Welcome to the latest monthly edition of DIGIT Movers and Shakers.

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

This month’s column features a stellar mix of cutting-edge organisations and key players doing exciting things — read on to learn more!

Recruitment

Clarus onboards Paul Coffey as new CTO

Wireless connectivity mogul Paul Coffey takes on his newest role of chief technology officer (CTO) at Clarus Networks Group following the company’s increased growth.

Coffey brings with him experience from organisations like his previous role at the Scotland 5G Centre where he held the position of CEO. His past experience also includes head of strategy at a global wholesale network operator and head of mobile products at Virgin Media business.

“Now is the perfect time to bring onboard Paul Coffey, a dynamic tech expert and telecoms leader, taking our connectivity offering to the next level,” said Derek Phillips, group managing director at The Clarus Networks Group.

Read more here.

Orbex appoints Lesley Still as chief of spaceport operations

Orbex, the UK-based spaceflight company, has announced the appointment of Lesley Still as its new Chief of Spaceport Operations. This key appointment comes as Orbex advances its preparations for the UK mainland’s inaugural vertical rocket launch.

Lesley, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, brings four decades of aerospace industry experience to her new role. She has held strategic leadership positions throughout her career, specializing in the planning and delivery of effective ground and logistics operations to support commercial aerospace organisations.

“The next few months are critical for Orbex as we are building both a rocket and a spaceport at the same time,” said Martin Coates, CEO at Orbex. “Lesley’s extensive aerospace sector experience will be invaluable as we fine-tune our operations and get ready for our first launch. We look forward to her leadership and guidance as we continue our preparations.”

Holly Grace Williams joins TechForce Cyber Aberdeen as associate consultant

TechForce Cyber, a leading cybersecurity firm, is thrilled to announce the addition of Holly Grace Williams as an Associate Consultant. Holly Grace brings with her sixteen years of experience in the cybersecurity industry, specializing in penetration testing and cybersecurity consultancy.

TechForce Cyber CEO and founder Jai Aenugu said: “Her extensive experience in penetration testing, software development, and cloud security will be invaluable in delivering top-notch cybersecurity solutions to our clients. We are confident that her expertise and passion for the industry will greatly contribute to our continued growth and success.”

Kura appoints Owen Campbell for new operations director role

Customer service outsourcer Kura has announced the appointment of Owen Campbell as its new Operations Director.

Owen, who started at Kura 11 years ago as a contact centre advisor, has grown through the ranks and his promotion is recognition for his dedication to operational excellence within the contact centre industry.

Brian Bannatyne, CEO at Kura, said: “Owen’s rise through the ranks at Kura exemplifies his profound understanding of operational intricacies and his ability to drive positive and transformative initiatives.

Burness Paull announces promotion of four new partners

The newly appointed partners are Louise Chambers (real estate), Stephen Farrell (dispute resolution), Karen Manning (construction and projects) and Liam Young (pensions).

The four new partners take the total number of partners at Burness Paull to 89 and are among 71 promotions – including nine directors, 13 senior associates, 18 associates, and 17 senior solicitors – across the firm’s practice areas and business functions in its offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.

Peter Lawson, chair at Burness Paull, said: “The promotion of Louise, Stephen, Karen and Liam to partner recognises the specialist expertise they have honed in their respective areas over a number of years, and the valuable contribution they are making to clients, their teams and the wider firm.

Read more here.

Moves, Relocations, and Expansions

Par Equity opens Yorkshire offices

Par Equity, the Edinburgh-headquartered venture capital (VC) firm, has announced its strategic expansion south of the Scottish border and into Yorkshire with two new offices in the region.

Opening offices in both Sheffield and Leeds, the Yorkshire hub will serve as a second base for investment activity, providing greater funding and scaling opportunities for emerging tech startups and scaleups in the North of England.

“In this region, we don’t shout about our successes and therefore can go unnoticed to the outside world. This, however, is a very exciting period for the region. It is still underserved from a funding perspective, which is where I believe Par Equity can make a big impact,” said Giles Moore, a serial entrepreneur from Sheffield.

Read more here.

SCC opens office in Livingston

International IT solutions provider SCC opens doors to new Scottish headquarters in Livingston.

The move signifies long-term growth plans for Scotland, where it is already employing 44 people and generating a turnover of £38 million. SCC says it’s now looking to fill dozens of new jobs, and target a growth of 20% in Scotland this year, and 40% in the next five.

“This is an exciting time for SCC and in particular for our business in Scotland,” she said, citing a number of sales, service, and engineering jobs that will be opening in the next five years,” said Lindsey Hunter, who was appointed to lead the expansion.

Read more here.

Clarus expands into England and lines up third office in Aberdeen

Clarus Networks Group, the connectivity and network specialist based in Bathgate, has launched a new Maritime & Energy Division and opened a new office in England. Although Clarus supports customers all over the world, this new office represents the first permanent Clarus office outside Scotland.

