The Knowledge Transfer Programme will look at new ways to identify voters
Edinburgh Napier University and Democracy Counts, a company which runs elections around the world, are teaming up in a joint effort to give people more trust in their voting systems in the digital age.
The University’s Blockpass ID Lab will work with the firm over two years as part of a new Knowledge Transfer Programme, funded by Innovate UK.
While many electoral operators still rely on paper and pen to recognise voters, the partnership will look at developing new ways of identifying citizens, while keeping their personal information safe.
It is hoped that this will make elections more secure, transparent and reliable in future.
Professor Bill Buchanan OBE, who leads the Blockpass ID Lab at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “This collaboration will bring forward new methods, using our expertise in advanced cryptography, to properly identify voters at each of the key stages of an election.
“We will aim to replace our paper-based signatures with a more reliable and trustworthy digital approach. Through advancements like this, and digital wallets, we hope to provide more convenient and accessible ways for citizens to take part in the democratic process.”
Simon Verdon, CEO of Democracy Counts, said: “We run elections around the world, and each one differs in their scope and implementation.
“This collaboration will allow us to build the next generation of trusted voter registration and election systems which can integrate different levels of digital trust, and should make voting more transparent, more resilient, and more trustworthy.
“The opportunity is thus for the UK to continue to be an international leader in the setup of elections.”
Paul Keating, Technical Director of Democracy Counts, said: “Digital trust plays an ever-increasing role in our lives, especially as we move towards digital signing.
“As elections have to have high levels of trust and transparency, this work will bring forward the current state-of-the-art in digital trust.
“But there are challenges around using citizen data, and so the collaboration will bring forward the latest research in the preservation of privacy and make sure it has high levels of trust from citizens.”
Established in 2009, Democracy Counts is a market-leading provider of electoral management software, support services and training to the UK Government and local authorities across Scotland, England and Wales – as well as managed referendums and ballot services to public, private and community organisations.
Edinburgh Napier University’s Blockpass ID Lab has spent the last five years researching ways in which blockchain technology can protect personal data from online scammers and hackers.
Glasgow event in November helps businesses to navigate AI and emerging tech
Global experts including DowJones emerging technology director and a top New York based virtual AI fashion expert will join Scottish businesses at Scotland’s annual CAN DO Innovation Summit, on 7th November.
Now in its fourth year and in-person for the first time since the pandemic, the event at Glasgow’s Science Centre connects start-ups and small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) with leading innovators and academics to explore how new technologies, leadership and the right business cultures can tackle the challenges faced by Scottish industry and society.
More than 800 delegates and 40 speakers are expected to take part in the CAN DO Innovation Summit, which is funded by Glasgow City Council, Scottish Enterprise and Innovate UK.
The Summit has fast-become a must attend for Scottish businesses from all sectors, with this year’s event providing valuable insights on innovating to build resilience in a tough economic climate and navigating an increasingly virtual and artificial intelligence (AI) enabled world.
This year’s free to attend summit is spearheaded by female keynote speakers, with a focus on rapid advances towards a tech-driven, sustainable and virtual future.The three keynote speakers are:
Elena Corchero, Director of Emerging Tech at DowJones Live and Globally Recognised Tech Futurist (above).
Edafe Onerhime, Data Specialist and Global Financial Services Lead, Top Twenty Most Influential Women in Data 2023.
Opé M, Fashion Creative and Futurist and Top 3 Finalist New York AI Fashion Week 2023.
Dr Susie Mitchell, Programme Director, Glasgow City of Science and Innovation (lead agency for the CAN DO Innovation Summit) said: “Scotland is already well regarded as a leader in innovation, but the pace of change has hugely accelerated.
“This summit will support start-ups and SMEs to make the most of AI and emerging technologies, key tools for businesses to thrive in a challenging economic climate.
“I’m also immensely proud to launch the summit with a line-up of local and global female experts, showcasing the talented women in tech and helping to inspire the next generation of diverse leaders.”
Other speakers and panellists for the event include Nick Rosa, Industry Technology Innovation Lead from Accenture, and Nicola Anderson, CEO of FinTech Scotland.
