The Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) has appointed a new senior business engagement manager to support the growth of the Highlands and Islands’ bioeconomy.

A family-owned whisky distillery in the central belt of Scotland, Falkirk Distillery, has joined forces with innovative biotechnology company, MiAlgae, to drive forward a greener and more efficient whisky industry. 

Leading developer and operator of environmental technology solutions, SEM has claimed the top prize of $100,000 after their entry won the Artisanal Mining Grand Challenge: The Amazon.

New lab-developed essential oils – free from animal and plant extracts – being developed by researchers from the University of Glasgow could improve the ethics and sustainability of the fragrance industry.

The process of creating cultivated – or lab grown – meat is seen as a key way of decarbonising the global food production system due to its lower land, water, and nutrient footprints. Although a nascent industry, the market for cultivated meat products is expected to reach £21.2 billion by 2030. This presents a range of opportunities for early stage companies to scale up towards commercialisation.

Extracts from spirulina, the blue-green algae widely consumed as a superfood, could be turned into a therapeutic treatment for Covid-19, the common cold, and a host of other viruses, following promising initial results from research conducted by ScotBio.

The total investment by the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) and its members and partners in green skills has reached £25 million, supporting Scotland’s transition to net zero as well as biotech research initiatives.

Funded through the Tay Cities Deal Partnership, the Field Centre is part of the £62 million IBH and marks a major milestone in establishing Scotland as a leader in global food security and crop resilience.

Plant Cell Culture experts, Green Bioactives, have raised £2.6 million in order to grow their production and research capabilities as well as expanding the management team.  

In 2022 Scottish EDGE awarded 82 early-stage, startup Scottish businesses with prize funding in excess of £3.1m and the good news is Scottish EDGE is back for Round 21 with more funding on offer for Scotland’s next great startup businesses.

Firefinch Software and i4 Product Design (i4PD) have announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership that will bring together the market leading software expertise of Firefinch Software with the hardware product design and development experience of i4PD, creating a one stop shop for start-ups and new businesses looking to bring their ideas quickly to market.

Innovate UK Young Innovators Awards winner Renuka Ramanujam is a Scotland-based textile designer and printmaker who came up with the idea for an innovative new material while working in the biomaterials sector five years ago.

Converge, the premier company creation initiative for Scotland’s universities and research institutes, is dispelling the myth that you need to call yourself an “entrepreneur” to set up a business as it reveals this year’s challenges. 

Scientists from Teesside University’s National Horizons Centre are working with MOMA Foods on cutting-edge research to optimise the company’s oat milk and explore the potential for new product lines.

In a latest funding round led by Gabriel Investment Syndicate and which included the University of Strathclyde’s Strathclyde Inspire Entrepreneurs Fund, Scottish Enterprise, Crowdcube and private investors, Revive Eco has received £376,000 to commercialise a patent pending process to recycle coffee grounds into a sustainable palm oil alternative.

Professor Jonathan Heddle is set to join Durham University thanks to a £4.8million Leverhulme International Professorship award.

Leading developer and operator of environmental technology solutions, SEM has claimed the top prize of $100,000 after their entry won the Artisanal Mining Grand Challenge: The Amazon.

Businesses looking to solve industrially-relevant research and innovation challenges are invited to form bioscience partnerships, using the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s skills, expertise, capabilities and world class facilities.

Barclays Eagle Labs have launched their Female Founder Accelerator in partnership with AccelerateHER to support 40 innovative female-led technology businesses.