Move follows £38k funding win from the Scottish Government
James Hutton Limited, the commercial wing of The James Hutton Institute, has been awarded £38,881 from the Scottish Government to progress a clima-tech and agri-tech innovation campus at its Invergowrie site.
The grant comes from the government’s Ecosystem Fund, which supports organisations driving entrepreneurial growth and innovation across Scotland.
It will be used to increase global awareness of the Hutton, develop a pipeline of commercial opportunities, build a widespread network of stakeholders, and create a business case for further investment in the campus.
With the funding, the Hutton plans to provide sector-wide introductory training in commercialisation for 100 participants, with 50 participants also receiving translational training which will help turn their early ideas into defined commercial opportunities.
These participants will then be organised into five commercialisation teams, working together as they develop an investor-ready proposition. The final step of training will see participants showcase their ideas at an event attended by potential investors and those in the industry.
Long-term, the institution said these efforts will serve as ”the foundation for a vibrant innovation campus which incubates new opportunities in both clima-tech and agri-tech”. The Hutton is keen to play a significant role in the development of these technologies by both carrying out its own research and providing a space for others to do the same, it added.
Dr Graeme Rogers, innovation manager at James Hutton Limited, said: “We’re delighted to have been selected through the Ecosystem Fund’s application process to launch a project that will catalyse the development of a clima-tech and agri-tech innovation campus at the James Hutton Institute.
“This funding will enable us to deliver commercialisation and translational training to early-stage innovators, build a strong pipeline of investment-ready opportunities, and grow a dynamic network of partners across academia, industry, and the investment community.
“It’s an exciting step towards establishing a globally recognised hub for climate and agriculture innovation in Scotland.”
