Tag Archives: Edinburgh

News

Edinburgh to Host International Conference on Neurodiversity

Essential diary date for workplace professionals

A global conference advancing insights into neurodiversity is to be hosted in Edinburgh next spring.
It Takes All Kinds Of Minds – ITAKOM – will bring together HR professionals, practitioners, academics, the care sector and families, all providing insights into how better to understand and celebrate people’s differences and provide effective support where needed.
HR specialists will learn how to cultivate and support a neurodiverse workforce. Clinicians will explore how neurodiversity appears in our genes and brain cells and the implications for diagnosis health and daily life.
ITAKOM will profile the work of more than 50 speakers from around the world including experts on neurodiversity in the workplace, neuroscientists, clinicians and comedians, among them Edinburgh’s satirical impressionist Rory Bremner, a neurodiversity advocate after being diagnosed with ADHD.
The international event, on March 13 and 14, aims to foster a better understanding of all neurodevelopmental conditions and help to create more inclusive schools, workplaces and communities.
Academics will examine current challenges and the need for greater inclusivity. Community sessions will help delegates develop a deeper understanding of neurodiversity through a range of voices from every facet of life.
The event, both in-person and virtual, is organised by Scotland charity Salvesen Mindroom Centre whose Chief Executive Officer Alan Thornburrow says: “With 15-20% of the global population estimated to be neurodivergent, it has never been more important for us to understand more about neurodiversity and how we can design better and more inclusive systems.
“By partnering with Mindroom and championing neuroinclusion in the workplace, delegates can demonstrate their commitment as an organisation that is genuinely seeking to make progress. Not only do we see neurodiversity in the workplace population, but equally with parents and carers of neurodivergent young people. By supporting employees, employers can make a tangible and positive impact to staff and their families.”
He argues that “diversity of thought needs to become much more central to business strategy – in the same way, that issues like gender equality and mental health have become integrated over the last decade. Embracing neurodiversity is key to that”.
“It takes all kinds to solve the biggest problems of our times. By working together, we can help employers build a person-centred approach in which neurodiversity is embraced and no mind is left behind.”
Workplace sessions will include the following:
• Creative Careers – Lotta Borg Skoglund, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Uppsala University, Sweden on ‘ADHD in the Workplace’ and Charlotte Garnett, Anti-Anxiety jewellery designer on ‘Handling It’ her own experience as a successful entrepreneur
• Neurodiversity and the Law – Mandy Lawrie, Head of Employment Division at Burness Paull LLP
• Diversity in Neurodiversity – Dr Nick Walker, one of the world-leading thinkers on neurodiversity and a Professor of Psychology at California Institute of Integral Studies, USA, on the parallels between the neurodiversity movement and other rights-based social justice movements
• ADHD & Me – Rory Bremner on how ADHD has shaped his life and work
• Employer Panel – Chaired by Mindroom with panellists from the organisation’s Neuroinclusion at Work programme who will share their journey around approaches to neurodiversity in the workplace
For more information on ITAKOM and neurodiversity in the workplace go to https://itakom.org/workplace/

Appointments, Healthcare, News

Distinguished Oncologist Appointed Chair of Make 2nds Count

Secondary breast cancer charity Make 2nds Count has appointed internationally-renowned oncologist Professor David Cameron as chairman of their trustees.

The Edinburgh-based academic has a reputation which is globally recognised and chairs an umbrella group of 57 worldwide breast cancer trial groups.
He is currently a Professor of Oncology at Edinburgh University, works in NHS Lothian’s cancer centre treating breast cancer patients and was until recently the joint lead for the Edinburgh Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre.
Secondary breast cancer, also known as metastatic, advanced or stage IV breast cancer, is cancer that has spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body and is incurable. On average there are around 35,000 patients in the UK currently living with this form of the disease.

Prof Cameron says: “I am delighted and privileged to take on this role for an organisation that is doing such fantastic work supporting those affected by secondary breast cancer – and raising awareness of this form of the disease which remains largely unknown by most people.
“Our determination to seek improvements in treatments and promote appropriate trials is stronger than ever. Together we can demonstrate to patients and their families that it is possible to enhance the lives of those living with this disease and to give them hope during what is a very difficult and emotional time. There is so much yet to be achieved but this is a wonderful opportunity to work with a dynamic charity that is really making a difference.”

