Seventeen research projects at seven Scottish universities will share £2.92 million from the Scottish Government’s Proof of Concept fund. The government announced the awards on 2 October.

The fund was piloted last year. It helps researchers find out whether ideas developed in university labs could become viable businesses, an early stage that academic teams often find hard to finance.

What the money pays for

The government says the funding can speed up several parts of the spinout process. That includes building prototype products, carrying out market analysis and preparing pitches to investors.

Ministers say nearly £6 million has now been invested over two years to help more Scottish spinout companies start and succeed.

Projects named this year

The announcement names several of the funded projects:

Kinera, at Heriot-Watt University, is developing a wearable health-monitoring device for people with Parkinson’s disease. The aim is to help clinicians make more personalised treatment decisions.

Merra-log, at the University of St Andrews, is working on a low-cost system that collects and sends high-quality marine and freshwater data in near real time.

Scensai, at the University of Aberdeen, is designing an affordable handheld chemical-sensing device for the drinks industry.

Researchers at the University of Aberdeen have also been awarded £124,000 to develop a simple lateral-flow test for chronic gastrointestinal disorders. The work will develop and check prototype tests that could be used in primary care. The project is led by Professor Jenna Gregory, who said the support was an important step towards earlier answers for patients and more targeted treatment.

Results from the pilot year

The government also pointed to a project funded in 2025–26. The Critical Technologies Accelerator at the University of Glasgow received £125,000 to develop a new coupler design for silicon-photonic microchips. One of its researchers described the award as a way of crossing the so-called “valley of death” between academic science and industrial use.

What it means

Economy Secretary Stephen Flynn said Scotland’s universities had produced world-changing ideas for centuries, and that this innovation needed to keep being nurtured.

The awards fund early-stage development only. Being funded does not mean any of these products is on the market, or that a company has been formed.