Converge welcomes latest cohort with “astonishing breadth and depth of innovation”
A new wave of academic innovators is about to embark on the next chapter of their innovation journey, as we welcome the new cohort to our highly competitive programme.
Having received a record-breaking number of applications from Universities across Scotland, we’ve been excited to see a rise in the number of submissions from smaller institutions and non-traditional innovation hubs.
The judging panels had their work cut out to select the projects with the most exciting innovation and commercial potential. Later this month, the selected 123 start-ups and spinouts will begin their Converge journey, starting with intensive training to gain the entrepreneurial foundations they will need to succeed.
Led by entrepreneurs with experience of starting and running successful companies, the programme gives successful projects the opportunity to test and validate their business ideas, experience live pitching and peer-to-peer networking. Later in the programme, a £400,000 prize fund is at stake for the most promising projects.
Executive director of Converge, Adam Kosterka welcomed the announcement of the 2026 cohort by saying: “Each year the quality of applications to our programme astonishes us with the breadth and depth of innovation displayed. The 2026 cohort is very strong and we are looking forward to working with them as they take the next steps towards making their ideas a commercial reality.”
The “class of 2026” represents business opportunities in all sectors from the performing arts to life sciences, and energy transition to food and drink.
They include:
- WombWise – a femtech platform aiming to reduce the 8-10 year diagnostic journey for endometriosis and PCOS using everyday wearable tech
- RapidSOH – a software platform that enables battery refurbishers to decide within minutes whether used electric vehicle (EV) batteries should be reused or recycled.
- Stage Analytics – a data intelligence platform enabling performing arts producers to make critical data-led decisions on scheduling, marketing and pricing
- Tissue Metrics – an innovative acoustic skin sensor for the treatment of diseases such as eczema and psoriasis.
The cohort includes a dedicated stream for participants working on hydrogen-related innovation, funded from the Royce Hydrogen Accelerator. The Performing and Production Arts Challenge is also running for the second year, in partnership with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
We are very excited about meeting the cohort in person and working with them over the coming months!
The successful participants in the 2026 cohort are:
Converge Challenge
| Project | Name | University |
| ALICS | Hamish Dow | University of Strathclyde |
| Cyberhare Solutions | Stephen Langston | University of the West of Scotland |
| Equirisk AI | Kanishka Roy | University of Edinburgh |
| FALCON | David Li | University of Strathclyde |
| FreeForm Photonics | Calum Ross | Heriot-Watt University |
| LaserSpectra Diagnostics | Yuan Chen | University of Edinburgh |
| MindSilicaAI | Mohammed Waqas Mughal | University of Glasgow |
| MovementGuard | Nazia Gillani | University of Edinburgh |
| PlanetFix | Rushdi Senevirathne | Heriot-Watt University |
| Printerpose | Jon Harwell | University of Glasgow |
| QUANTINANCE | Hugo Spinola | University of Strathclyde |
| Realtime Roads | Morgan Skillicorn | Abertay University |
| RecoverPX | Helen Bridle | Heriot-Watt University |
| Scensai | Marcus Campbell Bannerman | University of Aberdeen |
| Scotseal Medical Devices | Scott Rutherford | Edinburgh Napier University |
| Simpatient | Andrew O’Malley | University of St Andrews |
| TauBioGenix | Mohammad Arastoo | University of Aberdeen |
| TissueMetrics | Michael Crichton | Heriot-Watt University |
| VirtualIMR | Robert Sykes | University of Glasgow |
| WellBrain Ltd | Bettina Platt | University of Aberdeen |
Create Change Challenge
| Project | Name | University |
| Agri-Libra | Andrew Christie | James Hutton Institute |
| Box of Greebles | Thomas Welsh | Glasgow Caledonian University |
| Chrysalides | Benjamin Nkere | University of Edinburgh |
| Compendo | Clément Godbarge | University of St Andrews |
| FussEat | Morven Summers | Queen Margaret University |
| Games on Toast | Agnes Branny | Abertay University |
| Grohwie Limited | Mirabelle Morah | University of Edinburgh |
| inChat | Hector Fried | University of Edinburgh |
| Know Your Music Business (KYMB) | Serign Sanneh | Glasgow Caledonian University |
| LAF Business | Johanna Denke | Queen Margaret University |
| Pathways to Integration | Patricia Lopes | Glasgow Caledonian University |
| SABRAIN | Yazmín Cáceres | University of Strathclyde |
| Shift Gallery | Moa Hjarre Nettleton | Glasgow School of Art |
| Space for Sound | Jo-Anne Tait | Robert Gordon University |
| WombWise | Emily Youngs | Edinburgh Napier University |
Net Zero Challenge
| Project | Name | University |
| ANN.Energy | Mohammad Asad Mansoori | University of Glasgow |
| Catalyst Neuromorphic | Henry Shulayev Barnes | University of Aberdeen |
| CatStream | Lynn Otugha | Heriot-Watt University |
| CCS Ecosystem | Ednilson Mburine | University of Aberdeen |
| CryoTorq | Aleksandr Shchukin | University of Strathclyde |
| Maricene | Kartikay Dhingra | University of Edinburgh |
| Perpetual Machines | Shayan Majumder | Heriot-Watt University |
