Industry experts to steer innovation funding across Scotland’s Islands

Six business experts from across the islands have been selected to help shape new opportunities for young entrepreneurs, businesses and third-sector organisations to develop and grow their ideas in Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides.

Please note, this news is published in Gaelic below.

Heriot-Watt University has appointed the specialists to its Industry Advisory Board for its ‘innovation and commercialisation project’ – one of the key strands of the wider TalEntEd Islands Programme.

The TalEntEd Islands Programme is funded by the Scottish and UK Governments through the £100 million Islands Growth Deal and offers innovation funding and dedicated support to help island organisations turn ideas into reality.

The board will be responsible for reviewing applications and making decisions on funding awards, as well as ensuring applicants benefit from their experience and know-how, and expert support from the wider business, academic and innovation ecosystem.

Steven Coutts, CEO of Shetland-based social enterprise COPE Ltd and the former leader of Shetland Islands Council, has been appointed as the board’s chairman.

He said: “Island communities have always been resourceful and innovative, but often the challenge is turning good ideas into something that can be scaled up and sustained.

“This project gives people across Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides the tools, funding and expertise to do just that.”

The other members are:

• Alister Brown, senior innovation manager with Highlands and Islands Enterprise in Orkney
• Matthew Finn, managing director for the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney
• Daniel Gear, managing director of Voar Energy Ltd in Shetland
• Margaret Keenan, senior relationship manager with the Royal Bank of Scotland in Orkney
• Margaret Ann Macleod, CEO of Harris Tweed Hebrides and chair of Stornoway Port

Professor Gillian Murray, Deputy Principal of Business and Enterprise at Heriot-Watt University, said: “Our Industry Advisory Board brings together a hugely experienced group of leaders who understand the opportunities and challenges of island economies.

“With their guidance, and through the blend of funding, academic expertise, and practical business support, this project will accelerate the journey from idea to adoption – helping the islands to become leaders in sustainable innovation.”

This project is part of the wider TalEntEd Islands Programme, delivered in collaboration with the University of the Highlands & Islands, which leads on the development of work-based learning and Robert Gordon University, which leads on the growth of entrepreneurship.

The Heriot-Watt team will focus on supporting innovators and enterprises to develop or adopt new products, services and processes that could strengthen local economies, bring lasting benefits to island communities and help realise the ambition for the islands to be among the first places in the UK to achieve net zero.

What support is available?

The programme offers two levels of potential funding and collaboration:

• Develop Awards (£5,000) for early stage scoping studies, feasibility assessments and initially business planning, usually over a maximum term of three months
• Adopt Awards (£25,000) for early stage pilots or prototypes designed to demonstrate value and create a pathway for further investment. These will typically have a duration of six months and could be a follow-on from a Develop Award

Alongside financial support, applicants will also benefit from:

• Collaboration with leading academics from Heriot-Watt University, the University of the Highlands and Islands and Robert Gordon University
• Dedicated support from an Innovation Development Manager
• Direct connections to Scotland’s wider innovation ecosystem and additional potential sources of funding

Applications for the first round of awards are now open.

How to get involved

Whether your idea is emerging or well developed, the essential first step is to email talentedwp3@hw.ac.uk.

The team will be back in touch to set up a conversation to confirm that this support is right for you.

For more information, visit https://www.hw.ac.uk/research-enterprise/innovation/funding-innovation-partnerships/innovation-support-for-island-enterprises.

---

Chaidh sianar eòlaichean gnìomhachais bho air feadh nan eileanan a thaghadh gus cuideachadh cothroman ùra a chruthachadh do dhaoine òga a tha ri iomairt, do ghnìomhachasan agus do bhuidhnean treas-roinne gus na beachdan aca a chur ri chèile agus a chur an gnìomh ann an Arcaibh, Sealtainn agus sna h-Eileanan Siar.

Tha Oilthigh Heriot-Watt air na h-eòlaichean fhastadh air a’ Bhòrd Comhairleachaidh Gnìomhachais aca airson ‘pròiseact ùr-ghnàthachaidh is comas malairt’ (innovation and commercialisation) – tè de na prìomh eileamaidean den phrògram TalEntEd Islands nas fharsainge.

Tha prògram TalEntEd Islands air a mhaoineachadh le Riaghaltasan na h-Alba agus na RA tro Chùmhnant Fàs nan Eilean luach £100 millean, agus tha e a’ tabhann maoineachadh ùr-ghnàthachaidh agus taic shònraichte do bhuidhnean eileanach gus cuideachadh le bhith a’ cur bheachdan bho bhun-bheachd gu buil.

Bidh am bòrd a’ sgrùdadh thagraidhean agus a’ dèanamh cho-dhùnaidhean mu dhuaisean maoineachaidh, agus a’ dèanamh cinnteach gum faigh tagraichean buannachd bhon chuid eòlais agus sgilean, agus gum faigh iad taic eòlach bhon eag-shiostam gnìomhachais, acadaimigeach agus ùr-ghnàthachaidh nas fharsainge.