Delegates will hear from local and global experts who will share essential tech trends, insights and tools that allow businesses to keep up and stand out. The Summit will also include a raft of business leaders from Scotland’s growing innovation clusters – from health tech and advanced manufacturing to quantum and the digital creative industries.
Keynote speaker Elena Corchero, Director of Emerging Tech at DowJones Live, said: “No matter your industry there is so much noise when you look at innovation and trends, and what can apply to your business.
“I’m excited to be part of this important event to talk about building a technology manifesto on ‘the why’ and how companies must embed well-being, immersiveness, sustainability and ethics to ensure tech and innovation adoption is challenge-based and purpose-driven.
“I’ll also share information on essential emerging (and merging) tech that businesses need to know about to stay ahead of the curve and embrace a better future.”
The event will also include an immersive showcase, on Scotland’s largest IMAX screen, of Opé M’s stunning AI-enabled fashion collection ‘Emergence’, for which she received a top 3 award at the first AI Fashion Week in New York City.
Tickets are now available for delegates to reserve free of charge on the CAN DO Innovation Summit Website, with the event taking place on 7 November 2023.
Young Innovators Next Steps Awards recognises trailblazing young entrepreneurs, accelerating their business growth to deliver an even bigger impact
Almost £1m awarded – with each winner given £50,000 to grow and scale their business over the 12-month programme
Innovate UK calls for next generation of innovators to come forward and apply for the next Young Innovators Awards
Two Young Innovators from Scotland have been given a further boost to their early-stage businesses by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, through the Young Innovators Next Steps Awards.
These entrepreneurs were previous recipients of the Young Innovators Award and have now been awarded a second time, based on their progress and their future growth plans.
The programme nurtures the talents of tomorrow to tackle some of society’s most pressing challenges. Up to 100 winning young entrepreneurs will be supported for 12 months, with individuals benefiting from a £5,000 grant, one-on-one business support, and an allowance to cover living costs.
Young Innovators Next Steps award winners
With a focus on helping young people really scale up their ground-breaking ideas, the Young Innovators Next Steps Awards will see all 19 winners receive an additional £50,000. From the first prosthetic limb for children which grows as they do, to wallets made of seaweed, and technology to help monitor and protect our bees, the 19 innovators are already making a big impact in their sectors.
In just over 12 months, since winning their first Innovate UK award, the pioneers have attracted further investment, secured offices and production facilities, expanded their teams (creating over 50 new jobs), filed patents and landed important deals with the likes of John Lewis, M&S, and Microsoft.
The two winners from Scotland are:
Lucy Fisher (26 years old), from Aberdeen, took a childhood passion for knitting and turned it into a business. Knit It® aims to inspire the younger generations to pick up their needles and start knitting via an interactive online platform that makes knitting fun and simple, whilst teaching knitters and newbies skills and techniques. Knit It® has gone from a girl and her grandma to a thriving team. Since winning her first award Lucy has pitched at London Tech Week, launched www.knit-it.co.uk and is now on the lookout for knitting pattern designers to join her story.
Elena Höge (29 years old), from Edinburgh, is creating Games for Good like Wholesome, a relaxing life simulator about living in harmony with nature. It teaches children and adults about nature, including how to forage and cook wild food.
Since winning the Young Innovators Award, Elena has grown her team from 1 to 6, won prestigious industry awards, and raised around £90,000 in grants and small investments.
These Young Innovators Next Step winners’ ideas are improving lives and creating a more sustainable, productive and prosperous future.
New advances in technology are also at the heart of many of the innovators’ business – from an AI personal trainer, to an interactive online platform to inspire the digital generation to pick up their knitting needles, and a mobile app designed to help families monitor and improve their wellbeing.
Young Innovators 22/23 Competition
Both winners from Scotland originally scooped Young Innovator Awards in 2021. The Young Innovators Awards recognise young people, aged 18 to 30, from every region and nation of the UK with great business ideas who have the potential to become successful entrepreneurs and future leaders in innovation.
Award winners will each receive a £5,000 grant, living allowance, a package of business coaching, and mentoring from a personal Innovation Champion from Innovate UK Edge.