Emma Hall, Head of Operations for Make 2nds Count said: “We’re honoured to have Prof Cameron on board and thrilled to be working with a chairman with so much clinical and research experience in treating secondary breast cancer. We share a strong commitment to our patient community and a vision for how we can work together to bring hope to patients through greater awareness of the disease, more research and education.”

Prof Cameron, a Cambridge University mathematics graduate who subsequently completed a medical degree at St George’s Hospital Medical School, London, earned his MD with distinction from the University of Edinburgh in 1997.

In addition to his university and NHS roles, which included a spell as lead for systemic anti-cancer therapy in the region, he is to become a part-time deputy director in the Innovative Health Care Delivery Programme. The Scottish Government-funded initiative seeks to improve access to and enhance the use of routine data on cancer patients within NHS Scotland. He is also a Scottish Government R&D (CSO) clinical cancer research champion.

He is chair of the Brussels-based Breast International Group, vice-chair of the Oxford-based Early Breast Cancer Clinical Trialists’ steering group and active in several current clinical trials in breast cancer. Prof Cameron is also involved in numerous international breast cancer studies and is a member of several cancer research funding committees.

Make 2nds Count is a patient and family-focused charity dedicated to giving hope to women and men living with secondary breast cancer. Their mission is to fund secondary breast cancer research that contributes to advancing an increased quality of life for patients; establish a community that supports and educates patients and families affected by secondary breast cancer; inform and facilitate access to patient trials and increase overall awareness of secondary breast cancer.

For more information or support visit www.make2ndscount.co.uk/

Art, News

Digital artists’ earnings soar thanks to Trevor Jones

Artists promoted by innovative Scotland-based artist Trevor Jones have seen their earnings soar to a lot more than the typical annual salary in their home countries of Colombia and Cuba.

NurArt, from Cuba, and Colombian Saint MG are both enjoying rocketing financial success after featuring on Trevor’s Art Angels podcast.

A pioneer of non-fungible tokens in the art world, Trevor began the initiative in July to shine a light on emerging artists. Created in partnership with NFT Culture and SuperRare, each episode of Art Angels features a discussion with an emerging NFT artist and three NFT collectors. The artist creates an NFT and auctions the new work on exclusive crypto art marketplace SuperRare on the day they are featured, with the auction ending one hour after the end of their episode.

NurArt, 44, featured on the first episode of Art Angels and sold her first work Lucid Dream during the show for US$2,728 USD and another US$1,300 in sales of previously created work immediately after the episode.

She had been working in traditional art for more than 20 years before entering a relatively new version of the World Wide Web – Web 3, popular with artists, cryptocurrency enthusiasts, large technology companies and venture capital firms – and was spotted by Trevor Jones who saw the potential in her work, which focuses mostly on her inner world as she constructs a surrealistic firmament of symbolism expressed through human and animal figures. Full of ancient mysticism, her pieces feature recurring themes of feelings like loneliness, dreams, desires and love.

“Somehow I became visible for Trevor’s beautiful project Art Angels,” says NurArt. “It was a wonderful surprise. I felt that it would take me a long time to reach this market, because there are many artists in Web 3, which is like a gigantic sea, but Art Angels gave me the opportunity to enter through the wide door.

“It gave me, in that first space, the opportunity to make myself known on other levels and, of course, to sell my first work at a very good price and witness an incredible battle to get it.”

NurArt, who studied visual arts at the San Alejandro Academy in Havana, Cuba, now regards Trevor as a guide, mentor and friend.

Urban and classical hypebeast artist Saint MG, 28, featured on the third episode of Art Angels and saw his success soar as a result.

On the episode he discussed how he creates new variations of past masterpieces by mixing classical art and 21st century fashion and art. That piqued the interest of NFT enthusiasts and saw all the Columbian artist’s available pieces sell, with prices for his work shooting up following his appearance on Art Angels.

Saint MG, who trained in architecture and also conducted autonomous studies in history of art, created Art Dealer, which sold for 3.373 ETH (more than US$6000). Sales of his works on other platforms amounted to more than US$3000. And now, he can afford to make a living from his art.

