A device that can tackle housing-related health issues, an app to slow the progression of dementia, and ownership infrastructure for digital media were all recently presented at an emerging tech showcase in Edinburgh.

Early-stage firms that are part of the University of Edinburgh’s Venture Builder Incubator (VBI) and AI Accelerator (AIA) programmes combined to present their cohorts which are looking for investment.

At the event, over 200 investors, founders, and ecosystem partners also voted for the companies most likely to make an impact on the world in ten years’ time.

Winner in the AIA health category was Nooku, a Glasgow-based company with a device that monitors indoor air quality and provides actionable insights to improve it.

Nooku founder Danny Kane, who’s from Glasgow and whose six-year-old has asthma, said: “In the UK, we spend 90% of our time indoors where the air is up to 5 times more polluted than outside, often because of poor building design, which results in insufficient ventilation and leads to issues like dampness and mould.

“Shockingly, the UK now has the third highest asthma rate in the world.

“Our device analyses the air quality and the app uses AI to sync with building information and occupant health data to provide tailored advice and actionable insights.

“These could range from improving ventilation, to choosing less toxic cleaning products, or even just shutting the kitchen door when you cook to prevent harmful pollutants spreading through your home.”

Nooku is already on sale through retailers such as Curry’s and B&Q, and is looking for £1.5 million to roll out to the United States next year.

Meanwhile, winner of the wildcard category was Leafstory, an AI character that converses with dementia sufferers to help build up their memory bank and slow disease progression.

University of Edinburgh startup SolarSub also won the climate action category for its innovative cooling system that improves the efficiency and sustainability of floating solar panels.

VBI companies pitching included winner Garandor, which is aiming to address the challenge of AI and creative copyright with a solution combining invisible watermarking, misuse detection, and automated enforcement to provide rights holders with control, attribution, and compensation.

Broonie, meanwhile, won in the education category for its safe artificial intelligence for schools.

Alumni of the two Edinburgh-based, business-supporting programmes have raised a combined £144 million in grant funding and investment so far.

Recommended reading

• Scottish Universities Among UK’s Best for Spinouts
• RBS and STAC Join Forces to Accelerate Deep Tech Growth
• Techscaler Showcase of Scottish Startups Hits London

Claire Cramm, investment manager at venture capital fund Par Equity, who participated in a panel at the event, said: “Fostering investment in the most promising early-stage companies across the north of the UK is key to building the next generation of high-growth businesses.

“Events like the AIA and VBI Showcase play an important role in connecting investors with emerging technologies that have the potential to scale and make a real impact.”

Dr Andrea Taylor, CEO of Edinburgh Innovations, the university’s commercialisation service, added: “Growing innovative, high-quality startups and spinouts takes tenacity and energy from founders, and support from entrepreneurial campuses like Edinburgh’s, as well as the broader Scottish ecosystem, including investors willing to take a risk.”