Welcome to the March edition of DIGIT Movers and Shakers this year.

Movers and Shakers gives you the low-down on recent news in the Scottish tech ecosystem, from recruitment and partnerships to expansions and awards.

This month’s column features a mix of cutting-edge organisations and key players doing exciting things — read on to find out what’s been happening!

Recruitment

Three Glasgow Uni Researchers Appointed as Turing Fellows

Three researchers from the University of Glasgow have been appointed as Turing Fellows by The Alan Turing Institute, the UK’s national institute for artificial intelligence and data science.

Professor Alison Heppenstall, Dr Yiannis Giannakopoulos, and Dr Dezong Zhao are part of a new cohort of 51 Turing Fellows joining from universities and research centres across the UK.

The Turing Fellowship scheme aims to grow the data science and AI ecosystem in the UK by supporting, retaining, and developing the careers of the next generation of leading researchers, whilst contributing to the Turing’s overarching strategic goals.

Dr Giannakopoulos is a senior lecturer in algorithms and complexity at Glasgow’s School of Computing Science, whose research interests lie in the general area of algorithms, complexity, and optimisation.

Read more here. 

STAC Launches Fourth Cohort and Appoints New Chair

The Smart Things Accelerator Centre (STAC) has launched its fourth cohort, with 20 companies joining Scotland’s first smart things and IoT accelerator, and also appointed a new chair.

The new companies joining STAC are: Zephyrus Labs, Orchyio, BennuAI, Hycean, FocaliseAI, Konpanion, Deep Sym, Audio Mitto, Lu Innovations, Mix Innovations, MyFarm, Dr Little, Kyobit, Ufarms, RfIoT, Vuabl, Atypical, Lowtek Games, Curious Chip, and Thistle Rocketry.

Paul Wilson, CEO and co-founder of STAC, said: “STAC had evolved rapidly into what we describe as a full wrap-around accelerator, around four main pillars – scaling mentorship, space, investment and talent acquisition.”

“What’s also notable”, continued Wilson, “is that with over 50 companies now at STAC, sector clusters are emerging, for example in sustainability, robotics, drones, health and wellbeing, and creative tech.”

Read more here. 

Scots Crypto Firm Zumo Appoints Non-executive Director

Zumo, the B2B digital assets infrastructure that prioritises compliance and sustainability, today announces the appointment of Ashwath Mehra as a non-executive director.

An economist by training, Mr Mehra is CEO of the ASTOR Group, a private investment and advisory business, working across mining, technology, biotech and real estate. He has over 30 years’ experience in debt and equity capital markets and is a respected figure in the global business community.

He is also a director of several private and public companies in both executive and non-executive roles, and devotes much of his time to non-profit activities in education and healthcare.

Read more here. 

Edinburgh Innovations Announces New Interim CEO

Edinburgh Innovations (EI), the University of Edinburgh’s commercialisation service, has announced a new interim CEO in Dr Andrea Taylor in light of Dr George Baxter’s upcoming departure.

Currently serving as director of strategic partnerships, Taylor will take the helm of Edinburgh Innovations at the end of March.

In her partnerships role, Taylor led the university into high-profile collaborations such as NEURii, which aims to explore the use of data and digital solutions to complement treatment options for dementia patients, and beLAB1407, which looks to advance drug discovery opportunities.

Speaking on the appointment, Taylor said: “I am delighted to take on the opportunity of interim CEO of Edinburgh Innovations. We have a fantastic team at EI that has already supported the university to achieve record levels of innovation and commercialisation under the leadership of George Baxter.”

Read more here. 

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, Announce New President

Alastair Revell FBCS has  been announced as the new President of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.

Alastair has held senior volunteer roles in BCS for a decade and runs a successful professional services and IT consultancy firm.

He takes over from Gillian Arnold FBCS, who remains an active leader at BCS as immediate past president. Daljit Rehal FBCS, chief digital & information officer for HMRC, has been named as deputy president.

Alastair said: “Ethics and professionalism in the development and use of technology are more important than ever in the wake of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal. I thank Gillian Arnold for her commitment to establishing these themes during her presidential year and I hope to continue that outstanding work.”

