Two Highland-based research innovation projects, that were reserve winners in the Research Challenge Fund competition, are to be awarded funding to help develop their ideas into commercially viable ventures.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise has approved further funding of £121,331 towards the initiative, bringing the total fund to more than £270,000.  This will enable project proposals by Barcaldine-based Integrin Advanced Biosystems and the Scottish Association for Marine Science, based in Dunbeg near Oban, to develop their projects alongside the three main winners of the challenge announced recently.

The Research Challenge Fund was established by HIE to benefit small to medium sized enterprises and research groups in the Highlands and Islands.  From an initial list of 38 applicants and a shortlist of 11, the three winners were selected as Biolitec Pharma on the Isle of Lewis, Map Maker Ltd in Argyll, and the Agronomy Research Institute in Orkney. 

The competition focussed on early stage research and development work and is primarily intended to help convert these early ideas into well-formed product or process concepts, and to help them reach their full potential.

HIE's innovation unit manager Ruaraidh MacNeil said:  "The main aim of this challenge fund is to get research ideas out of the lab and into the business, so it's good news that five projects can now be worked up instead of three.  Through this competition, the Highlands and Islands has once again proved to be an area of great innovation.  There are some excellent ideas coming from companies and research groups from Shetland to Argyll.  It is important for both the area's economy and workforce that innovation in all its forms is encouraged, and we now look forward to working with these five companies on developing their projects which it is hoped will become commercially viable ventures."