“This space has given me, for the first time, the security that I can live from my art and do what I am most passionate about,” he says.
In his art, SaintMG reflects a renaissance and baroque that orbit in the dimensions of surrealism and science fiction with elements very typical of urban culture and the streets, the environment in which he grew up.

Trevor Jones is best known for his iconic Bitcoin Angel, based on his painting of Bernini’s baroque marble sculpture, The Ecstasy of St Teresa. A fine art graduate and traditional painter, he has worked at the intersection of art and technology for more than a decade. When he invested in Bitcoin in 2017 it inspired a new creative direction, leading to his crypto-themed AR paintings and his passion for NFTs in art.

He says: “Just over US$16,000 has been bought in primary and additional artist sales as a result of the Art Angels to date. And I’m delighted with the success of the space and to be able to help these fellow artists on the road to making a full-time living from their digital works.”

AI, News, Technology

University AI Accelerator programme announces new cohort companies

A business commercialisation programme, which helps innovative companies using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to maximise their full potential, has announced its new 2022/23 cohort.

The AI Accelerator, delivered by The University of Edinburgh’s world-leading Innovation Hub for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, the Bayes Centre, has selected a group of emerging companies from Scotland, the UK and other parts of the globe for this year’s programme.

Among the 12 cohorts are EtiqAI, a female-founded company whose technology is designed to increase transparency and minimise any unintended bias within AI algorithms; Edinburgh-headquartered Vahanomy, which is driving the roll-out of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles; and US start up MindTrace, which was attracted to Scotland by The University of Edinburgh’s credentials in AI research and talent development. The company uses AI and imaging to further enhance positive outcomes in brain surgery.

The full list of all 12 new AI Accelerator cohort companies can be found here.

The AI Accelerator has supported companies and helped them attract more than £10m in grants and investment over the last year. The programme will be delivered both digitally and in-person by the Bayes Centre, and Edinburgh Innovations, The University of Edinburgh’s commercialisation service on behalf of all the University’s Data-Driven Innovation Hubs.

To qualify, participating companies must use AI for wider societal benefit to deliver solutions in core areas such as health and wellbeing, social care, and environmental stewardship. Participants benefit from a package of support focused on building connections, as well as from leadership mentoring and support with product development to help transform their AI businesses into world-leading companies.

Previous programme participants have included Oxford-based iLoF, which raised over £4m for its AI-driven drug discovery and development technology over the summer, and Roslin-based medtech firm Carcinotech, which secured £1.6m investment to accelerate its commercialisation and global expansion plans. Milan-based Indigo.AI, whose technology enables companies to easily build, scale and analyse bespoke conversational experiences, had a 60% stake of its business acquired by another company since joining the programme, demonstrating the AI Accelerator programme’s impact in enhancing the investability of its cohort companies.

The AI Accelerator, partnered by global strategic design consultancy NileHQ, is also supported by Huawei UK and The University of Edinburgh’s Edinburgh Earth Initiative.

This year’s AI Accelerator programme welcomes John Brodie to the role of Entrepreneur in Residence. John was founder of data analytics consultancy Aquila Insight, which he grew into a 200+ employee company and sold in 2017. He is an active advisor and investor within the Scottish start up community and has been named as one of Data IQ’s 100 Most Influential People in Data.

John said “I am hugely excited to be joining the AI Accelerator and working with the fantastic organisations selected this year.  My two passions over the last 20 years have been driving actionable data science projects and enabling early stage businesses to scale. This role allows me to combine both of these and I am very much looking forward to helping these companies develop their potential”

 

Charlotte Waugh, Enterprise and Innovation Programme Lead at Edinburgh Innovations said: “Congratulations to all the companies selected for the new AI Accelerator. As we have seen from the progress of many past participants, the programme has a successful track record in helping companies using AI for good to scale their business and make them investable so they can achieve their maximum potential.”

 

Professor Iain Gordon, Vice-Principal and Head of the College of Science and Engineering at The University of Edinburgh, said: “As a world leader in AI research, the University’s role is pivotal in supporting innovative companies which are applying AI to help address key societal challenges such as climate change and healthy ageing. This exciting new cohort of AI tech companies will benefit from cross-fertilisation of research and ideas as well as the expertise on offer to scale their tech businesses for the benefit of us all.”

