News
Venture Café Edinburgh Launch Signals New Chapter For Scottish Innovation
Scotland’s innovation community has a vibrant new home, following the landmark launch of Venture Café Edinburgh on 20 November at Edinburgh Futures Institute.
Powered by Venture Café Global Institute, the world’s leading innovation ecosystem activator, and delivered in partnership with the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), the launch saw over 260 people attending the event, highlighting the strong demand for a new collaborative heart in Scotland’s innovation ecosystem.
Scottish Government launches life sciences strategy with £25bn ambition
The Scottish Government has launched a life sciences strategy in a bid to push the industry's value to £25 billion in the next decade.
Business minister Richard Lochhead announced "targeted" investment in the sector on Thursday which the Government has said will focus on economic growth, innovation and transform care.
Source: Business Insider
£125,000 Microfinance Fund launched to boost Scotland’s academic innovation pipeline
The Scottish Government and Converge have today joined forces to launch a new £125,000 Microfinance Fund aimed at accelerating Scotland’s pipeline of academic start-ups.
Designed to help students, graduates and university staff take that all important first step towards starting a business, the new initiative will allocate £5,000 to each of Scotland’s 19 universities with grants distributed through university channels.
Tech top of agenda for deputy first minister on Canada trade visit
The tech sector will be top of the agenda for a forthcoming trade visit by deputy first minister Kate Forbes to Canada – which she hopes will encourage investment into Scotland. Forbes jets to Toronto and Nova Scotia today where she will meet banks and assets managers – with a focus on getting more investment into Scotland through key sectors such as digital technology, fintech, renewables and clean energy.
Source: FUTURESCOT
New boss lined up for UK's farming and aquaculture innovation centre
Farming and aquaculture innovation body the UK Agri-Tech Centre has announced that Marks and Spencer’s head of agriculture and fisheries sourcing, Steve McLean, is to become its new chief executive.
UK Agri-Tech works alongside food producers, SMEs, industry, government and world-class research institutions to accelerate impactful agri-tech innovation, including innovation in aquaculture.
New innovation framework launched to drive Scotland’s bold vision
The Innovation Collaboration Framework, published by Innovate UK, in partnership with Scottish Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, aims to help Scotland realise its bold vision to become one of the most innovative small nations in the world.
Converge 2025: Awards, Record Funding and New Partnership
Converge has announced the recipients of its 2025 awards, from life-saving food safety technology to breakthrough medical devices, with 22 prizes sharing a total prize pot in excess of £400,000.
This year’s cohort celebrates another exceptional year of university-led innovation, demonstrating Scotland’s position at the forefront of global entrepreneurship and research commercialisation.
Associate feature: A Manifesto for Health and Growth
Every advance in medicines – from vaccines to treatments that extend life – depends on strong partnerships between government, the NHS, academia and industry. This “triple helix” drives Scotland’s life sciences growth, contributing over £1.7 billion to the economy and supporting 15,000 high-value jobs.
Source: Holyrood
Scottish Government backs 'innovative industries' with £5 million
The Scottish Government has announced a nearly £5m investment package backing businesses in innovative industries.
It will provide more than £2m of support for new market clusters set out in Scotland’s Innovation Strategy, including space, robotics and critical technologies like semiconductors and quantum systems.
Source: Business Insider
Innovation must remain ‘Scotland’s greatest export’, says business secretary
Innovation must remain “Scotland’s greatest export”, business secretary Richard Lochhead has said as the first National Innovation Week begins. More than 80 events are set to take place across the country over the next five days, with more than 200 delegates expected to attend an Innovation Summit in Edinburgh on Thursday.
Source: STV News