Trying to find solutions to real-world problems and getting them out of the university for maximum impact

Scotland’s industrial biotech sector is booming and is on course to hit £1.2billion of turnover in the next three years according to the National Plan for Industrial Biotechnology. As well as being hugely promising from an economic perspective, industrial biotech offers humanity the chance to significantly reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, reduce and repurpose waste from a variety of industries, diagnose and treat diseases, and make the most of the natural resources available in Scotland and beyond. As a former biotechnology researcher, my motivation was in trying to find solutions to real-world problems and getting them out of the university for maximum impact. Nowadays, in my role as Enterprise Manager at Converge- Scotland’s premier company creation programme for the university sector- my passion is in supporting the up-and-coming innovators from Scottish universities to commercialise their research. We work across all sectors, but I must admit to retaining a personal soft spot for the biotech sector- partly because of my own background, but also because I believe it will be absolutely essential to the future of the economy and the planet.

However, early-stage innovators in the bioeconomy face substantial and complex challenges, particularly in the areas of funding these (often very costly) innovations and having the right skill set to take an idea from a research lab to commercialisation. In recognition of this, and to help accelerate the creation of bio-focussed companies emerging from Scotland’s universities, Converge and the IBioIC joined forces in 2022 to sponsor an award for a promising early-stage biotech project. The inaugural winner, Scent No M from the University of Glasgow, showcases the innovative thinking in Scotland’s universities by using microbes to produce fragrances for the perfume industry in a way that is more sustainable and environmentally friendly. We are now in year two and very excited to see this year’s candidates coming through; with double the number of biotechnology applicants this year, in sectors ranging from sports medicine to aquaculture, the competition is sure to be fierce.

For bio-focussed businesses to set up and thrive in Scotland, there needs to be a clearer path and collaborations like ours help to pave the way for that to happen. We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership with our IBioIC friends!

Find out more at www.convergechallenge.com