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

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

Owkin

MedTech AI Company Owkin is welcomes Leo Cunningham as its new CISO. Cunningham brings with him experience being CISO at other tech companies such as Flo and Zonal Retail Data Systems.

Cunningham said he is excited to work for another mission driven company, something which he wanted to continue doing after his time with Flo.

Read more here.

Willo

Rec-tech startup Willo is welcoming Kevin Swan as its new VP of Finance. Swan joins willow from EY, where he was associate director of corporate finance, leading the accounting firms technology deals in Scotland.

In Swan’s new position, he will focus on escalating Willo’s use of data-led business insights and intelligence. A strategy that Swan wants to see help Willo scale around the world.

Read more here.

xDesign

Edinburgh headquartered digital deliver partner, xDesign, has launched a new cloud computing division which will be overseen by Tina Howell, who joins the company as its Chief Cloud Officer.

The company’s new cloud offering will support existing and new clients to unlock the full benefits of solutions offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS).

As part of her team, Howell is joined by Lead Cloud Architect, Jamie Shields – both joining xDesign from previous employer, AND Digital.

Read more here.

Novosound

Novosound, the Scottish firm specialising in ultrasound technology, has appointed David Jolliffe, the former executive of an Intel-acquired company, as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Jollife’s appointment to Glasgow-headquartered Novosound is a part of the tech firm’s launch of a new leadership team, led by CEO and co-founder Dave Hughes, and composed of Simon Patterson as Chief Commercial Officer, Gwen Grant as Chief Administrative Officer, and Jolliffe as CFO. Jolliffe, who began his career in Grant Thornton LLP’s corporate finance team, was also previously Finance Director of UK Power Operations at Scottish Power, Chief Executive of Pyroguard — a subsidiary of CGI International — and was most recently CFO at Optoscribe.

Read more here.

Equity Gap

Fraser Lusty becomes managing director, while the Edinburgh-based angel investment syndicate’s founder Jock Millican moves to a new position of executive chair.

Rhona Bree joins Equity Gap from Scottish Enterprise as a senior investment and portfolio manager.

She brings more than 10 years’ experience of supporting early stage companies, from initial investment to follow-on funding and successful exits.

Read more here.

Thorntons

Full-service Scottish law firm Thorntons has strengthened its specialist data protection team with the appointment of a new Data Protection Officer in the Edinburgh office. Sajidha Iqbal joins the firm as it responds to a growth in demand from its public sector client base.

As an accredited specialist in Data Protection, Privacy and Information Security, Sajidha brings over 8 years of experience to the role.

She joins Thornton’s specialist Data Protection Services Team working alongside specialists Loretta Maxfield and Morgan O’Neill, as part of the wider team to provide data protection law and best practice advice to businesses, charities and public sector organisations across Scotland.

Read more here.

Skills Development Scotland

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is on the lookout for a new chair for its Digital Economy Skills Group (DESG).

DESG is a collective of industry and public sector experts which meets regularly to shape the delivery of national activity to help plug the country’s digital skills gap.

Ross Tuffee recently stepped down after three years in the role, commenting: “It’s been a real pleasure and privilege working with SDS and my fellow DESG colleagues to help influence and drive the digital skills agenda in Scotland.

Read more, and apply here.

Label Sessions

Helen Page brings 25 years of experience to Label Sessions, after working across industries in marketing and innovation. Label Sessions, the recently-launched platform that connects business leaders with advisors, has announced that Helen Page is joining as chair of the new business’ board.

Page’s 25-year careers spans marketing, innovation, consultancy, and customer experience. She currently serves on a portfolio of boards in the UK including the Artisanal Spirits Company, which had its IPO in 2021.

Read more here.

Awards

Blackwood Design

The Blackwood Design Awards is celebrating a decade of excellence and innovation by welcoming entrants to participate in the 2023/24 competition.

An international awards programme that seeks to find innovative and life-changing inventions and concepts that enhance independent living for people with disabilities, this year marks the 10th anniversary of the competition. The Blackwood Design Awards are open to anyone who has produced a great idea that supports people with disabilities, regardless of their background or level of experience.

