfect: e.perfect@hw.ac.uk
Robert Gordon University
Dr Itzamna Baqueiro-Pena: i.baqueiro-pena@rgu.ac.uk
Professor Christine Edwards: c.edwards@rgu.ac.uk
Dr Shohel Siddique: s.a.siddique@rgu.ac.uk
Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)
Dr Mikey Ross: michael.ross@sams.ac.uk
Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)
Dr Maha Shalaby: mshalaby@sruc.ac.uk
University of Aberdeen
Dr Ian Fleming: i.n.fleming@abdn.ac.uk
University of Edinburgh
Ms Ines Foidl: ines.foidl@ed.ac.uk
Professor Chris French: c.french@ed.ac.uk
Dr Tessa Moses: tessa.moses@ed.ac.uk
University of Glasgow
Professor Mike Barrett: michael.barrett@glasgow.ac.uk
Dr Bernhard Schmidt: bernhard.schmidt@glasgow.ac.uk
Mrs Claire Carberry: claire.carberry@glasgow.ac.uk
University of St Andrews
Dr Laura Aitken: la49@st-andrews.ac.uk
Mrs Fiona Ross: fmr2@st-andrews.ac.uk
University of Stirling
Mrs Michelle Mitchell: michelle.mitchell@stir.ac.uk
Professor Rachel Norman: rachel.norman@stir.ac.uk
University of Strathclyde
Dr Morgan Feeney: morgan.feeney@strath.ac.uk
Dr Victoria Outram: victoria.outram@strath.ac.uk
Dr Jonathan Williams: jonathan.williams@strath.ac.uk
University of the Highlands & Islands
Dr Szabolcs Pap: szabolcs.pap@uhi.ac.uk
University of the West of Scotland
Professor Gordie Mackay: w.mackay@uws.ac.uk
Dr Mohammed Yaseen: mohammed.yaseen@uws.ac.uk
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IB is a fast-moving sector that underpins Net Zero strategies and economic growth; it is also leading to the generation of exciting new companies and career opportunities. By working with IBioIC, IB Champions connect with industry, learn about emerging technologies, explore new career paths, and expand your networks and skills.
In return, we rovide training and support, as well as free access to all our events including our Annual Conference – the UK’s largest IB conference. We’ll also host exclusive IB Champion events annually, to allow the Champions to network and socialise with peers.
If you are interested, please let us know as positions may become vacant in the coming year. Please email lorna.watt@ibioic.com.