Read more here. 

Microsoft Hires DeepMind Co-founder Mustafa Suleyman

Microsoft’s newly-formed consumer AI department will be headed up by British artificial intelligence entrepreneur and co-founder of DeepMind, Mustafa Suleyman, its been announced.

Suleyman is best known as the co-founder of DeepMind, an AI research lab that was bought by Google in 2014. He’s also the co-founder of Inflection AI, a company that’s been developing machine learning and generative AI hardware and apps since 2022.

Following his appointment to Microsoft, the entrepreneur will now lead on all of the Big Tech company’s consumer AI products and research—which includes Copilot, Bing, and Edge.

To take on the role, Suleyman will be moving away from his role as CEO at Inflection AI, a position he’s held since the company was first founded.

Inflection’s new chief executive has been named as Sean White, who has previously served in high-profile roles such as chief R&D officer for Mozilla.

Read more here. 

AND Digital Grows Scottish Data Team Following Contract Wins

AND Digital, the tech consultancy, is expanding its data teams in Scotland following a string of contract wins from Google, Nationwide Building Society, and British Airways-owner IAG.

Initially, between 10 and 15 of the 100 roles being created throughout the UK will be based at the company’s offices—or “clubs”—in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The firm will be training around 75 existing staff—or “ANDis”—to increase its existing data capabilities, as well as hiring a further 25 senior members of staff to help lead the new data business unit.

AND Digital aims to treble the turnover from its data work in 2024.

Tim Hatton, the newly appointed head of data at AND Digital, said: “Scotland is a major focus for our new data business unit, and so we’ll be creating up to 15 data roles in two of our clubs north of the border.”

Read more here. 

New Deputy Chair for Scotland’s Digital Economy Skills Group

The opportunities of a digital future are front of mind for the new Deputy Chair of the Digital Economy Skills Group (DESG), the industry and public sector partnership which aims to enhance Scotland’s digital capability.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS), the national skills agency, has appointed Lesley MacRury, Chief Information Security Officer at NEOS Networks.

A Chief Information Security Officer with extensive experience in Global Energy and Telecommunications, Lesley said: “I believe the digital future holds many opportunities for women and will be the basis for a more inclusive technical workforce, and a leveller for inclusion across the board.

“It’s an honour to take on the post of Deputy Chair, and I look forward driving Scotland forward as an international leader in digital technologies which delivers for the economy, employers and the workforce as a whole.”

Partnerships

ISACA Joins Forces with Erasmus+ for SHE@CYBER Project

ISACA (Information Systems Audit and Control Association), a global association advancing individuals and organisations in the pursuit of digital trust, has announced its participation in the Erasmus+ program’s SHE@CYBER project.

This initiative, under the EC Cooperation partnerships in vocational education and training, is a concerted effort to address the cybersecurity skills gap in Europe, with a particular focus on empowering women and underrepresented groups in the field.

The SHE@CYBER project, coordinated by Vernian RTI – Research, Technology and Innovation, is a strategy aimed at enhancing Europe’s cybersecurity resilience and championing diversity within the sector. The project’s objectives include developing a roadmap for vocational education and training (VET) in cybersecurity, creating open-access professional training programs, and promoting a cybersecurity mindset across Europe.

Read more here.

UK to Deepen Tech, Science, and Research Links with Germany

A new UK-German agreement to boost tech, science, and research ties—and plans for a joint group of experts—are a part of shared measures being announced today (12 March 2024).

The UK science and technology secretary, Michelle Donelan, and German federal minister of education and research, Bettina Stark-Watzinger, will announce the plans later today where they will sign a Joint Declaration of Intent committing both countries to broadening and deepening their tech, science, and research links.

Today’s meeting also brings together a forum featuring leaders and organisations from both countries to share and agree opportunities for R&D teamwork, ranging from quantum and AI to clean technology and research security. Moving forward, the UK and German governments are to establish a Strategic Working Group to match high ambitions with plans for delivery.

Read more here. 

