New funding could be a launchpad for Scotland’s bioeconomy

Mark Bustard, CEO of the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC)

IBioIC CEO Mark Bustard

There is a lot to be done before Scotland achieves net zero by 2025, but small steps in the right direction are happening all of the time. Undoubtedly, one of the biggest challenges will be making fundamental changes to the feedstocks on which many of the everyday products we use and consume rely – from detergents and cosmetics to clothing and plastics.

The businesses, academic institutions, and public sector services involved in making that happen are collectively referred to as the ‘bioeconomy’. Among the highest-profile examples of how industrial biotechnology can make everyday products more sustainable is the creation of trainers made from food waste, replacing the petroleum-derived chemicals typically involved in making various parts of the shoes.

Scotland is leading the UK’s efforts to create a more bio-based future, with dozens of companies involved in groundbreaking research and more than one-third of the UK’s bio-based activities taking place here. The refreshed National Plan for Industrial Biotechnology last year, announced at our annual conference, upped the targets for the economic impact to be achieved by the sector by 2025 from £900 million to £1.2 billion of combined turnover. That is a huge step forward from the £300 million or so a decade ago.

There have been some real recent success stories behind those headline figures. Green Bioactives – a biomanufacturer based at the Roslin Innovation Centre – received £2.6 million in seed financing to grow its team and further develop its offering. MiAlgae expanded its commercial production site following the launch of its Omega-3 product, which is derived from whisky co-products. There are plenty other examples of Scottish companies making great strides forward in the bio-based field.

New funding is now available to help even more businesses interested in bio-based work to take their ideas closer to commercial reality. Innovate UK and Scottish Enterprise, with support from IBioIC and Forth Valley College, have made £7 million of funding available to help further develop Scotland’s bioeconomy, as part of the Launchpad programme. It is designed to build on existing innovation clusters that have significant growth potential, supporting the UK Government’s levelling-up agenda, and is testament to the success and impact at a nationwide level we have already seen from biobased activity north of the border.

Any consortia looking at biobased manufacturing challenges – with the exception of therapeutics, gene therapy, and pharmaceutical applications – can apply for two types of funding packages. Up to £100,000 is available for 100% funded, SME-led projects, rising to up to £1 million for collaborative R&D initiatives led by businesses in Scotland of any size, covering between 25% and 70% of the total value. Having supported more than 150 projects already since our inception, IBioIC is proactively working with research groups to submit applications by the deadline of December 13th. 

Scotland has the foresight to drive activity in its nascent bioeconomy and formalise that with a vision through the National Plan for Industrial Biotechnology. The funding available through the Launchpad programme is important in continuing to accelerate the cluster growth and innovation supported over the past 10 years by IBioIC and which will ultimately help Scotland and the UK transition towards net zero, driving positive social, environmental, and economic impact. It is a welcome injection of strategic funds to grow the cluster we have – it’s now up to companies to seize that opportunity.