Pioneering projects tipped to be the businesses of tomorrow have been unveiled in the first wave of finalists to be announced by Converge in its 2025 competition.
Born from cutting-edge research from 12 of Scotland’s universities, this year’s projects leverage transformative technologies such as quantum computing and biotechnology alongside established disciplines such as engineering and product design.
United by a shared mission to solve real-world challenges and improve lives, this year’s finalists offer a compelling vision of university-led innovation with purpose at its core.
The shortlist includes three projects with connections to the University of Aberdeen across two different categories:
Net Zero Challenge
Hychor, by Postgraduate student Jani Shibuya
Hychor is developing a novel, patent-pending technology to produce hydrogen, a CO2-free alternative to fossil fuels, directly from seawater without the need for desalination.
KickStart Challenge
CAnswer BioSolutions, by graduate Soham Mitra
CAnswer is developing a portable punch biopsy kit with the goal of helping surgeons perform cancer-diagnostics outside traditional hospital settings and reducing NHS waiting periods.
ZygoteLink, by graduate Pratik Naikwadi
ZygoteLink is building a digital platform to revolutionizes livestock breeding. The service streamlines the entire breeding process, from genetic selection to insemination, directly at the farm.
The rigorous selection, overseen by a panel of university enterprise experts, saw this year’s shortlist emerge from a highly competitive pool with all finalists demonstrating exceptional potential to address critical global challenges. To support their development, this year’s prize offerings have nearly doubled providing more opportunities than ever for vital early-stage funding and in-kind business support.
Adam Kosterka, Converge Executive Director, said: "It's inspiring to see this year's finalists reach such a pivotal stage in their entrepreneurial journey. What really stands out is their remarkable ability to translate cutting-edge university research into tangible solutions with real-world impact, perfectly highlighting the profound potential embedded within our universities.
"Converge is immensely proud to champion the groundbreaking work and entrepreneurial spirit emerging from Scotland’s universities and this year’s outstanding pool of finalists is testament to this.
"I want to congratulate all this year’s finalists and wish them all the very best of luck for this year’s Converge Awards.”
Winners and runners-up will be named at the Converge Awards on Thursday 2 October at Prestonfield House Hotel in Edinburgh. Attended by university principals, senior academic staff, business leaders, entrepreneurs and investors, this year’s speakers include Deputy Minister of Scotland, Kate Forbes; the Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Robert Gordon University, Professor Steve Olivier and Dr Olga Kozlova, Director of Innovation and Engagement at Oxford University who originally founded Converge in 2011.