News

University supported energy innovator IONATE secures £3.3m investment

Key investors include University of Edinburgh venture funders Old College Capital

Deep-tech energy innovator IONATE has secured £3.3 million after a round of seed financing investment. The company, which has been supported by Edinburgh Innovations (EI), the University of Edinburgh’s commercialisation service, was founded in 2019 by its CEO Matthew Williams.

The finance round, which included investment from the University of Edinburgh’s venture fund, Old College Capital, was led by deep-tech investor IQ Capital, with additional support from Smartworks, the investment arm of leading Austrian energy supplier Wien Group, cleantech impact VC Cycle Group, and deep-tech climate investor Zero Carbon Capital.

IONATE‘s patented technology resolves key power quality issues associated with energy decarbonisation. It also boosts reliability and productivity of connected assets, including renewable generators and battery storage, as well as the distribution grid itself, enabling the low-carbon energy transition on multiple fronts. The UK Energy Innovation Centre recently recognised IONATE with the 2022 Future Energy System Award for its impact in driving forward ‘the energy systems transition’ with industry experts and utility judges characterising the company’s technology as ‘ground-breaking innovation’.

IONATE has a long-standing association with the University of Edinburgh’s School of Engineering with the company’s engineers working in close collaboration with the team of Professor Michaël Merlin. Following the award of a Smart Scotland Grant from Scottish Enterprise in 2020, Professor Merlin and his team, with support from EI, helped develop the first prototype of IONATE’s Hybrid Intelligent Transformer (HIT), which was built in the university’s labs. IONATE subsequently led a successful application in partnership with the university through the Eureka Globalstars programme, securing additional grant funding from Innovate UK to scale the technology to grid power levels.

The company is also currently co-sponsoring a University of Edinburgh PhD studentship with the support of an Energy Technology Partnership Grant.

IONATE will use the proceeds from this investment round to scale its operations and deliver its pioneering hardware-software power flow control solution to electricity distribution grids, renewables generation projects and energy storage assets. The company is currently working with its UK-based manufacturing partner to finalise the full-scale version of HIT, its proprietary hardware. HIT devices will be deployed in parallel proof-of-concept trials across multiple geographies, scheduled to begin next year.

 

IONATE’s CEO Matthew Williams said: “IONATE has been very fortunate to enjoy the support and expertise of Edinburgh Innovations and the University’s School of Engineering. They have been key in our success of transforming the initial idea into fully functioning technology in less than three years, and I hope to work together for many years to come.

“This investment round will enable us to commercialise our offering and realise IONATE’s role as a technology leader in the journey towards Net Zero. I’m very excited for the next chapter and to work side-by-side with our investors and partners on what promises to be a time of extraordinary development and growth.”

 

Andrea Young, Head of Investment at Old College Capital said; “We are delighted to join this seed round alongside a specialist syndicate of investors led by IQ Capital. IONATE has developed an elegant technology solution, able to help power grids manage major challenges associated with the energy transition. There’s an urgent need for its control technology as the transition towards clean energy is driving enormous growth in electrification, renewable generation, and electric vehicle charging.”

 

John Jeffrey, Head of Business Development for the College of Science and Engineering at Edinburgh Innovations said: “We are proud to support IONATE’s commercial development leveraging the close links between the company and the University’s School of Engineering. Through this partnership, our team, led by Professor Michael Merlin, has helped the company develop its technology to the stage where it is now a scalable business. Along with our Old College Capital colleagues, we are excited to see IONATE embark on this next stage of growth as it takes its technology out of the lab and deploys it at industrial scale.”

News

Innovative University-supported start-ups secure £500,000 in grant funding awards

Five start-up businesses founded by students and recent graduates from the University of Edinburgh are celebrating after securing almost half a million pounds in grant funding awards between them. The five young companies, all supported by the University’s commercialisation service, Edinburgh Innovations, have been awarded around £100,000 each through SMART:SCOTLAND grants.

The recipients are bennu.ai, developers of the world’s smartest bin which sorts waste automatically for a net zero circular economy; Danu Robotics, a clean tech start-up focused on advanced and dedicated technological solutions for the benefit of the environment; BioLiberty, creators of a soft robotic glove and a digital therapy platform aimed at helping sufferers of hand weakness; eMoodie, a mental health digital platform which facilitates early screening; and transformative audio design and technology company, Black Goblin Audio.

