Scientists at Aberdeen involved in groundbreaking medical and industrial research will tomorrow night (Tuesday March 27) showcase their work to some of Scotland’s most influential figures.
Venture capitalists, business angels, entrepreneurs, financial investors and advisers are among those invited to the Edinburgh event which has been organised by the University of Aberdeen and is supported by Scottish Enterprise Grampian.
It is hoped that some of the attendees might be persuaded to invest in the opportunities which have arisen from research activities of the University of Aberdeen and its spin-out companies.
Leading businessman and life sciences expert John Pool is chairing the evening which takes place at Dynamic Earth and is being hosted by Professor Dominic Houlihan, Vice Principal for Research and Commercialisation at the University of Aberdeen.
The invited guests will hear brief presentations from some of the scientists involved in a selection of just some of the University's leading research projects. Those being highlighted tomorrow night are:
· B1 Medical – an award winning new company spun-out from the University of Aberdeen, The Robert Gordon University and NHS Grampian which has been developing revolutionary orthopaedic products to help sufferers of illness such as rheumatoid arthritis. B1 Medical was founded last July with a £1.3M investment from Sigma Capital and Scottish Enterprise CIF.
· Gaslog – which is a project which gives a real-time prediction of the rock types and fluids to optimise value during drilling for the oil and gas sector.
· Blueflow Ltd – which is an automated asset mining tool for the energy and finance sectors
· Sight Science Ltd – a rehabilitation programme for blindness following brain injury.
Professor Houlihan said: "This is the first time we have held an event of this kind in Edinburgh - the financial capital - and we are very excited about it.
"Our event is a great way of engaging new people in the pioneering research in a wide range of areas that is currently underway at the University of Aberdeen, and the research that we are showcasing is really cutting edge.
"But as well as being an awareness raising exercise, we hope that some of our invited guests will be keen to become involved in our projects.
"We also expect some of our guests will be keen to come and visit the University of Aberdeen and find out more about the leading research that takes place here."
Tony Aldhous, Competitive Business manager at Scottish Enterprise Grampian, added: "Aberdeen has an important role to play in Scotland's major technology sectors - including the growing life sciences area - and the work that's being done here complements activity elsewhere in Scotland.
"We've been working with the University of Aberdeen on providing the infrastructure needed to encourage future commercialisation of research, and are delighted to have been able to support an event which will inform a far wider audience of what's being done in Aberdeen City and Shire.''
John Pool, who is non-executive director of a number of private and public healthcare companies and Life Science Business Adviser to Scottish Enterprise, added: "I have been involved with the Research and Innovation department at the University of Aberdeen for many years now and I have always found the quality of the potential commercial spin-outs to be of the highest calibre."
The free event begins tomorrow at 6.30pm for 7.00pm and includes dinner which takes place at 8.15pm. Spaces are still available. To book a place please contact Laura Adam on 01224 273793.