This document summarizes Heriot-Watt University's (HWU) research activities and initiatives to promote technology transfer and regional engagement. HWU has a global reputation for research across various fields including engineering, physical sciences, life sciences, and management. Through its Converge project, HWU aims to accelerate application of research by developing academic and business development capacity. The project combines industry collaboration, assistance to spin

1. Research, Technology Transfer
& Regional Engagement
Orkney
Gillian McFadzean, Director
Research & Enterprise Services
Edinburgh
Galashiels
Malaysia
Dubai

2. Research Base: Pure and
Applied
HWU has a global reputation for research and innovation
 Engineering & Physical Sciences  Petroleum Engineering
 Mathematics & Computer Science  Textiles & Design
 Life Sciences (Food, Drink & Health)  Management & Languages
 Built Environment  Edinburgh Business School
RAE2008:
50% of HWU research was rated internationally excellent or world leading
87% of HWU research was rated as of international quality

3. Heriot-Watt University
Working with Industry:
the Converge project

4. Why? What was the need?
 Strong HiSTORIC reputation for working with industry
 Industrial sponsor income declining
 Government competitive funding requires industry
partners
 Expansion of the university +20 academics p.a.
• Excellent research skills
• Many from outside UK
• Few with company contacts

5. Overview
To accelerate application of research
 £4.2 years: £6M project: £3.2M practice/£2.8M industry
facing research
 ERDF and EPSRC funded
• UK and Scottish government and Heriot Watt ambitions
 Combines
• Developing academic capacity
• Business development capacity (5 people) embedded
• Assistance to spin-outs
• Marketing, events, public engagement

6. What does it look like?

7. How does it work?
Marketing and Sales
 Internal
 External – industry led conference/trade shows
• SE, HIE, SFC, TSB, KTN, trade bodies etc.
• All Energy, Photonics West, Scot Tech Showcase
 Matchmaking
• Interface, KTNs, etc.
All sizes of companies:Large, medium, small, micro
 Strategic alliance, research or development project,
‘support’, facilities, expertise

8. Growing our Little Partners
Case Study - UWI Technology Ltd (smart labels)
 1 x SME-HEI Innovation Voucher & 1 Feasibility study
• Colour Science & fluid flow systems
• Technology proven on bench by HWU
• Led to patent filing by UWI
• Led to SMART award
 SMART Award to develop µ-fluidic labels with HWU
1 new job created @ HWU
License to HWU background IP
 VC investment secured by UWI >£150K
 Scottish winner of “Barclays – One Small Step” competition

9. Supporting our Big Partners
Case Study- Macphie of Glenbervie Ltd (Baker)
 Student placement for 3 weeks
 EDTC Feasibility Voucher for “Gluten Free Bread dough’s”
 Joint patent filing by Glenbervie in 2011
 “License in” of HWU background
 £500K multi-partner award from TSB (August 2011)
• 2 x Scottish partners
• 1 Welsh oven manufacturer
• 1 x bakery

10. Briefing SMES
INDUSTRY DAY: Advanced sensor “The 6th Sense”
2012
WHO: 62 Research academics, 228 industry colleagues, 14 professional experts,
government and industrial authorities
WHAT: The opportunity to discuss with industry:
What are the challenges? What is the industry need?
What cross-disciplinary solutions or opportunities can Heriot-Watt provide?
How can we respond to the challenges together?
WHY: To understand the needs of industry and encourage their collaboration with
our academic experts working at the forefront in finding solutions, methods and
approaches to tackle the challenges
HOW: Discussion and debate, marketing, networking,
exhibitions, speaker opportunities

11. Scotland’s Partnerships
Creating Entrepreneurs and Companies
IDEA
Assessment Development Growth
•TTO Review
•Licence V Company •Spinout CEO •TTO Mentor •Investors
•Ambition? •TTO •Business Plan •Competition awards
•IP diligence •Investors •IP ownership •Accelerator support
•Market diligence of funds and
•Science Parks •IP licence
expertise against
•Mentor •Company support •Facilities targets
•Training agencies •Contacts •Mentors
•- In curriculum •IP experts •Training •Management teams
•- Researchers •Industry accountants •- Management •Non-exec Directors
• potential spinouts •Region experts •- Markets and •Staff recruitment
•Elevator pitch to Marketing
•Access to markets
entrepreneurs and •- Finances
media • Innovation funds
•- Publicity
•TTO review
•Mentors
•More licenses
•Free expertise
•Assessor review
•Proof of Concept
•= University funds
•= region/BIC •Enterprise Fellowship
•=together •Management team
•Market research

12. Converge Challenge
Scotland wide programme to develop entrepreneurs
Practical help to the participants for a period of 20 months
with the focus on strong market engagement and developing
commercial skills of founders
A rigorous 4 stage selection process over 7 months
3 page application 2 day residential Full Business Plan Investor presentation
form training to the judging panel
•Up to 30 projects •Elevator pitch •Up to 10 plans •3 Converge
shortlisted competition shortlisted for Challenge awards
external judging and 3 awards for
panel Principal’s Product
Challenge

13. Creating Entrepreneurs
Over 80 applications from 9 different universities
50 people attending residential training
350 people attending seminars
 attention from non-Scottish VCs
= a pipeline of entrepreneurs
 17 technology companies formed
•expected growth of 20% per annum
4 “lifestyle” companies formed
= real growth for Scotland
In 2 years

14. Outcomes at 2.5 year point
179 companies supported
 141 Scottish companies
 £3.8M additional income to HWU
 £1.5m increase in Scottish company turnover
reported by 10 companies
 32 additional jobs in independent+ Scottish companies
 14 new products in Scottish companies
 40 networks supported (includes pools)
 6 new products for networks
 4 new Heriot-Watt spin outs
 17 new tech spinouts for Scotland
(+independent = not our spinouts)

15. Overall Outcomes for Heriot-
Watt?
HWU has re-established global reputation for basic and
applied research and innovation
 We achieved this by
 Including knowledge exchange and technology transfer
in our promotion criteria for academic staff
 Giving academic staff the skills to engage effectively
 A dedicated Research and Enterprise Services unit
 Providing business development expertise to engage
companies
 Handling licensing and company creation professionally
 A marketing strategy to enhance our engagement with
industry

16. Outcomes for Scotland
HWU delivers industry engagement for Scotland
 We lead by providing across Scotland, for Scotland:
 Scottish Crucible - gives academic staff skills to develop
interdisciplinary research
 KE Conference – for postgraduate students and young
researchers
 Converge Challenge – competitive rigorous training to
develop new companies. 17 new Scottish companies in
2 years
 Industry tailored events demonstrating how HWU
research is developing and how it is used in companies
 Industry sector briefings

17. European Engagement
Converge Challenge will deliver Transnational Business
Challenge competition for the partner countries in Open
Innovation Interreg.
National winner from Open Innovation Partner
countries will compete in the Transnational Business
Challenge by
delivering an investor pitch to an international panel
of judges
 delivering an elevator pitch to a wide audience.
The event will take place in November 2012

18. Gillian E McFadzean
Director
Research & Enterprise Services
E: G.McFadzean@hw.ac.uk
Skype: Gillian.McFadzean