Awarded by Scottish Enterprise to Scottish-based SMEs, SMART:SCOTLAND grants are offered to qualifying high risk, highly ambitious projects with a commercial focus.

In addition to providing guidance for the SMART:SCOTLAND grant applications, Edinburgh Innovations has supported the company founders throughout their entrepreneurial journeys, including helping them to successfully apply for a range of additional national awards. BioLiberty, Danu Robotics and bennu.ai had all been winners in the prestigious business funding competition, Scottish Edge. Meanwhile eMoodie have secured initial seed investment and been recognised by other business award programmes.

Edinburgh Innovations also supported Black Goblin, a female led audio design and technology company developing, ‘Subversive’ – a collaborative audio tool for visual artists and sound designers towards winning the Creative Edge award by Scottish EDGE as well as the Resident Entrepreneurs and Connected Innovators awards from the Creative Technology cluster Creative Informatics. Black Goblin was also selected as a “Ones to watch” company by the Creative Industries Council last year.

Lorna Baird, Student Enterprise Manager, said: “We’re so pleased with the success of these emerging companies, all founded by University of Edinburgh students or graduates, in securing their grant awards from SMART:SCOTLAND. These start-ups are deserving of their significant funding awards as they are all focused on developing innovative solutions to some of the key challenges facing society. As an organisation which is committed to helping University of Edinburgh-linked start-up businesses reach their full potential, Edinburgh Innovations is proud of its role in supporting these budding entrepreneurs.”

 

Jim Watson, Director of Business Growth at Scottish Enterprise, said: “SMART:SCOTLAND grants are an effective way of encouraging Scottish businesses to innovate and helping them attract additional funding.

“The cutting-edge products and services being developed by these five companies are great examples of the pioneering work supported by SMART and the economic, environmental and societal benefits associated with the programme.”

Charity & CSR, Healthcare, News

Cancer Research Horizons renews partnership with Edinburgh University entrepreneur incubator programme

Cancer Research Horizons, the innovation engine of Cancer Research UK, the world’s largest independent cancer research organisation is renewing its partnership with the University of Edinburgh’s flagship Venture Builder Incubator which supports the commercialisation of data-driven PhD research.

Cancer Research Horizons, through its Entrepreneurial Programmes, will sponsor ten places for cancer-related research projects from across the UK to take part on this 16-week programme which aims to drive academic entrepreneurship by supporting PhD students and early career researchers to develop their business ideas, build their skills and secure funding.

In 2021, the first year of the Cancer Research Horizons collaboration, eight companies operating in the field of cancer were selected as start-ups for the incubator.

For the second year running, Cancer Research Horizons’ continued support for PhD students and researchers will play an important role in accelerating the commercialisation of ideas aimed at conquering cancer.

Laura Bernal, Venture Builder Incubator Programme Manager, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Cancer Research Horizons again this year. Our Incubator programme is designed to help fledgling entrepreneurs across all sectors of business build their skills and take their businesses to the next level and through continuing to build our relationship with the brilliant team at Cancer Research Horizons, we can ensure that we are supporting the commercialisation of vital research across 10 cancer-related projects this year.”

The Venture Builder Incubator, delivered by the Bayes Centre, the University of Edinburgh’s world-leading innovation hub for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, on behalf of the University’s five Data-Driven Innovation Hubs and Edinburgh Innovations, the commercialisation service of the University, will start later this year and builds on the success of the previous cohorts which have seen considerable success, attracting £1.8m in funding in the last 12 months.

Previous oncology-related ventures focused on developing early diagnosis tools and less invasive testing to enable improved outcomes for people affected by cancer. They included: OncoAssign, a precision medicine startup integrating AI and onco-diagnostics to deliver accurate treatment prediction; 10zyme, a start-up devising a simple method of detecting cancers through urine or saliva samples; ForceBiology, developers of a versatile, more accurate and cost-effective high throughput drug-screening platform for cancer and Therapevo, a screening platform striving to fill the gap between research and the medical testing of new therapeutic strategies.

