On Thursday 4th May 2023, AberInnovation hosted a celebratory event to mark the success of its European Regional Development-funded support. The event featured a personalised video address from Minister for the Economy Vaughan Gething, highlighting the significant contributions the Campus has already made to the region’s economy since opening in late 2020, as well as looking ahead to the future of research and innovation in the food and circular economy sectors.

CPI and a consortium of 14 other businesses, universities and others have received a grant towards a project aimed at converting industrial carbon emissions to create more sustainable consumer products. The two-year project, called Flue2Chem, aims to cut around 15-20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year and help the UK reach its net zero goal.

Materials from Scottish-grown seaweed could help to improve the life-span and charge time of lithium-ion batteries used for the likes of electric vehicles, with a new first-of-its-kind prototype already being tested by expert researchers.  

Skilled professionals from displaced backgrounds and their families have started to arrive in Scotland this year as part of the Displaced Talent Pilot, which connects refugees with employers in safe countries who are looking to fill positions across a range of sectors.

Roslin Technologies Limited, based at Edinburgh University’s Easter Bush Campus, has won the 2023 Scottish Life Science Award for Animal Health, Agri-tech and Aquaculture at a ceremony in Edinburgh in March 2023.

The annual celebration of knowledge exchange between business and academia returned to an in-person event on 23 March this year for the first time since 2020 – and if the buzz of the room at the Dundee venue was anything to go by, people were delighted to be celebrating face-to-face once again.

Green Bioactives Limited (‘GBL’), a world-leader in the discovery, development and sustainable production of high-value natural products derived from plant cell cultures, has expanded its senior management team with two key appointments.

In March, the MI:RNA team were delighted to win a place on the Leap Ventures accelerator, the top PetTech accelerator program in the world. They were chosen from over 200 applicants to join a 6 strong Cohort for a 12-week intensive program including two weeks in person in the USA. 

Biotangents recently celebrated the launch of its first next generation molecular diagnostic assay.  AmpliSpec™ LAB BVDV is designed for use by laboratories to detect Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus (BVDV) in cattle.  Its unique design allows the test to be easy to use, highly accurate and fast.

BSI has published a white paper examining the challenges and opportunities around the cultivated meat industry. 

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.