Scottish LawTech Firms Join Forces to Offer Workers Access to Legal Help

Edinburgh-based lawtech companies Valla and Amiqus have announced a new partnership, enabling simple and easy access to legal support for hundreds of thousands of workers across the UK.

The agreement will see Valla’s legal platform – which uses generative AI to help workers identify legal issues and manage their own Employment Tribunal case – available as a service through Amiqus’s staff and client onboarding platform.

With Amiqus powering over 60,000 onboarding journeys every month for new hires in the NHS, civil service and more, Valla anticipates that these job movers will be the prime candidates to benefit from its employment law support service.

Valla will be highlighted as the featured partner for Amiqus’ new ‘wallet’ functionality which is due to be released later this year for their existing network of clients, enabling use of reusable digital identity credentials, evidencing digital right to work and seamlessly connecting people through joiner, mover and leaver processes within regulated sectors.

Read more here. 

Techscaler and FinTech Scotland Partner to Accelerate Sector Growth

Techscaler, the Scots government’s tech startup support programme awarded to CodeBase, and FinTech Scotland, the cluster body driving Scotland’s fintech innovation, have announced a strategic partnership to drive forward Scotland’s fintech sector development.

Fintech SMEs now employ more than 10,500 people across 226 enterprises in Scotland, with around 38% of fintechs having reached scale-up stage.

FinTech Scotland’s affiliated scaling firms will now be able to access the comprehensive benefits offered by Techscaler membership, opening the door to a network and support system of mentorship, educational courses, community events, and more, enhancing collaboration opportunities and fostering growth for fintech innovators.

Read more here. 

Innovation Node for Time-critical Tech Launched at Strathclyde Uni

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has launched, at the University of Strathclyde, the first of three innovation nodes focused on the application of accurate and precise timing for new technologies and products in sectors such as quantum and fintech.

The nodes have been developed in partnership between NPL and the host organisations Strathclyde, the University of Surrey, and Cranfield University.

The innovation nodes are part of NPL’s National Timing Centre (NTC) programme, the UK’s first nationally distributed time infrastructure that provides secure, reliable, resilient, and highly accurate time and frequency data.

Read more here. 

UK-Ukraine TechBridge Launches Tech Skills Training

The TechBridge Skills and Development Programme, a UK government initiative, is offering free skills training from top tech companies to Ukrainian citizens.

The programme aims to help Ukrainian citizens access training and opportunities to continue professional development despite disruption caused by Russia’s invasion.

Launched this January, the TechBridge provides a connection to both UK and Ukrainian to access skills, business opportunities, and technological advancements as Ukraine’s tech sector continues its resistance.

“The training programmes offered through TechBridge will directly support Ukrainians’ continued professional growth,” Leo Docherty, minister for Europe, said. “This training will strengthen a key sector and provide Ukrainians with more economic resilience, a strong foundation for continued recovery.”

Read more here. 

Scots Spacetech Krucial to Lead Global Water Monitoring Project

Krucial, the Scottish scaleup which uses space tech to provide digital solutions anywhere on Earth, has been awarded a contract from the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop a new water monitoring solution.

This comes following an initiative launched by the ESA in 2023, called “Digitising Water Resilience — Acting on Water Stress in Basins.”

Krucial, which recently raised further funding of £3 million, will lead a consortium for the project, which includes the University of Strathclyde, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), agtech startup Deep Planet, and analytics and artificial intelligence firm SAS.

The new water-resilience monitoring and analysis solution will combine multiple data sets, including in-situ ground sensor data, weather data, and space-based data, moving this data from river basins to a cloud-computing platform via Krucial’s hybrid connectivity tech.

Read more here.

Premier League Club Uses DeepMind AI to Help with Corners

In a new collaboration with Liverpool Football Club, DeepMind has developed an artificial intelligence model aimed to improve football tactics. 

The tool, aptly named TacticAI, leverages data from Premier League matches to predict the outcome of corner kicks and assist coaches in devising strategic plays.

TacticAI was spearheaded by DeepMind researcher Petar Veličković during a three-year research partnership with Liverpool FC. The model analyses various factors, such as player positions, height, weight, and historical data from corner kicks in past seasons.

