University of Edinburgh student startups have once again made their mark at this year's Converge Awards, securing wins among 34 finalists from a record 15 Scottish universities.
Converge works with Scotland's universities to empower staff, students and graduates to transform academic research and innovation into real-world solutions. This year marks 15 years of Converge, during which time it has supported the creation of more than 500 companies
This year's Edinburgh winners and finalists are working across some of the most exciting frontiers of innovation, from the space sector and industrial biotechnology to AI-powered healthcare.
Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Prize winner: Juto Bio
Juto Bio secured £20,000 after winning the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Prize. The startup was co-founded by Jude Taylor and Thomas England, both graduates of the School of Biological Sciences, who fuse waste from Scottish whisky distilleries to grow tiny algae, which are turned into natural products that help crops grow. It offers farmers a cheaper alternative to treatments made from seaweed.
Jude Taylor said:
We hope our innovation will help make farming cheaper, more consistent, and more sustainable, ultimately keeping food prices down and meeting the demand of the growing population. The IBioIC Converge award will help speed things up for us. "
Space Challenge winner: Pleiades Dynamics
Winning the Space Challenge was Pleiades Dynamics, which specialises in designing and manufacturing affordable liquid rocket engines, emphasising simplicity and versatility. The company was founded by School of Physics and Astronomy graduate Luke Scott (pictured right) who won £5,000.
Kickstart Challenge runner-up: AI for the Eye
Michaela Thorne was named runner-up, taking home £7,500 for her company AI for the Eye. The Royal (Dick) Veterinary Studies graduate has developed a non-invasive, AI-powered retinal imaging system designed to transform how bovine tuberculosis is detected in cattle. By enabling rapid, on-farm screening without injections or repeat handling, the technology aims to improve disease control, animal welfare and the efficiency of national surveillance programmes.
Kickstart finalist: Pointcanvas
Toa Pecur, a graduate of the School of Engineering, reached the finals of the Kickstart Challenge for startup Pointcanvas, which uses custom-built AI to turn 3D infrastructure scans into high-fidelity models in hours rather than months.
Christina Starko, Student Ventures Manager at Edinburgh Innovations, said:
What a fantastic result for our founders at this year's Converge Awards. There's nothing better than working alongside our students and graduates, helping their ideas take shape and seeing them grow into real, thriving businesses.
From space tech to biotech to AI in healthcare, these teams have poured so much energy and ambition into what they do, and it's wonderful to see that hard work recognised. We're genuinely proud of every one of them, and we can't wait to see where they go next. "
Adam Kosterka, Executive Director of Converge, said:
This year’s finalists represent one of the strongest and most diverse cohorts in our history, spanning industries from healthcare to climate tech. Being selected among such a competitive field is a testament to the skill, creativity and commercial potential of all our winners. ”
