Converge, Scotland’s springboard for university company founders, has announced the winners of its 2024 awards, showcasing innovations that address global challenges from environmental sustainability to healthcare and advanced manufacturing.
At an event held in Edinburgh and attended by Kate Forbes, Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Converge presented 12 prizes to Scottish universities across its four award categories of Converge, Create Change, KickStart, and Net Zero, with a total prize funds of over £300,000.
In the Converge Challenge category, University of Strathclyde future spinout, InProcess, claimed top prize with its world-first real-time welding inspection system. Using ultrasonic waves, its technology detects defects as they occur, potentially saving manufacturers millions of pounds and significantly reducing rework and delays.
The Create Change category award went to the University of Edinburgh’s Ujamaa Spice. Its innovative approach to revolutionising the £17 billion global spice industry involves forging close partnerships with smallholder farmers in Zanzibar, combatting food crime and ensuring fair trade practices.
E.V.A Biosystems, another University of Edinburgh start-up, secured the top spot in the SSE-sponsored Net Zero category thanks to its groundbreaking smart plastic that senses its surroundings and degrades on contact with seawater, offering a microplastic-free solution to the global issue of ocean pollution.
In the KickStart category, designed for early-stage ideas, SEASAT from the University of Edinburgh emerged victorious. The company uses satellite images and machine learning to monitor coastal water conditions, providing an early warning system for the aquaculture industry. This allows fish farms to predict and react to potential threats, enhancing their operational efficiency.
Funded by the Scottish Funding Council and a network of eight corporate partners, Converge works in partnership with 18 of Scotland’s universities. Since its launch in 2011, the programme has trained over 670 aspiring founders and supported the creation of over 420 companies that enjoy an above-average three-year survival rate of over 80%.
Open to students, recent graduates, and staff, Converge supports new businesses through intensive business training, networking, one-to-one support, generous equity free cash prizes and expert, professional advice from its roster of industry partners.
Adam Kosterka, executive director of Converge, said: “The calibre of innovation emerging from Scotland’s universities continues to be world-class. This year’s winners are united in their commitment to tackling some of society’s most pressing issues, leveraging cutting-edge technology to address longstanding challenges …
“From smart plastics that can sense their environment and degrade safely when they’re no longer needed to satellite technology which is supporting our aquaculture industries, these innovations showcase Scotland’s position at the forefront of technological advancement and social impact.
“Moreover, we’re seeing a strong trend towards sustainability and health across all categories, demonstrating how academic research can lead to real-world solutions that improve lives and safeguard our planet.”
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “Translating world-class research from our universities into new innovative technologies and businesses is key to delivering on Scotland’s National Innovation Strategy to drive economic growth.
“Converge plays a vital role in providing a supportive environment for innovators and entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas and connect with investors, mentors and industry leaders.
“I congratulate this year’s winners, who are addressing global challenges and bringing positive change across the country.”
In addition to the main category winners, special awards were also presented. The IBioIC award went to E.V.A. Biosystems for its work in industrial biotechnology, while the Ventures Lab Award, presented by the Challenges Group, went to MosaIQ from Glasgow Caledonian University, a pioneering training and consultancy agency facilitating collective, intelligence-driven solutions.
The Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, part of the KickStart Challenge suite of prizes, was presented to New-Found-Hope from the University of Dundee for its innovative therapeutic footwear designed for children with autism.
“At Converge, we’re privileged to support innovative university founders by providing them with the business acumen and networks that complement their technical expertise. Together with Scotland’s universities, we’re helping to create an environment where transformative ideas can evolve into successful businesses, contributing to our nation’s reputation as a leader of technological advancement and entrepreneurial spirit,” Kosterka concluded.