The second office comes at a period of high growth for Clarus, with year to date revenue increasing 328% compared to last year and company headcount doubling. Clarus selected Norwich as the location for the new office based on proximity to key maritime and logistic locations, and access to skilled staff. The team has plans to expand further by opening offices in Aberdeen and Milton Keynes at the start of 2024, reflecting the regions as hubs for energy and innovation.

Chris Schonhut, Director of Maritime & Energy added: “Joining the Clarus team means working with the most powerful connectivity technology available. I’m already hearing feedback from Maritime clients on the benefits of superfast connection, including crew welfare, improved comms and collaboration, and enhanced reliability.”

Awards

Aberdeen tech firm comes third in tech innovator competition

Aberdeen business Leap Automation has come third in KPMG’s annual UK Tech Innovator competition, which shines a spotlight on the ‘tech titans of tomorrow.’

After winning the Scottish heat in June, the company’s co-CEOs, Ben Stuart and Ben Bamford, went on to pitch at the competition’s UK final. The business took bronze for its use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in its end of line automation and machine vision systems for food producers.

Ben Bamford, Co-CEO at Leap Automation, said: “It was a great experience to stand alongside some of the UK’s most pioneering innovators and take part in the competition. The other finalist’s creative flair and dedication to a better future was truly inspiring, and this experience has given us access to people and ideas which will absolutely help take Leap to the next level.”

Read more here.

Aberdeen digital media company wins silver award at US International Awards

Aberdeen-based digital media company, Signal, have won an international Silver Award at the prestigious US International Awards in Los Angeles, for one of the films they produced for Aberdeen event venue P&J Live. The film, titled ‘Back to Live’ was commissioned to launch the reopening of the venue after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The film was targeted at the general public who come to see large scale performances. At the time of filming, the venue had not yet reopened, so the Signal team had to find a clever way to represent the excitement of a live event without being able to film real audience members.

Signal’s creative director, Mark Turner said, “As a local business we’re proud to have been able to support another one of our local venues. We created an energetic film designed to reflect the excitement and anticipation of audience’s visiting a live gig. Every shot has its own unique sound effect so that, under the music, the audio has its own rhythm which helps drive the film.”

ENU recognised for gold standard cybersecurity work

Edinburgh Napier University’s (ENU) School of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment has been recognised for its contribution to cybersecurity by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). The UK government organisation, which aims to promote and maintain the country’s cyber resilience, has presented SCEBE with a Gold award for its Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Education (ACE-CSE).

The award acknowledges the key role ENU has played in promoting the advancement of cybersecurity within and outside the University. The ACE-CSE infrastructure aims to enhance the teaching and promotion of the subject. ENU joins 11 other UK institutions in receiving the gold award, following the creation of ACE-CSE in 2020 – and is one of only two in Scotland.

Dr Matthew Broadbent, who leads the cybersecurity subject area, said: “This award showcases our work in improving the education and the impact of cybersecurity in our university – both for our students and staff, but, just as importantly, outside our university”.

Elaine Gemmell becomes honorary professor Heriot-Watt’s School of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Elaine Gemmell, Head of Regulatory Affairs at InnoScot Health, has been conferred the title of Honorary Professor in the Edinburgh-based university’s School of Engineering and Physical Sciences in recognition of her expertise.

The award reflects Elaine’s service and contribution to Heriot-Watt, and the close ties forged, particularly with the university’s Medical Device Manufacturing Centre (MDMC) which helps Scotland’s SMEs translate medical device concepts into commercial products.

Commenting on the award, Elaine said: “I am both surprised and delighted to be awarded the title of Honorary Professor in the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Heriot-Watt University.”

“I enjoy a strong relationship with the university and share its ambition to accelerate medical device innovation across Scotland and beyond.”

Partnerships

GoFibre has partnered with Emtelle to transform Hawick’s digital connectivity

Scottish independent broadband business, GoFibre has partnered with Emtelle, who have manufacturing facilities in the Scottish Borders, as it works to construct a full fibre network in their hometown.

Emtelle will manufacture and supply GoFibre, born in Duns in the Scottish Borders, with the duct, sub-duct and fibre required to connect more than 8,000 premises across Hawick to the transformative power of full-fibre.

Andy Hepburn, GoFibre’s CEO, said: “As a Duns-born business, it’s important we’re partnering with local, and well-respected, organisations where business equates to local jobs and opportunities; all whilst addressing carbon reduction since their kit is manufactured right on our doorstep.

Stirling and Ukrainian Academics use satellite data for water quality testing

Researchers from the University of Stirling are working with a Ukrainian university to monitor water quality with satellite data.

Amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, critical infrastructure has undergone significant damage. The destruction of hydroelectric power plants, water pumping stations, purification plants, and wastewater treatment facilities have created an environmental and public health crisis.

