Five startups founded by students and recent graduates from Edinburgh University have secured almost half-a-million pounds in grant funding awards between them.

The startups, all supported by the university’s commercialisation service, Edinburgh Innovations, have each been awarded around £100,000 through the SMART:SCOTLAND grant scheme.

Awarded by Scottish Enterprise to Scottish-based SMEs, the grants are offered to qualifying high-risk, highly ambitious projects with a commercial focus.

The grant recipients include bennu.ai, developers of the ‘world’s smartest bin’ which automatically sorts waste; cleantech startup Danu Robotics and BioLiberty, the creators of a soft robotic glove and digital therapy platform.

eMoodie, developers of a mental health digital platform, also secured funding through the scheme alongside audio design technology startup, Black Goblin Audio.

Lorna Baird, Student Enterprise Manager at Edinburgh Innovations, said: “We’re so pleased with the success of these emerging companies, all founded by University of Edinburgh students or graduates, in securing their grant awards from SMART:SCOTLAND.

“These startups are deserving of their significant funding awards as they are all focused on developing innovative solutions to some of the key challenges facing society.

“As an organisation which is committed to helping University of Edinburgh-linked startup businesses reach their full potential, Edinburgh Innovations is proud of its role in supporting these budding entrepreneurs.”

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In addition to providing guidance for the grant applications, Edinburgh Innovations has supported the company founders throughout their entrepreneurial journeys, including helping them to successfully apply for a range of additional national awards.

BioLiberty, Danu Robotics and bennu.ai were all winners in the business funding competition, Scottish Edge. Meanwhile, eMoodie previously secured initial seed investment and has been recognised by other business award programmes.

Edinburgh Innovations also supported Black Goblin, a female-led audio design and technology company developing, ‘Subversive’ – a collaborative audio tool for visual artists and sound designers towards winning the Creative Edge award by Scottish EDGE.

Jim Watson, Director of Business Growth at Scottish Enterprise, said: “SMART:SCOTLAND grants are an effective way of encouraging Scottish businesses to innovate and helping them attract additional funding.

“The cutting-edge products and services being developed by these five companies are great examples of the pioneering work supported by SMART and the economic, environmental and societal benefits associated with the programme.”

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