News

Heriot-Watt aims to raise £35 million for new brewing and distilling centre
Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University is seeking to raise £35m in order to realise its vision of building a new Centre for Sustainable Brewing and Distilling (CSBD).
Source: Business Insider

Scotland chosen to create 'circular construction hub'
Scotland is set to pioneer a new initiative that aims to increase uptake and accessibility of reused construction materials and showcase the sector as an investment opportunity.
It is one of four in Europe selected to model a Circular Construction Hub – a second-hand marketplace for materials used in building and infrastructure projects.
Source: Business Insider

Clean energy start-up wins £50,000 prize
A clean energy start-up developing an low-cost carbon capture system for heavy industry has won a £50,000 award from the Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC).
Remedium was named winner of the Climate Impact Prize at the organisation's annual TechX Demo Day in Aberdeen.
Source: Business Insider

Scotland’s business angels 'hold steady in turbulent times'
Despite uncertainty during the financial year to March 2025, Scotland’s angel investors maintained their support for emerging businesses, according to the latest annual data from Angel Capital Scotland.
Source: Business Insider

Artificial intelligence supports pig welfare
A combination of tracking technology and social mapping that reveals how pigs build relationships over time could inform welfare strategies. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been combined with techniques to map animals’ interactions, to gain insights into pigs’ social relationships. Scientists at the Roslin Institute, in collaboration with industrial partners PIC and an international research team, examined how pigs associated with one another over time by using technology to analyse their proximity during social interactions.

New test uses oyster poo to track devastating parasite
A Heriot-Watt scientist has worked with colleagues at the University of Edinburgh's Roslin Institute to develop a groundbreaking method to detect a deadly oyster parasite without harming the shellfish.
The European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) has seen its numbers plummet over the past two centuries due to overfishing, habitat loss and disease. They are now rare and protected in the wild.

SRUC appoints new Board members
Outgoing MSP Oliver Mundell is among five new non-executive directors to have been appointed to the SRUC Board.
Mr Mundell, who will stand down as MSP for Dumfriesshire at next year’s Scottish Parliament election, will join four other new Board members as SRUC builds on its journey as a degree-awarding power institution at the heart of the natural economy.

Supporting business growth in Midlothian
Midlothian Science Zone Business Forum took place on Tuesday 6th May led by Robbie Broomfield, Business Growth Advisor for Business Gateway Midlothian, who provided an overview of key business support mechanisms available in Scotland through Business Gateway and the broader enterprise agency landscape.

Research events mark Moredun and Roslin partnership
Themed talks, discussion and guest lecture launch next phase of collaboration between neighbouring organisations within Midlothian Science Zone.
A programme of research-themed events has marked a new phase in a strategic collaboration between the University of Edinburgh and Moredun Research Institute.

University of Edinburgh launches UK-first innovation initiative
The University of Edinburgh has launched a new career development route for academics wishing to focus on commercialisation and engagement with industry.
Source: Business Insider