Scotland’s expanded Venture Builder Incubator (VBI) 5.0 has launched, with support for 34 entrepreneurs – 12 more than last year – to grow their businesses and skills.
The VBI programme, run by the University of Edinburgh, supports postgraduate students and research staff from UK universities to test and develop ideas that use digital technology to address the world’s challenges.
VBI 5.0 introduces a new health and social care cohort, supported by the Barclays Eagle Labs Ecosystem Partnership Programme, and funded by the UK Government, while Cancer Research Horizons, the innovation arm of Cancer Research UK, will continue to support an oncology cohort as part of its commitment to help cancer researchers.
Amongst the oncology cohort is biosciences PhD student Elloise Stephenson, from Newcastle University, who is building a commercial screening service to assess a patient’s response to enzymes called kinases, to improve and personalise cancer treatment.
In the Health and Social Care cohort is Dr Heba Lakany, an Edinburgh graduate now at the University of Liverpool, who has created a portable robotic exoskeleton to support movement for those suffering arm paralysis following a stroke.
With 66% of the UK’s stroke survivors each year having an upper limb weakness and requiring help with daily activities, Lakany’s exoskeleton project could give a new lease of life to the 1.3 million suffering every year.
In its fifth year, the VBI programme will provide a share of up to £100,000 in support, as well as mentoring from industry-leading experts, interactive workshops, professional networking events and access to the Bayes Centre – the Edinburgh University’s innovation hub for data science and AI.
Richard Lennox, senior director at Skyscanner and entrepreneur in residence for VBI, said: “Some of the most innovative and impactful ideas come out of the UK’s universities, and it’s our honour to nurture these founders and companies, sharing all of our experience, skills and networks to help them make that impact.”
So far, 131 founders and companies have taken part in the VBI programme since it began in 2021, with participants going on to raise over £8 million through grants and investments.
The central idea behind the scheme is to bridge the gap between academia and entrepreneurship, helping those without a background in business turn their innovative designs into commercial concepts.
Members of previous cohorts have gone on to successfully launch their own technology businesses, such as Bennu.ai, a robotics company focusing on sustainability, and Carbon Glance, which works with businesses to help them understand the costs associated with their greenhouse gas emissions.
Source: DIGIT