TacticAI identifies patterns and trends from real-life corner kick scenarios, providing recommendations to coaches on optimising player positioning and movements. Impressively, in tests, the AI accurately predicted the recipient of the ball after a corner kick in 78% of cases.

Read more here.

Clarus Equips Arctic Research Vessel with Satellite Connectivity

The Royal Research Ship RRS Sir David Attenborough has been equipped with connectivity by Scotland-based Clarus Networks Group. The ship, operated by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), is currently stationed at the King Edward Point Research Station on the island of South Georgia, approximately 860 miles southeast of the Falkland Islands.

The RRS Sir David Attenborough plays a crucial role in carrying out scientific exploration in one of the most remote and harsh regions on Earth. However, the extreme remoteness of the area has posed significant challenges in terms of communication infrastructure, leaving the vessel isolated for extended periods.

This partnership aims to connect the advanced research vessel to high-speed internet for the first time, revolutionising the way scientific research is conducted in the extreme environments of Antarctica, according to them. 

Read more here. 

Glasgow Uni Academics Support Two Major 6G Research Projects

Two major UKRI-funded projects aiming to build the 6G communications systems of the future are receiving help from academics at the University of Glasgow.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) recently announced £40 million in new funding to support the ongoing work of three Future Telecoms Research Hubs – called CHEDDAR, TITAN, and HASC – which together will form a new Federated Communications Hub. The funding will also facilitate the creation of a national infrastructure for future telecoms testing and development, named JOINER.

Researchers from Glasgow are lending their support to CHEDDAR, led by Imperial College London, and JOINER, led by the University of Bristol.

Read more here.

Aberdeen’s £9 Million National Floating Wind Innovation Centre Opens

Located in the heart of Aberdeen’s Energy Transition Zone, ORE Catapult’s £9 million National Floating Wind Innovation Centre (FLOWIC), delivered in collaboration with ETZ Limited, is designed to help supercharge the development of floating offshore wind technology in the UK, with funding from both the Scottish Government and Innovate UK.

The FLOWIC facility hosts and array of state-of-art equipment, including a large-scale dynamic cable flex fatigue rig, specifically designed for testing and validating the strength, performance, and reliability of dynamic subsea cables crucial for floating offshore wind farms.

Additionally, there’s a large-scale anchor test rig dedicated to testing dynamic anchoring systems, essential components of floating wind technology. The facility also houses a floating offshore wind scale motion simulator, also known as a Hexapod, capable of dynamically testing scale structures and electrical & mooring connections in a simulated marine environment.

Read more here. 

Awards

StrathCyber Receives Academic Centre of Excellence Status

StrathCyber, the Cyber Security Research Group at the University of Strathclyde, was credited the award by the Government’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and EPSRC, signifying the exceptional quality and impact of Strathclyde’s cybersecurity research endeavours.

Joining only 21 universities across the UK to hold this title, Strathclyde’s designation as an Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research (ACE-CSR) follows a rigorous evaluation process of the research conducted by 17 esteemed members of academic staff across the university’s four faculties.

StrathCyber’s research ethos is characterised by its interdisciplinary approach, focusing on resilience and digital harms. With expertise spanning human factors, infrastructure security, privacy and regulation, system security, and formal methods, the group stands at the forefront of cutting-edge cybersecurity research.

Read more here. 

WeDo Scotland Awards Return for Its 12th Year

With an awards ceremony taking place in Edinburgh on June 21st, WeDO Scotland has launched its annual search for the country’s most trailblazing, innovative and transformative entrepreneurs, business leaders and SMEs.

The Awards, this year in their 12th year, will honour the resilience, creativity and success of the Scottish business community, in what is widely perceived to be the most challenging economic times for over a decade.

A new Award, SME Business of the Year has been introduced to add to the existing seven Awards including Eco Entrepreneur, International Entrepreneur and Employee Owned Business of the Year.