Read more here.

Spire

Spire — the space data and services firm which designs, builds, tests, and operates all its satellites in Glasgow — has been awarded a contract by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to deliver preparatory work for the implementation phases of a wildfire monitoring satellite.

The contract is the initial step towards the CSA’s planned WildFireSat mission, which aims to monitor all active wildfires in Canada from space on a daily basis. This is to support wildfire management, provide Canadians with more precise information on smoke and air quality conditions, and more accurately measure the carbon emitted by wildfires.

Read more here.

Converge 

Students, staff, and graduates at Scotland’s universities are harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) as a force for good for both people and the planet, the national springboard for university innovators, Converge, has revealed.

Converge has today unveiled the 100 start-ups and spinouts that will receive support to turn their ideas for products and services into reality as part of its 2023 programme. This includes people from all 19 Scottish higher education institutions, with a growing number of companies using AI to help tackle challenges including the climate emergency, health conditions, and childhood literacy.

Read more here.

Moves, Relocations, and Expansions

University of Stirling

A new laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment used for brain- and behaviour-related study across the human lifespan has opened at the University of Stirling.

The University’s new facility — dubbed the Lifespan Research Lab — will enable researchers to study cognition, behaviour, and brain function in people of all ages, from infants to older adults, and is said to be the first lab of its kind in Scotland.

Specifically, the lab has a range of specialist equipment that aids with the study of people who can’t effectively verbally communicate, such as young children who haven’t yet learned how to talk.

Read more here.

Opencast

Opencast, a rapidly growing independent tech consultancy company, has announced the opening of its latest office in Glasgow. The move looks to capitalise on the city’s technology sector and local talent.

Opencast currently has over 400 specialist consultants, including 19 professionals already working in Glasgow. With the move to Glasgow, the company plans to expand its Glasgow team to 30 over the next year.

Read about it here.

ONE BioHub

Aiming to help diversify the economy and increase the impact of science and technology from within life science companies — as well as act as a focal point for action and investment — Aberdeen’s £40 million ONE BioHub has been formally launched.

The innovation hub is set to provide start-up, spinout, and scaling life science companies that are addressing contemporary health challenges and issues with offices, incubator laboratories, commercialisation and growth programmes, plus access to mentors, professional networks, and investors.

Read about it here.

Partnerships

The Cyber and Fraud Centre

The Cyber and Fraud Centre – Scotland is providing opportunities for ethical hackers to gain practical experience in the field while studying in collaboration with Abertay University.

Aiming to bridge the gap between academia and industry, the partnership provides students with real-world scenarios and experience in a safe and controlled environment. Through their collaboration with Abertay University, the Cyber and Fraud Centre allows students to actively contribute to the Centre’s professional cyber services.

Read more here.

Scottish Business Network & CENSIS Technology Solutions

The new partnership aims to create a thriving GovTech dynamic that can unlock value while fostering ‘genuine, effective links between the Scottish Government, public sector and the tech industry.’

Scottish Business Network has been officially announced as the Cluster Driver Organisation (CDO) for Scotland’s GovTech sector, in a strategic partnership with CENSIS Technology Solutions (CTS) and the CivTech programme. This appointment comes as part of the Scottish Government’s ongoing bid to drive digital transformation and innovation across the country.

Read more here.

Universities of Edinburgh & Glasgow and the Scottish Government

Linguists and AI specialists at the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow have been awarded £225,000 by the Scottish Government to produce a Gaelic subtitling system suitable for the BBC.

Funding will also enable the team to start working towards the production of a large language model – similar to ChatGPT – for Scottish Gaelic speakers. Efforts to create the system are part of a wider initiative to counter the threat of digital extinction faced by Scottish Gaelic and other minority languages.

Read more here.

Commsworld & Right There

Commsworld’s partnership with Right There will include incentives for employees to volunteer with the charity, including offering paid leave.

The year-long partnership was announced by Commsworld chief executive Steve Langmead and Right There chief executive Janet Haugh at a ‘company day’ at Commsworld’s Edinburgh headquarters.

Read more here.

