At an event held in Edinburgh on 2nd October and attended by Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, Converge presented 22 prizes to Scottish universities across multiple award categories, with a total prize fund in excess of £400,000.
Research Associates Hayleigh May and Andrew Callander won the Converge Challenge with Biosers, whose FoodShield device can detect deadly Listeria contamination in just five minutes. Listeria kills 20-30% of those infected and is one of the deadliest foodborne pathogens, yet current testing methods take 2-8 days, allowing contaminated food to reach consumers. The FoodShield device delivers near-instant results, preventing outbreaks and costly recalls while providing rapid, cost-effective detection for food testing labs and manufacturers.
The university also secured a second prize at the awards, with graduates Garance Locatelli and Mark Smith claiming the Create Change runner-up prize worth £10,000 plus in-kind business support with Marked, an innovative cycling navigation solution that helps cities improve cycling safety and accessibility. Using colours, numbers, and letters like a subway map, the system combines physical wayfinding with digital navigation to guide cyclists through the safest routes while supporting infrastructure planning that prioritises cycling as viable everyday transport.
The awards announcement comes as Converge secures its largest-ever funding commitment of £1.26 million from the Scottish Funding Council over the next three years, alongside a new strategic partnership with Scottish Enterprise to create enhanced pathways for university entrepreneurs from concept to commercial success.
Adam Kosterka, executive director of Converge, commented: “At Converge, we believe Scotland's universities are home to the next generation of world-changing innovations. This year's winners exemplify exactly what's possible when brilliant academic minds are equipped with the business expertise and networks to transform their ideas into commercially successful, impactful companies.
“With our new record funding from the Scottish Funding Council and strategic partnership with Scottish Enterprise, we're creating an even stronger foundation to support university entrepreneurs on their journey from laboratory to market. Together with Scotland's universities and our corporate supporters, we're building an innovation ecosystem where transformative ideas can flourish into the businesses that will define our future economy.”
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “Coming hot off the heels of the Scottish Government’s Proof of Concept funding this increased, multi-year backing for the Converge Programme provides a real injection of support for our university researchers, start-ups and spinouts. Critically, it also brings added weight to our ambition to convert more of the world-leading innovations being generated in Scotland into successful business.
“To ensure we capitalise on the innovation and ingenuity within our academic institutions, it is vital that we work together across organisations and across sectors to create a supportive environment for our spinouts to start-up and scale-up. I am delighted that a strategic partnership between Converge and Scottish Enterprise is being developed, helping drive the joined-up support required to help our university entrepreneurs thrive.”