Aberdeen’s Oil & Gas Technology Centre (OGTC) has announced that it has attracted more than 50 leading mentors to its TechX accelerator programme. The initiative, which aims to encourage 100 new businesses to bring innovation to the North East over the next decade, is now well poised for its slated December launch.

Participating start-ups have access to enhanced resources from Aberdeen’s Oil & Gas Technology Centre (OGTC), including increased funding of up to £100,000 per start-up, and opportunities to field test new products. The programme’s also cater for three different business structures, namely start-ups which are looking to develop their business, SMEs who have a market-ready product, and ventures who have an innovative idea in mind.

David Millar, Director of TechX, was confident on the future of the initiative in light of the news. Millar said: “A network of mentors and partners is critical to the success of TechX, so it’s very encouraging to see so many experienced individuals and organisations keen to support the next generation of technology companies.

“TechX is here help smaller technology developers take their solutions to market and we want to create a global technology hub in North East Scotland. We believe our unique proposition will help us achieve this, and we look forward to working with innovative, forward-thinking companies as we launch in December.”

Josh Valman, CEO and Founder, RPD International, a partner organisation of the initiative, said: “I genuinely think TechX is one of the most exciting accelerators. It’s an opportunity to get access to one of the most difficult industries in the world; the energy industry is not something you just walk into as a start-up.

“As a partner, we’ll provide access to our expertise and facilities to validate and test technology. We want to help start-ups bring their solutions to some of the biggest companies in the world and make a difference in the industry.”

Millar told DIGIT: “I have been contacted by around 20 start-ups interested in applying to the programme. Through our connections and networks with mentors and partners, and support from the likes of Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International, we intend to have a global reach for this programme to attract the best start-ups and SME from across the world to Aberdeen. We want to unlock the full potential of the UK oil and gas industry and bring an exciting new supply chain to the North East of Scotland.

“Aberdeen itself is going through an exciting transformation with over £8.5 billion worth of amazing infrastructure projects approved or underway in the region. There is momentum building to make Aberdeen an even more amazing place to work and live. As part of this momentum there is an ecosystem rapidly developing to better support entrepreneurs break into oil and gas, as well as other industries in the North East of Scotland.”

Applications for the programmes can be submitted online when TechX launches in 4^th December.