Chaidh Steven Coutts, Àrd-oifigear na h-iomairt shòisealta COPE Ltd, a tha stèidhichte ann an Sealtainn, agus a bha roimhe na cheannard air Comhairle Shealtainn, ainmeachadh mar chathraiche a’ bhùird.

Thuirt e: “Bha coimhearsnachdan eileanach riamh innleachdach agus ùr-ghnàthach, ach gu tric ’s e an dùbhlan a bhith a’ cruthachadh rudeigin a ghabhas a leudachadh agus a’ cumail suas bho na deagh bheachdan a th’ aca.”

“Tha am pròiseact seo a’ toirt maoineachadh agus eòlas do dhaoine air feadh Arcaibh, Sealtainn agus nan Eilean Siar gus sin a dhèanamh.”

’S iad na buill eile:

• Alister Brown, àrd-mhanaidsear ùr-ghnàthachaidh le Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean ann an Arcaibh
• Matthew Finn, manaidsear-stiùiridh airson Ionad Cumhachd Mara na h-Eòrpa ann an Arcaibh
• Daniel Gear, manaidsear-stiùiridh air Voar Energy Ltd ann an Sealtainn
• Margaret Keenan, àrd-mhanaidsear dàimhean le Banca Rìoghail na h-Alba ann an Arcaibh
• Mairead Anna NicLeòid, Àrd-oifigear Harris Tweed Hebrides agus cathraiche Port Steòrnabhaigh

Thuirt an t-Àrd-ollamh Gillian Murray, Leas-phrionnsapal Gnìomhachais is Iomairt aig Oilthigh Heriot-Watt: “Tha am Bòrd Comhairleachaidh Gnìomhachais againn a’ toirt còmhla buidheann de cheannardan air leth comasach a tha a’ tuigsinn nan cothroman agus nan dùbhlan a tha mu choinneamh eaconamaidhean eileanach.”

“Leis an stiùireadh, agus tro mheasgachadh de mhaoineachadh, eòlas acadaimigeach, agus taic phractaigeach a thaobh gnìomhachais, luathaichidh am pròiseact seo an turas bho bheachd gu cur an gnìomh – a’ cuideachadh nan eileanan gus a bhith nan stiùirichean ann an ùr-ghnàthachadh seasmhach.”

Tha am pròiseact seo mar phàirt den phrògram nas fharsainge TalEntEd Islands, a tha air a lìbhrigeadh ann an com-pàirteachas le Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean, a tha a’ stiùireadh leasachadh ionnsachadh san àite-obrach, agus Oilthigh Raibeirt Ghòrdain, a tha a’ stiùireadh fàs air sgilean iomairt.

Bidh sgioba Heriot-Watt ag amas air taic a thoirt do luchd-ùr-ghnàthachaidh agus iomairtean gus bathar, seirbheisean agus pròiseasan ùra a chruthachadh no a leasachadh, rud a dh’fhaodadh eaconamaidhean ionadail a neartachadh, buannachdan fad-ùine a thoirt do choimhearsnachdan eileanach, agus cuideachadh le bhith a’ coileanadh an amais gum bi na h-eileanan am measg a’ chiad àiteachan san RA le cothromachadh-carboin (net zero).

Dè an taic a tha ri faighinn?

Tha am prògram a’ tabhann dà ìre de mhaoineachadh is co-obrachadh:

• Duais Leasachaidh (£5,000) airson sgrùdaidhean sgòpaidh aig ìre-thràth, measaidhean comais agus planadh gnothachais tùsail, mar as trice thairis air trì mìosan aig a’ char as fhaide.
• Duais Gabhail Ris (£25,000) airson deuchainnean tòiseachaidh no protoypean air an dealbhadh gus luach a dhearbhadh agus slighe a chruthachadh airson tuilleadh tasgaidh. Mar as trice bidh iad a’ mairsinn sia mìosan agus dh’fhaodadh iad a bhith a’ leantainn bho Dhuaisean Leasachaidh.

A bharrachd air taic ionmhasail, gheibh tagraichean:

• Co-obrachadh le prìomh acadaimigich aig Oilthigh Heriot-Watt, Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean, agus Oilthigh Raibeirt Ghòrdain
• Taic shònraichte bho Mhanaidsear Leasachaidh Ùr-ghnàthachaidh • Ceanglaichean dìreach ri eag-shiostam ùr-ghnàthachaidh na h-Alba agus stòran maoineachaidh a bharrachd.

Tha tagraidhean airson a’ chiad chuairt de dhuaisean fosgailte a-nis.

Mar a ghabhas sibh pàirt

Chan eil e gu diofar a bheil ur beachd ùr no a bheil e gu math leasaichte, ’s e e a’ chiad cheum post-d a chur gu talentedwp3@hw.ac.uk.

Cuiridh an sgioba fios thugaibh gus còmhradh a chur air dòigh gus dearbhadh gu bheil an taic seo freagarrach dhuibh.

Airson barrachd fiosrachaidh, faicibh https://www.hw.ac.uk/research-enterprise/innovation/funding-innovation-partnerships/innovation-support-for-island-enterprises.