Industry and innovation

Heriot-Watt has a long tradition of working closely with business and industry. These relationships can take many forms, from strategic alliances with international companies to knowledge transfer partnerships with SME's. We encourage innovation and the creation of new spin-out companies.

Our world-leading research benefits the economy. 

• Sustainable energy use - reducing water use and doubling crop yield in developing world agriculture
• Smart systems - pioneering an Environment and Health Monitoring smart system
• Sustainable energy future - pioneering technologies to create a sustainable energy future
• Laser quest - ultrafast optics in microscopy, metrology and spectroscopy
• Whisky chasers -  fish food from whisky by-products
• Impressions of dolphins - detecting dangerous underwater targets 
• Technologies to reduce waste - helping industry reduce waste and increase efficiencies
• Colour chemistry for material advantage - Predicting pigment performance based on crystal structure analysis for faster, greener and more cost-effective product development.
• Advancing continuous crystallisation technologies - Overcoming the shortcomings of traditional batch reactors and crystallisers.
• Keeping ahead of counterfeiters - A leading-edge optics technology for a new polymer banknote.
• Smart software for underwater robots - How Heriot-Watt research accelerated the growth of a spin-out company into the global leader in smart software for UAVs.
• Better brewing - A way for brewers to to make 50% more beer in the same size plant.
• Helping manage risk in the insurance industry – A practical solution to issues raised by the Solvency II Directive
• Maintaining flow in oil wells - Avoiding blockages without jeopardising production