The Awards are free to enter and open to non-members, as well as the 180-strong WeDO membership community. A panel of judges will evaluate applications based on their innovation, impact, sustainability and business acumen, culminating in in-person interviews for the two finalists in each of the eight categories.

Read more here. 

Stirling-based CEO Wins Leadership Award

A founder of a globally successful Scottish health tech firm has won a major life sciences award recognising outstanding business leadership. 

With a career spanning more than 25 years, Gary Beale, co-founder of health technology leaders Emblation, has led the company through a series of impressive milestones.

From modest start-up roots, he has delivered global sales for the firm’s flagship Swift device, attracted eight-figure investment, and significantly grown the headcount, while masterminding delivery of a showpiece new HQ.

Gary was awarded the prestigious Business Leadership Award at Scotland’s Life Sciences Annual Awards and Dinner last Thursday (14 March) the pinnacle event for the sector celebrating its key contributors for over 20 years.

Speaking after the awards ceremony, Gary said: “From the outset, our mission at Emblation has been driven by a commitment to create superior treatments that provide solutions to patients suffering from a range of debilitating skin conditions.

Quorum Cyber recognised as a Microsoft Security Excellence Awards Finalist

Quorum Cyber announced it is a double award finalist for both the Security MSSP of the Year as well as the Security Customer Champion in the Microsoft Security Excellence Awards. The company was honoured among a global field of industry leaders that demonstrated success across the security landscape during the past 12 months. 

“We are thrilled to be shortlisted as finalists in two incredible categories at the upcoming Microsoft Security Excellence Awards 2024,” said Federico Charosky, Quorum Cyber’s founder and CEO.

“To be recognised as a finalist for Security MSSP of the Year affirms our vision of providing our customers with unparallelled cybersecurity, identity and risk management solutions globally. To also be a finalist as a Security Customer Champion further cements our core belief that, in the end, it’s all about the customers. Quorum Cyber is a proud Microsoft partner and MISA member, leveraging cutting-edge Microsoft technology in the fight against cybercrime across the globe and in the efforts to help good people win.”

At the Microsoft Security Excellence Awards on 6th May 2024, Microsoft will celebrate finalists in nine award categories honouring partner trailblazers, solution innovators, customer and technology champions, and changemakers.

Expansions

Heriot-Watt Supports Six New Doctoral Training Centres

Heriot-Watt University is to help train a new generation of researchers in critical technologies through six new centres.

The new centres are part of an investment of more than £1 billion in 65 Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) led by universities across Britain that is being announced by the UK government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

The centres are being funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) – the main funding body for engineering and physical sciences research in the UK – and will train more than 4,000 students studying Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in areas of national importance including artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, semiconductors, telecoms and engineering biology.

Read more here.

Biotech Funding Levels-up IBioIC’s Scale-up Facility

Spearheaded by Scottish Government’s minister for small business, innovation, tourism and trade, Richard Lochhead, the money is poised to improve the landscape for bio-based businesses across the nation.

The capital will be channelled through Scottish Enterprise to the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC), and at the heart of the investment is the acquisition of a 300-litre fermenter slated to find its home at FlexBio – IBioIC’s scale-up facility nestled within the precincts of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh.

According to IBioIC the equipment marks a turning point for Scotland’s innovation ecosystem, bridging a critical gap in infrastructure for biotechnology enterprises. Unlike anywhere else in the UK, Scotland has been lacking in accessible ‘open access’ facilities crucial for businesses aiming to upscale their operations.

Read more here. 

Edinburgh-Based Ticketing Platform Expands With International Deals

Citizen Ticket, the Scottish ticketing and bookings platform, has announced a number of new international and UK client wins, including with a major sporting team in the US.

Recent wins range from various large-scale events, venues, and visitor attractions, including Giants Enterprise the events arm of the San Francisco Giants, a California baseball team.

The team has appointed Citizen Ticket to enhance their ticketing experience and streamline access for their clients’ events. This collaboration is set to bring the company’s technology to Oracle Park, a stadium with the capacity for 42,300 viewers.

Founded in 2013, the Edinburgh-headquartered company provides a ticketing and booking platform for events, venues and visitor attractions.

Read more here. 