Commenting on her award and project, Lucy said, “I started Knit It® because I wanted to revolutionise the knitting industry and inspire a new generation to take up the craft.
“At the beginning, I could not have imagined that, right now, I would have secured funding to take my business forwards, have support from household names and avid knitters like Tom Daley and be on the lookout for collaborators and partners to make this happen big time!
“I’m so proud to have been selected for Innovate UK’s Young Innovators Next Steps Award and excited for the future!”
EDINBURGH, UK – 16th January 2022: Elena H??ge, founder of Yaldi Games, a start-up game developer. The company’s first title, Wholesome ??? Out and About, blends digital learning and traditional outdoor skills, together to create an inspirational range of activities including foraging, nature awareness, sustainability practices, healthy cooking and fun crafting. (Photograph: MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY)
Commenting on her award and project, Elena said: “When I first applied for Innovate UK’s the Young Innovators Award, I had a vision to create games that go beyond digital with environmental, social, and cultural impact, while inspiring young people to get outdoors and benefit from the natural world.
“In a relatively short space of time, it’s gone from a dream to a reality, with support from external backers and my own excellent team.
“My advice to any innovators on the fence about their ideas is to go for it – your passion will drive the business forwards.”
The Young Innovator Awards enable entrepreneurship and innovation among more young people to help them bring more diverse ideas and businesses into the economy, champion innovations for the underrepresented, and provide a platform for gamechangers looking to make a societal, economic and environmental impact.
Emily Nott, Head of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion at Innovate UK said: “It’s one thing to have a business idea and – as so many aspiring entrepreneurs would attest – quite another to make it a reality.
“These innovative young people have worked relentlessly to realise their ambitions and we are proud of the role we are able to play in helping them on this journey. Their disruptive ideas stand to make a big impact, but their stories are important in other ways too – if they can inspire other young people to come forward and innovate, we will all benefit”.
Innovate UK’s Chief Executive Officer, Indro Mukerjee, said: “Innovate UK is committed to inspiring and supporting the next generation of innovators. We will work to inspire, involve, and invest in their talent to create a strong future economy and society.
“Congratulations to the Young Innovators Next Steps award winners and I look forward to seeing their businesses develop even further”.
Number of young people (18-30) setting up businesses nearly doubles in last decade
Innovate UK’s Young Innovators programme sees 87% increase in applications over last year
Data shows young innovators putting energy into health and digital technology ideas
New data released by Innovate UK, points to a dramatic increase in the number of young people setting up their own businesses in the last decade – with the number nearly doubling (98% increase) from 2009 to 2020.
What’s more, despite the pandemic – and in some cases inspired by the impact of COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdowns – numbers continued to jump in 2020, with a 15% increase in the number of young people starting their own businesses from 2019.
This trend mirrors the increased appetite seen by Innovate UK for its support programmes for 18-30 year olds. The Young Innovators Awards, which recognise young people from across the UK with great business ideas who have the potential to become successful entrepreneurs and future leaders in innovation, saw an 87% increase in applications this year.
This growth combined with the high-quality of applications, led Innovate UK to award 64 Young Innovators, double any previous year.
In particular, young innovators are responding to the needs of the pandemic, with a growing number of business ideas for health and in digital technology.
From socially-aware robotic companions for people living in care homes to projects tackling childhood incontinence and arthritis, double the number of this year’s winners had health projects compared to the 2018 competition winners (13% vs 27%).
Similarly, from a project connecting knitting enthusiasts online to an online marketplace where burgenoing gardeners can sell their home-grown produce, an even greater increase was seen in digital, with 31% of the projects in this field, compared to 13% in 2018.
This trend also reflects the latest report from the UK Business Angel’s Association (UKBAA), which found the sectors where Angels were investing most were Healthcare, Digital Health and MedTech, Bio Tech, Life Sciences and Pharmaceuticals, Software and FinTech.
The UKBAA report these industries and education technology, e-commerce and gaming have been performing better since the onset of Covid-19 – given their role in helping consumers deal with the many challenges of lockdown.