Heriot-Watt & CENSIS

Heriot-Watt University is welcoming CENSIS, Scotland’s innovation centre for sensing, imaging and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, to its GRID research facility in a move that aims to help Scottish businesses explore the wide range of opportunities presented through advanced digital technologies.

The new additional location for CENSIS will see the innovation centre increase its regional presence in Edinburgh and the Lothians through its first east coast ‘hub’ located at the university’s Riccarton Campus.

Read more here.

BR-DGE & American Express

This latest collaboration with American Express will seek to enhance the merchant and consumer experience of payments by offering a ‘secure and frictionless Open Banking payment solution.’

Payment orchestration provider BR-DGE has announced a partnership with American Express in a bid to enhance the Open Banking capabilities for merchants.

Read more here.

DirectID & Smoothpay

Edinburgh-based DirectID, a global credit and risk platform, has announced a strategic partnership with Smoothpay, a fintech startup which caters to freelance workers.

The partnership aims to use DirectID’s open banking platform to help freelancers, contractors, and small business owners receive reliable monthly income.

Smoothpay is a London-based startup that offers those under precarious work arrangements such as freelancers or gig-economy workers financial stability by analysing historical income data to provide a consistent source of income.

Read about it here.

Abertay University & Dundee United

Abertay University and Dundee United have launched a new Esports collaboration for the upcoming E-Scottish Football Cup.

The tournament, taking place on 21 May, will be contested by a host of Scottish clubs, with professional FIFA players Mitchell Hayward and Josh Blunden representing United.

Professor Gregor White of Abertay University’s School of Design and Informatics said: “As close city partners, this new collaboration between Abertay and Dundee United makes perfect sense and it’s excellent to be supporting the club as they embark on their first steps into the rapidly-growing Esports sector.

Read about it here.

CodeClan & Young Women’s Movement

The partnership will enable CodeClan to launch new programmes specifically geared toward women entering the tech sector.

CodeClan, the not-for-profit software training programme, has partnered with The Young Women’s Movement, Scotland’s national organisation for young women leadership and gender equality, and Scotland Women in Technology (SWIT), in a bid to get more women into tech careers.

Read about it here.

The Data Lab & The Data Shed

The Data Lab has said that its partnerships will help unlock business opportunities for Scotland, strengthening its position as a ‘data leader on the world stage’.

The Data Lab has signed its first partnership agreement south of the Border.

It will work with The Data Shed – a Leeds-based data engineering consultancy focused on delivering data transformation projects that reduce business risk and on understanding the potential of data.

Read about it here.

Digital Poverty Alliance & The National Delivery Plan

The lack of home internet access or digital skills can hamper an individual’s ability to access vital services, manage their healthcare, acquire new skills, and seek employment according to the DPA.

Paul Finnis, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance said: “This flagship strategy set out by the DPA is designed to have a tangible impact on those most impacted by a lack of essential access to the digital world and the alliance is committed to delivering this support alongside our partners and fellow community.”

Read about it here.

Smart Data Foundry & Ozone API

Scots not-for-profit organisation Smart Data Foundry has announced a new partnership, and the launch of two open banking-focused tools, in a bid to support and grow global financial innovation in open banking.

Currently based at the Bayes Centre — the University of Edinburgh’s innovation hub for AI and data science — the Smart Data Foundry is a mission-led data innovation organisation serving the public, private, and third sectors, helping them to harness data for good. In the new partnership with Ozone API — the standards-based open API platform — the Smart Data Foundry has launched two tools in a move to support financial innovation: the Standards Library and the Innovation Atlas.

Read about it here.

pureLiFi & Fairbanks Morse Defense

Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), is advancing its technology portfolio by signing a three-year agreement with Edinburgh-based pureLiFi — a secure, light-based wireless connectivity technology.

The agreement makes FMD the exclusive reseller of the company’s technology and products to FM OnBoard maritime defense customers in the United States, providing those users with access to data transmission capabilities while at sea. “The ability to have secure connectivity while at sea is a mission-critical capability for our maritime defense customers,” said George Whittier, Chief Executive Officer of Fairbanks Morse Defense.

Read about it here.