New Forging Research Hub Launched in Renfrewshire

Scotland’s reputation as a beacon of manufacturing and engineering innovation has been strenghtened with the launch of an industry scale, fully digitally enabled, forging research platform at the University of Strathclyde’s Advance Forging Research Centre (AFRC), part of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS).

The new facility, FutureForge, aims to put the country at the forefront of modernising and future-proofing the $75 billion global forging sector.

Based in Renfrewshire, FutureForge is a new platform that will see the 100-strong AFRC team of engineers and researchers work directly with the biggest forging companies around the world, thanks to the facility’s digital and connectivity capabilities.

Forging is a traditional manufacturing process dating back thousands of years and is vital to nationally important such as aerospace, defence, marine and energy.

Read more here. 

Glasgow Uni Launches New Computing Science Innovation Lab

Glasgow Computing Science Innovation Lab (GLACSIL) is aimed at bridging the gap between research and real-world application. The innovation lab’s mission is to capitalise on existing partnerships with companies, spanning SMEs to multinational corporations across various sectors.

The official launch for the new lab is taking place today, 22 March, and will bring together researchers from the School of Computing Science with representatives from six leading companies, including Bell Nokia Labs, BT Research, Thales, Moodagent, International Data Flows, and DotPhoton.

By fostering closer ties between researchers and industry partners, GLACSIL aims to stimulate new research collaborations, capitalise on joint funding opportunities, and drive the development of innovative commercial products.

Read more here.

UK Space Agency to Open Regional Scottish Office in Edinburgh

To help support the space sector across the country, the UK Space Agency is opening a number of regional offices, with one being in the Scottish capital.

The Scottish regional office for the agency, which is responsible for the UK’s civil space programme, will be at Queen Elizabeth House in Edinburgh. Two further regional offices will be opened in Wales and the Midlands, while new headquarters will also be located in Harwell, Oxford.

The government said that the expansion will enable the agency to collaborate more closely with the UK’s space sector, while promoting regional skills and job opportunities to deliver increasingly ambitious missions and capabilities.

Read more here.

Cybersecurity Firm Acumen Enters UK Market With Glasgow Office

Cybersecurity services provider Acumen has announced its entry into the UK market, pledging to deliver ‘unparalleled expertise and cutting-edge technology to assist organisations in maintaining security in an increasingly hostile digital landscape.’

Headquartered in Glasgow, Acumen offers clients a fully managed 24/7 Security Operations Centre (SOC). Its roster of technology partners includes CrowdStrike, Elastic, Fortinet, and Barracuda.

“Our 24/7 Security Operations Centre strives to combine the right people, technology, and methodologies. We set ourselves an ambitious goal – there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to cyber security challenges, but we believe we have assembled an impressive package tailored to our clients’ needs,” said Kevin Robertson, co-founder and chief operating officer (COO) at Acumen.

Read more here.

Strata Opens New Office in Edinburgh

Strata, a delivery-focused consultancy specialising in BlackRock’s Aladdin and eFront platforms, has opened a new office in Edinburgh – it’s first outside of London – at One Lochrin Square.

Strata has been a key figure in major global implementations, catering to a diverse clientele comprising asset managers, wealth managers, insurers, asset owners, and asset servicers.

The consultancy’s expertise is built on detailed knowledge of the investment lifecycle, including front office and trading, middle office (including outsourced arrangements), accounting and client reporting, risk and regulation, compliance, and technology, data, and infrastructure. With a strategic focus on Aladdin and eFront, Strata is well-positioned to streamline implementations, optimise the value obtained from the applications and drive adoption of these platforms.

Read more here. 

DataKirk Announces Expanded Event to Bolster Diversity in Scottish Tech

DataKirk, a leading advocate for diversity and innovation in Scotland, has unveiled its Scottish Ethnic Minority Talent Summit & Festival (SEMTSF) 2024, marking a significant evolution in its continued commitment to inclusivity and empowerment.

In response to the dynamic landscape of Scotland’s workforce and economy, SEMTSF hopes to revolutionise the narrative surrounding talent, diversity, and opportunity.

