Scottish Enterprise Proof of Concept Programme offers £1.51M to fund 6 projects

Funding opportunity

The Proof of Concept Programme, set up in 1999 and operated by Scottish Enterprise, supports the development of research concepts from Scottish universities and research institutes into commercial products and services. The programme is offering £1.51 million to fund 6 new projects in the life sciences, energy, enabling technologies and engineering sectors.

The winning projects of the Programme’s Round Nine awards were chosen on the basis that they will contribute to the growth of Scotland’s economy because they have the potential to develop into spin-out companies or to result in licensing agreements with existing businesses.

One of three life science awards was attributed to a project emanating from research at Robert Gordon University focusing on an abnormal DNA detection system based on molecular diagnostics, a technology that clinics and hospitals can use at the point of care. The two other life science awards from research at Strathclyde University, went to a project that is developing a technology to improve solubility of drugs and to a project that aims to optimise drug delivery using the body’s biological clock.

An award for enabling technologies and engineering went to a project from University of St Andrews where researchers have developed a device called CALM that can calculate the spring constant of atomic force microscopes (AFM) quickly and accurately. This technology will improve the use of AFM for the study of surfaces and intermolecular forces in biological processes.

Two other projects in the energy sector emanating from research at Strathclyde University are to be supported. The first is a project developing an optical technology, a fibre-optic sensor system, which measures pressure and temperature in extreme oil production environments. The second project aims to produce high performance electricity generating technologies that can be applied to small and medium scale wind turbines, in view of optimising Scotland’s used of renewable energy sources.

Eleanor Taylor, head of the Proof of Concept Programme, said: “Through the Proof of Concept Programme we are creating opportunities to build real, commercially viable spin-our companies and commercial licences from ground-breaking innovative research ideas. We know this approach works. Lumicure, Brinker and Biopta are just some of the innovative, growing companies which started with Proof of concept Programme support. What we want to achieve are more companies created as a result of the Programme. Since we started, we’ve helped 42 companies to spin-out and helped create 16 licence deals, creating over 500 jobs and leveraging £231 million of public and private investment which would not otherwise have happened in Scotland.”

Jim Mather, Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism, said: “The Proof of Concept Programme helps turn cutting edge Scottish ideas into profitable products – both nationally and globally. It supports the kind of innovation and creativity which Scotland has in abundance, and offers the means to improve the ability of the innovators to achieve commercial success. These projects demonstrate the potential of the knowledge and research at our disposal. With the help of the Programme they can make a real contribution to achieving our goal of increased sustainable economic growth.”