Commenting on her experience as a participant in last year’s cohort, Estefania Esposito, Co-founder of Therapevo, said: “Being introduced to a network of Venture Builder cohorts past and present was invaluable. They all had different backgrounds, and even when they had similar backgrounds, they all added something: an experience, an idea or an opinion.”

Dr Alessia Errico, Associate Director of Search and Evaluation, and Entrepreneurial Programmes Lead at Cancer Research Horizon said: “We want to inspire the next generation of scientific entrepreneurs in the field of cancer research as well as inspiring cultural change within the industry, so working alongside Edinburgh University and theirData Driven Innovation programme provides us with the perfect platform to do this.

“Supporting entrepreneurs on the journey from an ideation to venture creation is one of the most important things that we can do, so we are excited about what this next year will bring.”

The Venture Builder Incubator is designed to help fledgling entrepreneurs across all sectors build their skills and take their businesses to the next level.  Start-ups are chosen after an application process which is open to PhD students, early career researchers and academic staff from the University of Edinburgh or Heriot-Watt University, as well as early career researchers focused on cancer-related projects from across the UK.

Each startup is provided with £2,000 as well as business support through a series of workshops, networking events, mentoring, peer-to-peer learnings and access to the University of Edinburgh’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and its data expertise.

Applications have now opened for the Venture Builder Incubator 3.0. For more information visit https://edinburghdde.com/dde-programmes/venture-builder-incubator-2 The early bird deadline for applications is Friday 22nd July and those entering before this date are guaranteed application feedback and the chance to resubmit their proposal and an invitation to a Bayes Centre Community Event. The final deadline for applications is Friday 9 September.

News

Conifox Adventure Park & Activity Centre sets up gift donation hub

New initiative to spread birthday joy to local children

A Scottish business with children at its heart has set up a new initiative to help young partygoers spread birthday joy to less fortunate children across Scotland.

Conifox Adventure Park & Activity Centre, near Edinburgh, have created a Birthday Club initiative where children celebrating their birthday with a party – and their guests – can donate an extra gift for a child in need.

The venture follows the success of the festive Toy Appeal collaboration which ran during Conifox Adventure Park & Activity Centre’s Christmas Experience and is the brainchild of Fiona Shapcott, Founder of local charity  Kids Love Clothes. Last year the generosity of Conifox customers, in partnership with Kids Love Clothes, helped to provide 400 gift bags of toys for distribution via the charity’s established network.

Deborah Gammell from Conifox Adventure Park & Activity Centre says: “The response to our Christmas Toy Appeal was fantastic and while we recognize that some families struggle at Christmas time, we also acknowledge that there are those who struggle with birthdays too. This project will help spread a little extra happiness all year round by reaching out to families and offering them the chance to celebrate their child’s birthday.

 “At Conifox, we host several parties every week, both in our outdoor Adventure Park and indoor Activity Centre. We often host up to 12 separate parties per. Each party can be attended by up to 25 children. If just some of those guests were generous enough to donate an extra gift, the potential to help others would be huge.

 “We hope children and their families will agree it is a lovely way to share the pleasure that celebrating a birthday brings.”

 Conifox Adventure Park & Activity Centre, situated at Kirkliston on the outskirts of Edinburgh, caters for youngsters from 0 to 13 and is inviting donations of gifts suitable for that same age group. Only NEW toys can be donated and placed unwrapped, into the big Toy Box in the Activity Centre. Any donations of wrapping paper and gift bags will also be gratefully received.

“We are a family-owned company,” says Deborah, “and we have young children ourselves. We believe that the well-being of local children is a shared priority, and we are confident visitors to the Adventure Park & Activity Centre will join us in this initiative.”

Fiona Shapcott, Founder of local charity; Kids Love Clothes comments, “The Kids Love Clothes team is delighted to partner with Conifox on our Birthday Club initiative.” says Fiona, ‘and giving toys is a natural extension of our core clothing service. As a wholly volunteer-led charity, we rely on the valuable support from businesses and individuals. Donated toys will be delivered in gift bags with the same care as our clothing gift bags, and with the community support, we will be able to reach even more children, giving them a birthday to remember.”

 To find out more about Conifox Adventure Park & Activity Centre visit https://www.conifox.co.uk/