Young Innovators capitalising on this demand include Iona Mackenzie (26, (ABOVE) from Edinburgh), whose Talk and Grow business aims to take the stress out of finding a therapist with an online matching and booking platform to pair clients with local counsellors and Elena Höge (28, (below) also from Edinburgh), who is creating educational games like Wholesome, a mobile forest school experience that teaches children and adults about nature, including how to forage and cook with wild food.
Reflecting on the start-up journey, sustainability entrepreneur Alex Newnes (27, from Aberystwyth), who is producing a fully degradable and non-toxic alternative to plastic, said, “We started PlantSea Ltd with nothing but passion and an idea.
“Since then, we have won awards, networked, and learned an awful lot along the way! None of us knew what the road would look like for a biotech”.
Musician and founder of online music tuition service Starling Music Academy, Rhiannon Jeffreys (27), from Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire, says, “I have been amazed to see how quickly your network can grow, just by having conversations.
“Even people in a completely different sector may be able to put you in touch with someone they know who is in your sector, and I love the idea of being able to do that for others in the future.”
Similarly, Young Innovator Chris Elliot (23, from Reading), creator of Untrapped, a onestop student rental portal, says: “I think the number of new skills you learn as an entrepreneur is surprising. In the last year I’ve gained more skills than any other period of my life.”
Emily Nott, Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Innovate UK says: “With 2020 proving to be an incredibly difficult year, it is inspiring to see so many young people continuing to take steps to develop their own business ideas and innovations.
“It is this generation of innovators who have the potential to tackle some of the big challenges we’ll face in the wake of pandemic and we must do all we can to support them and to encourage others to follow in their footsteps”.
Nina Birchard, Lucy Fisher, Elena Höge, Iona Mackenzie and Petra Baiba Olehno start the new year with a boost
Five of this year’s Young Innovator Award winners, announced today by Innovate UK and The Prince’s Trust, are from Scotland. The winners will receive a £5,000 grant, one-on-one business coaching and an allowance to cover living costs.
The Scottish innovators looking to make the world a better place are:
Nina Birchard, 24, Glasgow, who has designed the Newborn Rescue Towel, a low cost emergency medical device which provides thermal support and the correct positioning to aid resuscitation in newborns.
Lucy Fisher, 25, Aberdeen, who has taken a childhood passion for knitting and turned it into a business. Knit It aims to bring knitting into the 21st century via a new digital platform which enables knitters to have a choice in how they follow a pattern and guides them through creating their new designs.
Elena Höge, 28, Edinburgh, who is creating educational games like Wholesome, a mobile forest school experience that teaches children and adults about nature, including how to forage and cook with wild food.
Iona Mackenzie, 26, Edinburgh, whose Talk and Grow business aims to take the stress out of finding a therapist for those in need of support in Edinburgh with an online matching and booking platform to pair clients with a number of local counsellors.
Petra Baiba Olehno, 30, a Glasgow-based Latvian who wants to create REPAIREL, a one-stop-shop for buying ethical footwear online which allows people to compare information about shoes and brands.
The Young Innovators Awards recognise young people from across the UK with great business ideas who have the potential to become successful entrepreneurs and future leaders in innovation.
Following an unprecedented level of entries, with an 87% increase in applications year-on-year, 64 young people have started the New Year with a boost after getting the coveted award, double the number of award winners/recipients of previous years.
With recent research showing over a third of 18 to 34 year olds want to launch an independent enterprise in 2021, compared to 28% of 35 to 54 year olds, it’s even more important the support is available to those who want to venture into starting a business.
The winners from Scotland, are five of 64 inspiring young people who will receive Young Innovators Awards this year, each benefitting from a £5,000 grant, one-on-one business coaching and an allowance to cover living costs. The programme is set to continue awarding young people from diverse backgrounds until at least 2023. This year, 49% of the winners are female; nearly a third are Black, Asian or from an ethnic minority background; 17% have a disability and the projects cover all regions across the UK.
From a way to help stroke survivors on the road to rehabilitation to support for parents to protect their children online, all of this year’s Young Innovators have ideas that promise to address current challenges. Ideas this year span everything from technology to physical and mental health and from sustainability to fashion.
