Taking pioneering research to the next level
Early-stage companies are a major driver of innovation and job creation in the UK. In 2021, investors pumped £2.54 billion into UK university spin-out companies, a record high figure.
Last year, Scotland’s universities produced the highest number of investor-backed spinouts in the UK. Data from the Spotlight on Spinouts report suggests this trend will continue in the coming years as breakthrough innovations make our researchers and students future business leaders. Collaboration and commercialisation are vital in building a prosperous economy which will fuel further investments. Along with learning academic theory, researchers are keen to turn their ideas into commercial products and services with real-world impact.
At Heriot-Watt University’s Global Research Innovation and Discovery facility (GRID) in Edinburgh, we’re facilitating greater cohesion between academic research, business enterprise, and entrepreneurial talent. GRID has taken Heriot-Watt’s heritage in pioneering research to the next level by bringing together leading talent and the brightest minds to tackle industry challenges.
Solving real world problems
As we look to respond to various issues in our economy and society we must facilitate the journey from laboratory-to-market in an efficient manner. Take ProstaPalp, a device that can potentially revolutionise prostate cancer screening for men. The device can provide accurate and objective testing at an early stage by only sending those who are likely to have cancer for an MRI scan and biopsy, thus preventing all men from a full prostate screening when they don’t need it.
Another innovation is the K-Briq - a revolutionary circular economy brick created by Heriot-Watt spinout company Kenoteq. The pioneering design turns construction waste into new building materials, challenging the brick manufacturing industry that has changed little in 500 years. K-Briq is a great example of the cutting-edge research universities are helping take from lab to market.
Globally connected research
Ground-breaking research must be made available to the wider public, whether at a business-to-business level or directly to consumers. The best early-stage companies must always seek to build industry relationships but it’s easier said than done. Traditionally, university companies are spun-out close to home. The best would grow and eventually go international. With campuses in Dubai and Malaysia, Heriot Watt is able to launch its spin-out companies internationally.
Dubai is an incredible business ‘melting pot’ with a huge number of experienced and talented people, including an increasing number of Heriot-Watt alumni. The campus in Dubai is right next door to the offices of blue-chip companies – Cisco, Google, HP, Microsoft and many more. We intend to build our networks amongst those big international players in the UAE and beyond, creating opportunities for our students, academics and spin-out companies.
Many of our academics are conducting research in fields relevant to societies in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. This gives us the ability to deliver impact-led research on an international scale in the built environment, energy, logistics, human health, net zero and many more.
The metaverse, for example, marks the next step of the internet evolution and within it lies plenty of potential for different industries to be incorporated. New research conducted by academics in Dubai has found that the metaverse can be deployed across all three stages of construction: design, development, and build.
We are not far from the possibility where an architect could design a building in Scotland, while the client reviews the CADs in Dubai, transforming the pre-build phase into a multisensory experience. Virtual representations of buildings can also demonstrate new and innovative ideas all without the added cost and environmental impact of transport costs.
We are building bridges between Scotland and the innovation ecosystems of the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and over time we hope our early relationships will grow and build-out, benefiting all of Scotland and the UK.
We are only just scratching the surface, as researchers and students on our campuses tackle pressing societal challenges and shape the economies of the future across the globe. The opportunities are both exciting and endless, and I’m eager to work with brilliant people across disciplines, sectors, and geographies to bring these to the world.
