The first twenty startups have been chosen to join a new academic entrepreneurship incubator from the University of Edinburgh.

The Venture Builder Incubator aims to turn research from postgraduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and academic staff into viable and sustainable businesses. The incubator was open to projects from the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University.

Among the selected startups are companies offering AI-driven conveyancing, well-being platforms for children, and a robot capable of planting seagrass.

In addition, on the back of a partnership between the University of Edinburgh and Cancer Research UK, eight companies operating in the field of cancer prevention and treatment were selected to join the incubator.

These include NanoTara, a company that uses magnetic nanorobots to provide early cancer diagnosis, and 10zyme, which can detect cancers through urine or saliva samples.

The incubator forms part of the university’s Data-Driven Entrepreneur Programme and was delivered by the Bayes Centre, with support from Edinburgh Innovations. Edinburgh-based design consultancy Nile, Scale Space and pan-European university venture builder and accelerator edventure also provide support.

Enterprise and innovation programme lead at Edinburgh Innovations Charlotte Waugh said: “We are delighted to welcome some of the most promising entrepreneurial students in Edinburgh along with leading academic researchers from other parts of the UK to participate in Venture Builder Incubator 2.0.

“The programme features 20 companies that have been engaged in academic research to address some of the world’s major challenges including the climate emergency, health and wellbeing, children’s mental health, and financial security.

“We look forward to supporting these ventures, helping commercialise their ideas to transform them into world-leading businesses. This programme further builds on our ambition to establish Edinburgh as the Data Capital of Europe.”

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The first Venture Builder Incubator revealed its 27 chosen projects in April this year. The projects included waste-sorting robots, digital care platforms and environment-studying drones

In both incubators, each of the initiatives received a £2,000 grant, along with support in the form of workshops, mentoring, networking events and access to the university’s expertise and resources.

Venture builder incubator programme manager Laura Bernal said: “We’re delighted to welcome all our new cohorts including the eight start-up companies recruited in partnership with Cancer Research UK (CRUK), with ideas to transform the way we treat cancer.

“These companies are focused on developing early diagnosis tools and less invasive testing to enable better and quicker treatments and improved outcomes for cancer patients.”

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