News
Beta Bugs secures £800,000 to accelerate commercial growth under new leadership
Beta Bugs Ltd, a leader in Black Soldier Fly (BSF) genetics, has secured a further £800,000 of investment led by TRICAPITAL Angels and supported by Scottish Enterprise. The funding marks the beginning of the company’s next phase of commercial growth under new CEO Dr Alan Tinch.
Beta Bugs and FreezeM partner to bring high-performance Black Soldier Fly genetics to the European market
Beta Bugs Ltd., a leader in Black Soldier Fly (BSF) genetics, and FreezeM Cryogenetics Ltd, developer of the patented PauseM® suspended neonate technology, are pleased to announce a new strategic partnership. The combination of Beta Bugs’ superior genetics with FreezeM’s innovative production technology will deliver enhanced performance for commercial BSF producers.
Circulating long RNA for functional profiling of cancer patients
Wobble Genomics has just demonstrated that their circulating long RNA diagnostic platform has achieved a limit of detection which surpasses the current industry leader, Personalis, by more than an order of magnitude.
Wobble Genomics has developed a platform that detects circulating long RNA (clRNA), full-length RNA molecules recovered from a single blood draw, to profile how a patient's tumour is behaving at the resolution of drug-binding sites.
Ingenza inaugurates state-of-the art headquarters, the ‘inGenius® Building’
Ingenza, a world-leading protein CRDMO, based in Midlothian Science Zone, recently welcomed key customers, partners, associates and colleagues to celebrate the official naming and inauguration of its state-of-the-art facility, the inGenius® Building.
DDI programme publishes latest annual report
The University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University’s Data-Driven Innovation (DDI) initiative has published its latest Annual Review, highlighting achievements from the academic year 2024-25.
Twelve case studies feature in the review, covering start-ups and spin-outs, research, and partnerships delivering positive impacts for a range of industry sectors.
Beta Bugs Ltd appoints Dr Alan Tinch as CEO to lead genetics-focused strategy
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.
Dr Tinch's appointment follows Beta Bugs' strategic decision in 2025 to focus exclusively on BSF genetics, moving away from pilot-scale manufacturing operations. This pivot reflects the company's assessment of competitive dynamics in the UK BSF market and positions Beta Bugs to capitalise on its core strength: developing superior genetic strains for the rapidly growing global insect protein industry.
Axol Bioscience to expand in Edinburgh after $2.8m funding deal
Axol Bioscience has secured $2.8 million (around £2.1 million) in funding, part of which will be used to expand its operations in Edinburgh.
The investment was led by US life sciences specialist BroadOak Capital Partners, with the company’s founding investor, the Roslin Foundation, also participating.
Source: Scottish Financial News
AbacusBio Deepen Strategic Partnership with Bayer to Pioneer the Future of Predictive Plant Breeding
AbacusBio is proud to announce the extension of their multi-year collaboration with Bayer to 2030, marking a significant leap forward in predictive plant breeding and agricultural innovation. Building on the momentum of their successful partnership, which began in 2020, the two companies are expanding and evolving their joint efforts to deliver transformative solutions for growers, markets, and consumers worldwide.
Edinburgh Napier University and biotech firm AlgiSys announce collaboration
A new partnership between Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) and Scottish American biotechnology company AlgiSys will aim to harness the environmental potential of algae to address global pressures on food supply.
AlgiSys’ innovative technology uses biomass fermentation of microalgae to create a clean, vegan source of EPA rich omega-3s and plant protein. Omega-3s are commonly found in fish oil and have widespread health benefits for humans, animals and fish.
Developing the UK-ADB food and nature partnership
In mid-July, a senior delegation from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) embarked on a UK mission with a series of business meetings at venues across the UK, designed to develop the ADB–UK Food and Nature Partnership launched earlier in the year by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and ADB.
This partnership aims to advance investments in biodiversity, ecosystems, and food systems transformation.