News
Unleashing start-up talent
A package of measures to help entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses will be delivered next year with funding in the draft Scottish Budget 2025/26. As part of £15 million investment, at least £4 million will be invested to expand the number of women entrepreneurs by providing tailored support at the earliest stages of business creation.
New multi-million government funding to make Scotland world-leading start-up hub
The Scottish Government has announced a series of measures to unleash start-up talent and bridge the gender gap in the entrepreneurial sector.
As part of the £15m allocated to the start-up economy in the draft Scottish Budget 2025/26, £4m will be invested in encouraging female entrepreneurs.
Source: Holyrood
Heriot-Watt launches spin-out detecting bugs in water supplies
Technology to improve the safety of public water supplies by improving the detection of waterborne pathogens has been developed by scientists at Heriot-Watt University.
Now they are setting up a spin-out company, Aquazoa, to take their system to market, and expect to commercialise the product in early 2026.
Source: Business Insider
Experts Convene to Discuss the Role of Livestock Production in Future Food Security
The Moredun Foundation host a landmark panel discussion with over 100 representatives from the agricultural and food sectors gathered to discuss the essential role livestock plays in producing sustainable, affordable, and high-quality food while addressing environmental and economic challenges.
Moredun and James Hutton Institutes combine forces for Science in Shetland
In the remote Shetland Islands, finding hands-on lab science educational opportunities can be challenging. However, thanks to Scottish Environment, Food and Agriculture Research Institutions (SEFARI) funding, teams from the Moredun and James Hutton Institutes recently brought an exciting week of animal health science to Shetland’s Junior High Schools and local communities.
Stress Busting - the 1, 2, 3 Approach
As we wind down or race around in preparation of the festive season, what better time for Midlothian Science Zone to host a Business Forum that focussed on how to approach and overcome stress - with guest speaker Kate Flory from Kapow Coaching.
What Was Life Like for Innovating UK Businesses in 2024
Innovate UK has released its State of Innovation 2024 survey, drawing on data from over 2,000 UK firms to provide a thorough breakdown of UK businesses’ innovation activities, including their priorities, challenges, and plans for the year ahead.
Source: Digit News
Ingenza partners with HydRegen to advance sustainable biomanufacturing
Ingenza has partnered with Oxford-based biotech company HydRegen to develop a more sustainable and cost-effective method for manufacturing amine-based chemicals, eliminating the need for heavy metal catalysts. The company turned to Ingenza to help improve the expression levels of a new candidate biocatalyst, increasing process efficiency and resource use.
Genomics study to help retain diversity in UK sheep
Insights into the genetic makeup of UK native sheep breeds can help to preserve their beneficial traits, especially of rarer native breeds, which have fallen to low numbers, a study has shown.
The outcomes could help preserve a diversity of characteristics found in sheep breeds from the UK, including many versatile types of fleece, the ability to seasonally shed, and the hardiness to thrive in harsh environments.
Lightbulb moment for fungi scientists
Researchers from SRUC and the Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) St Gallen, Switzerland have successfully inserted the decay fungus Desarmillaria tabescens – a white rot fungus – into balsa wood to make it glow, with the aim of producing functionality.