“The war has also disabled or destroyed a lot of specialised equipment, and the status of water bodies close to areas of intense fighting has deteriorated. Restoring observation infrastructure can take a long time,” said Nikolai Berlinsky, head of the oceanology and marine management department at Odesa State Environmental University, and part of the delegation that visited Stirling.

Read more here.

Blackford and Brainreader Announce Commercial Partnership

Blackford, the strategic imaging AI platform and solutions provider, and Brainreader, a leading provider of automated medical brain image analysis software, today announced a commercial partnership to bring advanced medical image analysis and diagnostics tools to healthcare professionals.

Under the partnership, Brainreader’s innovative image analysis software, including their advanced brain volumetric software, will be integrated with Blackford’s advanced medical imaging AI platform. Blackford’s platform and services offering provides healthcare professionals access to a wide portfolio of medical AI solutions designed to drive clinical efficiency and improve patient outcomes.

“Blackford is committed to providing tailored, best-of-breed AI solutions to healthcare providers to help improve their diagnostic accuracy and clinical efficiency,” said Ben Panter, CEO of Blackford. “We are thrilled to partner with Brainreader and add their innovative neurology software to our market-leading AI portfolio.”

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Heriot-Watt partners with Edinburgh Remakery for tech donation box

Heriot-Watt and Edinburgh Remakery are partnering up for a Tech Donation Box programme, encouraging students and staff to recycle their e-waste.

Staff and students at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh are being invited to donate unwanted personal laptops, smart phones, and other tech items to a local social enterprise that diverts waste from landfill and refurbishes old IT kit so it can be used again – including by people facing digital isolation and poverty.

“With some refurbishment and repair, end-of-life IT equipment can often start a whole new life that helps people and the planet in so many ways, ” Fraser Muir, director of information services at Heriot-Watt University said.

Read more here.

Blackford and Ligence announce echocardiography AI partnership

Blackford, the pioneering strategic imaging AI platform and solutions provider, announces a partnership with Ligence Medical AI Solutions to make Ligence Heart available on the Blackford Platform, allowing clinicians to analyse transthoracic echocardiography while using AI.

“Blackford is committed to delivering AI applications that broaden clinical and operational AI use cases and drive additional value for healthcare organisations,” said Blackford CEO Ben Panter. “We are happy to be further expanding our cardiology portfolio through the partnership with Ligence.”

Providing at least 30% faster study evaluation time for certain measurements, the Ligence Heart AI Solution speeds everyday workflow and is an ideal solution for retrospectively analysing large cohorts.

DirectID and LendInvest collaborate to streamline credit decisions

DirectID, the open banking provider specialising in credit and risk decisions, is proud to announce a partnership with LendInvest, a leading platform for mortgages in the UK. This collaboration marks another significant milestone in alternative credit assessment, as two fintechs collaborate to streamline the lending process in the property finance market.

“DirectID’s expertise in open banking data for credit and risk decisions synergises perfectly with LendInvest’s technology-driven mortgage platform. This partnership heralds a new era of credit assessment and enhances our efficiency in property finance,” said Will Maciver, customer success manager at DirectID.

“By incorporating DirectID’s insights, LendInvest gains a competitive advantage, streamlining lending decisions with a more comprehensive view of customer financial profiles. As DirectID’s Customer Success Manager, I’m thrilled about the transformative potential of this partnership in reshaping the landscape of property finance.”

Wood and Harbour Energy agree to strategic partnership

Wood and Harbour Energy (Harbour), the UK’s largest oil and gas producer, have entered into a new strategic partnership for UK North Sea operations agreeing a new master services agreement (MSA) and associated contracts valued at around $330 million (£261m).

Under this new agreement, Wood will provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and operations and maintenance (O&M) services, including digital and decarbonisation solutions, for a number of Harbour’s offshore assets critical to UK energy security.

Steve Nicol, Wood’s Executive President of Operations, said: “We are incredibly proud to have been selected and trusted by Harbour Energy to partner with them across their North Sea assets.”

Read more here.

Krucial and Logicomms join forces to deliver next-generation solutions

Satellite-enabled communications specialist Krucial has entered into a strategic partnership with Logicomms, a leading telecommunication solutions company based in Scotland. The collaboration aims to deliver enhanced value to organizations across the UK and beyond by providing a comprehensive range of communication solutions that go beyond the limitations of conventional options.

The partnership brings together Krucial’s expertise in satellite-enabled communication solutions, and Logicomms’ strong foothold in the telecommunication industry. Together, the focus will be on offering hybrid communications and end-to-end data solutions to organizations with dispersed remote operations or those in need of resilient communication for mission-critical data.

Commenting on the announcement, Allan Cannon, CEO and co-founder of Krucial, said: “The partnership with Logicomms marks an exciting development in Krucial’s journey as we bring digital transformation to more and more organizations.”