Commenting on her award and project, Nina Birchard said: “It is a simple, non-invasive positioning aid which ensures open airways while providing thermal support and an aide-mémoire to guide the user through the procedure. It is a novel, game-changing product which is simple to use and easy to produce.
“The Young Innovators Award seems like an amazing, supportive platform to learn, build and launch your business idea. I am so excited to get stuck in!”
Emily Nott, Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Innovate UK says: “With 2020 proving to be an incredibly difficult year, maintaining our focus on Young Innovators was a priority for Innovate UK since finding the great entrepreneurial minds of the future is more important than ever.
“Working alongside this year’s winners, Innovate UK will help them grow and develop their business idea to make the world a better, and more innovative place. We can’t wait to see what they achieve this year.
UK Government Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart said: “It’s fantastic to see young people so passionate about starting a business. The UK Government is committed to encouraging entrepreneurship and rewarding innovation and hard work.
“Investing in young people has never been more important as we bounce back from the coronavirus pandemic. We have seen truly exceptional ideas from some very worthy Scottish winners. I’m delighted to see their hard work pay off and I congratulate everyone involved.”
Details on all 64 Young Innovators can found here. If you’re an inspiring young innovator, check out how Innovate UK could support you here
Ground-breaking Augmented Reality Communications spin-out recruits as it prepares to go to market
A NEW Edinburgh Napier spin-out business is expanding as it seeks to market a product which brings real-world objects to life in mobile devices.
3FINERY uses ground-breaking Augmented Reality (AR) technology which can boost customer engagement with remote marketing campaigns by portraying goods, services and venues in innovative ways. It is expected to appeal strongly to businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The new twist on traditional AR methods was developed at the School of Computing over a three-year period by Professor Kenny Mitchell (above) and his former PhD student Dr Llogari Casas.
Intermediated Reality technology enables uniquely efficient communication via animation of real objects. It has been showcased at international conferences and trade shows, and the growth of 3FINERY has been supported with major cash injections from the ICURe programme and Innovate UK.
Now the start-up is looking for Graphics Software Engineer and Technical Artist talent with the intention to grow the team rapidly in readiness for the final push to get the product market-ready.
Co-founder Llogari (above) said: “The technology provides a novel way of interacting with products both around you and far away, and can be easily integrated with existing software, offering unique interactive experiences.
“It is very exciting to have got the project to this stage, with the backing of the University, and we are now looking to press on with commercialisation.”
Augmented Reality allows brands to create fun interactive experiences for their customers with a few taps on their mobile phone, but the 3FINERY technology goes a step further than competitors, who use AR to overlay content on the screen, and can bring any desired object to life remotely and realistically.
Intermediated Reality, the technology behind the company, is a framework for highly efficient distributed communication. It was developed by Llogari and Kenny through an EU Horizon 2020 project entitled ‘DISTRO’. 3FINERY enables play and collaboration via remote channeling of voice and motion through objects that come to life in mobile Augmented Reality.
The ICURe programme – Innovation to Commercialisation of University Research – made a grant of £45,000 to support six months of intensive market assessment and engagement with prospective customers, suppliers, partners and regulators to test the project’s commercial potential.
3FINERY raised a further £150,000 to develop the product for the market by winning a highly competitive Innovate UK funding competition.
Fiona Mason, Head of Business Engagement and IP Commercialisation at Edinburgh Napier, said: “3FINERY is a really exciting new technology emerging from our School of Computing.
“As a follow-on from the EU Horizon 2020 funding where the idea was developed, we were delighted to receive backing from ICURe to help us with our commercialisation journey – this is a highly competitive funding programme and well sought after, and the team found the support invaluable.
“The recent award from Innovate UK is further testament to the ingenuity of the idea, the expertise and skillset of the inventors, and the market readiness of the idea.
“Over the last 10 years, our School of Computing has achieved three successful cyber spin-outs – ZoneFox in 2010, Symphonic in 2013 and Cyan Forensics in 2017. We are delighted to be including 3FINERY in our venture portfolio and believe this magical technology will be a welcome disruptor in a fast-paced marketing landscape.”