| Pointcanvas | Toa Pecur | University of Edinburgh |
| Portora | Xingyi Du | University of Glasgow |
| PerovGraph SMART Bricks | Sandeep Pandey | University of Strathclyde |
| PhaseVector Technologies | Seyedahmad Hosseini | Glasgow Caledonian University |
| R&B Engineering Digital Service | Angel Barroyeta | Robert Gordon University |
| RapidSOH | Patrick Umeadi | University of Aberdeen |
| TA Technologies | David Campos-Gaona | University of Strathclyde |
| TriboFuel | Rudra Mukherjee | University of Glasgow |
KickStart Challenge
| Project | Name | University |
| AI for the Eye | Michaela Thorne | University of Edinburgh |
| AISTAT | Surajit Ray | University of Glasgow |
| AMPERE | Adam Hughes | University of the Highlands and Islands |
| apt-aura | Nikhil Janaguma | University Of Aberdeen |
| Bilayer | Matthew Scheier | University of Edinburgh |
| Bioshade | Oliver Daketse | Robert Gordon University |
| Blue Transitions | David Nedd | University of Edinburgh |
| Bottleneck Explorer | Muhammad Ahmed Saeed | Abertay University |
| ClassAdapt | Onwuchekwa Ojike | Robert Gordon University |
| Crop Intel | Yetunde Adeyemo | University of Stirling |
| Cryopolymer | Ketan Pancholi | Robert Gordon University |
| CUBICMIND AI | Bohdan Shevchenko | University of Glasgow |
| DecarbTwin | Gift Udoh | Heriot-Watt University |
| DeepSeaLab | Abdelfateh Kerrouche | Edinburgh Napier University |
| DermaSetuAI | Aryan Batheja | University of Aberdeen |
| Ember | Cara Robson | University of Glasgow |
| Gift Alliance | Kingston Tagoe | University of Strathclyde |
| HyCCS-Materials | Prashant Jadhawar | University of Aberdeen |
| Ignacio Tudela-Montes | Ignacio Tudela-Montes | University of Edinburgh |
| Intelligent H2 | Oludare Amos Solademi | Robert Gordon University |
| Juto Bio | Jude Taylor | University of Edinburgh |
| Kit Fresh | Peter McLean | Edinburgh Napier University |
| Kumfa Technology | Lukman Yusuf | University of Glasgow |
| LUPA Photonics | Sven Stengel | Heriot-Watt University |
| LDW Technologies | David McBey | University of Aberdeen |
| METASIS | Nadimul Faisal | Robert Gordon University |
| miruns | Ildar Rakhmatulin | University of Edinburgh |
| Mosaic Landscapes | Laura MacLean | University of Strathclyde |
| MycoMara AI | Thomas Bartram | University of the Highlands and Islands |
| NanoLith | Hifza Hafeez | University of Strathclyde |
| Netax Fightwear | Gabriel Kelly | University of Strathclyde |
| NeuroBiomark | Jemimah Kuruvilla | Heriot-Watt University |
| NeuroNest Sensory Cover | Jamie Mason-Pate | University of the Highlands and Islands |
| NoFussFun | James English | Queen Margaret University |
| North-East Mushroom Company | Miroslav Podrabsky | SRUC |
| NovaHealZ | Akash Pande Rajeshkumar | University of Glasgow |
| PaperRelay | Mehdi Rizvi | Heriot-Watt University |
| Perception Aviation | Laura Carey | University of the West of Scotland |
| Phytovenomics | Arvaan Mukherjee | University of Edinburgh |
| PureLoop | Pranjal Samant | Heriot-Watt University |
| Puzzlang | Vladyslava Sevruk | University of Stirling |
| Roamstead | Sarah Wyatt | Robert Gordon University |
| RoboScope | Walid Shaker | Heriot-Watt University |
| Off-Chain Analytics | Sarah Shaefer | University of St Andrews |
| ScrutinyAI | Islam Mohammden | Abertay University |
| SepSensor | Yazan Haidar | University of Glasgow |
| Solasband | Idorenyin Essiet | Open University Scotland |
| StuffShare | Anastasiia Gavrilova | University of Strathclyde |
| Subsurface Energy | Osahon Usen | Heriot-Watt University |
| The Belonging Quotient | Shannon Babbie | University of Aberdeen |
| Unplugged | Geordie White | University of Edinburgh |
| Unyvo | Nikhil Janugama | University of Aberdeen |
| Vici.bio | Artur Bodiu | University of St Andrews |
| WahooHub | Edward Lavender | Edinburgh Napier University |
| Weavepass | Firuze Cisem Odabasi | Heriot-Watt University |
| Women’s Football Hub | Carolyn Kent | Queen Margaret University |
Performing & Production Arts Challenge
| Project | Name | University |
| Character Embodiment | Yujie Mao | Glasgow School of Art |
| Creative Studio | Georgiana Grecu | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| ESEA Creatives | Lok Pui Lo | Queen Margaret University |
| Euphemia Films | Rosie Toner – Blass | Glasgow Caledonian University |
| Four Door Theatre | Mirren McIver | Queen Margaret University |
| Gather Round Theatre | Marley Hunter | Queen Margaret University |
| Graber and Cantir Theatre Company | Ruxandra Cantir & Sarah Rose Graber | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| Homies | Aditya Singh | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| PERIOD | Molly Sellors | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| Scottish Location Partnership | Katie Devereux | Queen Margaret University |
| Scottish Summer Shakespeare Series | Robert Greenhalgh | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| Stage Analytics | Aisha Josiah | Queen Margaret University |
| Story Anvil Films | Rona Grieve | Queen Margaret University |
| The Gateway Writing Festival | Fergus Kane | Queen Margaret University |
| The Night Green | James Picken | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| Unicorn TV Series | Monet Debose | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| World of Ill Picture Company | Dylan Howe | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |