Starting in July 2026, a new collaborative project with Carbogenics, Scottish Water, and the Environmental Research Institute from the University of the. Highlands and Islands, and supported by IBioIC, will investigate an innovative approach to addressing one of the water sector's emerging challenges: the removal of Emerging Contaminants (pharmaceutical, PFAS, Personal Care Products, Hormones/endocrine-disrupting compounds, Pesticides, Microplastics) from wastewater.

A prospective University of Strathclyde spinout is developing a process that turns low-value mineral waste into carbon-negative cement replacement materials, helping reduce emissions from cement production while permanently storing captured carbon dioxide (CO2).

Global food systems are entering a period where climate stability can no longer be assumed, and few commodities illustrate that shift more clearly than cocoa. In the UK, chocolate prices have risen sharply, with the Office for National Statistics reporting a 17.5% year-on-year increase in October 2025. An immediate opportunity may lie in making better use of what already exists. During processing, cocoa beans are separated from shells and husks, which are produced in large volumes and typically used in low-value applications such as compost or mulch, despite still containing useful flavour compounds. Fermtech’s Koji Cocoa approach builds on this principle by using cocoa by-products already generated within established processing systems.

Scotland’s bioeconomy is often discussed as a future opportunity, yet in Grangemouth, the country’s largest industrial cluster, that future is already beginning to take shape. Following the end of crude oil refining at the site in 2025, Grangemouth is entering a new phase - one that will be defined by how effectively it can adapt its industrial strengths to a changing global landscape.

Sun Bear Biofuture, a UK based biotech startup making sustainable fats and oils from fermentation, has completed its first successful production run using a custom-built pilot plant at less than 10% of the average setup cost.

Firefinch Software publishes practical guidance to help instrumentation companies unlock GMP-regulated markets - and avoid the compliance pitfalls that slow scale-up.

The Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) is looking for a variety of experts to volunteer to join its Governing Board from August 2026 for three years in the first instance.

We were delighted to help welcome the Biosirkel delegation from Norway to Scotland this week, as part of a three-day study visit organised by Zero Waste Scotland.   The visit brought together partners from across Scotland’s bioeconomy ecosystem to share insights, showcase innovation and explore opportunities for future collaboration.

Carbogenics has announced it has been awarded $80,000 through the Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP), administered by the New Mexico Economic Development Department.

Carbogenics, an Edinburgh-based cleantech company specialising in advanced biochar solutions, has been shortlisted for the Sustainability Category at the Scotland Business of the Year Awards 2026.

Atelerix, a biotech company revolutionising cell preservation and biological transport with its pioneering hydrogel encapsulation technology, has announced the launch of STORganoid™, an ambient-temperature preservation solution for organoids and spheroids. The product enables storage and shipment of complex 3D cell models over extended periods of time, without compromising viability or reproducibility.

Fermtech, the biotech company pioneering fermentation technology to unlock more value from existing crops, has raised £2.5 million in seed funding to scale production of its Koji Cocoa™, a sustainable cocoa alternative made from cocoa shells. The product delivers 25%-33% cost savings in chocolate and baked goods and achieves up to 98% lower carbon emissions - all without requiring additional farmland.

Scottish bio-based chemical manufacturer Celtic Renewables is collaborating on a three-month project with Aberdeen-based microbiology company NCIMB. Celtic converts waste and by-products like potatoes and residues from whisky distillation into bio-based chemicals.

New Wave Biotech and iMEAN have partnered to offer biomanufacturers a pioneering combined solution for end-to-end bioprocess optimisation, combining New Wave’s downstream process, TEA and LCA modelling capabilities with iMEAN’s strain design and upstream process modelling expertise.

A drug to treat Parkinson’s disease can be made from waste plastic bottles using a pioneering method, a study shows.

The approach harnesses the power of bacteria to transform post-consumer plastic into L-DOPA, a frontline medication for the neurological disorder.

It is the first time a natural, biological process has been engineered to turn plastic waste into a therapeutic for a neurological disease, researchers say.

Firefinch Software, a multidisciplinary group of developers and experts who specialise in the development of life sciences software, today announced that they have become a member of the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI), the UK’s leading industry association for healthtech. The move underlines Firefinch’s commitment to helping medical device developers build robust, regulation ready at every stage of their journey from start-up, spin-out or scale up.

A scientist who joined Ingenza as a 16-year-old apprentice has completed a PhD while working full-time at the company – a career path that highlights the long-term impact of work-based learning as part of Scottish Apprenticeship Week.

Water is often thought of as flowing in a straight line: taken from the environment, used, and then released, with the assumption that once it disappears down a drain or back into a river, the cycle is complete.

In reality, water never truly leaves the system.

A team of researchers across Scotland and England is showing how biological systems can reshape the way cities deal with polluted soils, offering a glimpse into a future where natural urban infrastructures are greener, cheaper, and more resilient.

Beta Bugs Ltd, a developer of premium Black Soldier Fly (BSF) genetics, has announced the appointment of Dr Alan Tinch as Chief Executive Officer, effective February 2026.