Embracing a fresh perspective, SEMTSF will extend over a 5-day period, from October 28th to November 1st, 2024, spanning across the major cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, and Aberdeen.

SEMTSF is poised to address the critical challenges facing Scotland’s demographic fabric and economic vitality. Amidst evolving UK Government Immigration regulations and talent dynamics, SEMTSF stands as a pivotal platform to cultivate innovative solutions for attracting and retaining skilled ethnic minorities in Scotland.

Read more here. 

FOR:EV continues expansion with new charging sites at Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Toolstation

FOR:EV, the Edinburgh-headquartered provider of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, is rolling out its rapid charging stations at four further retail locations across Scotland.

The four sites – at Sainsbury’s Inverkip in Inverclyde, Toolstation Montrose, Tesco Express on Great Northern Road, Aberdeen and South Harbour Road retail park in Fraserburgh – are all run by Cedarwood Asset Management Ltd and David Samuel Asset Management Ltd.

Installation of three dual charging points (with 6 connectors) at Inverkip and two dual charging points (4 connectors) at Montrose is now complete, with work due to start at Aberdeen and Fraserburgh (both 3 dual charging points, 6 connectors) in the coming months.  The rapid chargers at all four sites could charge a typical EV from 20% to 80% in 30 minutes. 

FOR:EV has established an ongoing relationship with Cedarwood Asset Management Ltd, which owns or manages around 17 sites across Scotland, creating the potential to develop EV charging hubs at other locations in the future.

Par Equity expands Edinburgh team following fund launch

Leading venture capital firm, Par Equity, has today announced three new appointments to its Edinburgh team – Patricia El-Jichi as Investment Manager, with Clara Baltay and Oliver Johnston-Watt as Investment Analysts. Working from Par Equity’s Edinburgh office, the new hires promise to bring a diverse set of expertise and bolster the existing investment strategy in Scotland.

Patricia El-Jichi joins Par Equity from SIS Ventures. She previously worked at Ada Ventures, gaining invaluable experience screening and investing in tech start-ups in sectors including healthcare, climate, and financial inclusion. She is a CFA Charterholder accumulating over a decade of experience working with international institutions such as Citigroup and J.P. Morgan, where she provided ultra-high net worth clients with institutional service, advice, and execution across asset classes.

Clara Baltay joins Par Equity from Hive Energy where she worked as an Investment Manager. Having graduated from UCL, where she studied MSci, Biochemistry, Clara specialises in biochemistry, exploring and evaluating new technologies and business opportunities in the sustainable technology sector.

Also joining as an Investment Analyst is Oliver Johnston-Watt, who comes armed with several years of experience founding and growing businesses. He was Co-Founder & Advisor at BTP, before becoming a Co-Founder and Non-Executive Board Member at OneCommerce. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Ancient and Modern History from the University of Oxford.

Glasgow-based digital marketing agency GRA as it sets its sights on international expansion

Glasgow-based digital marketing agency GRA has embarked on an ambitious international expansion phase with a series of significant contract wins from new players in the dynamic US tech sector.

While Scotland remains the dominant market for the full-service agency, the move into the US arena – and the associated reputational boost – opens up major new opportunities for GRA as part of its longer-term strategy of taking on more big-brand business.

The new deals will also further enhance turnover, which has already increased by 75% this year and is likely to add to the staff complement of five within six months to a year as workload increases.

GRA – started as Guy Robertson Advertising in 1986 – is now run by the eponymous founder’s daughter, Jemma Robertson, 26. She said: “While Scotland is very much our home turf, we are aware that there are increasing opportunities in the US, I think simply because it has a more entrepreneurial culture.

“Brands out there are not afraid to give something a go and experiment, which is exactly our philosophy too. Testing, learning and optimising is one of the best approaches there is so when we find clients that have those similar values as ourselves, it feels a match made in heaven and a relationship that is destined to flourish.

“For our part, we have demonstrated that we have an attractive proposition, despite being UK-based. We have a successful track record and have the flexibility and agility which allows us to respond in the way our clients want and most importantly need.”