Health innovations wanted

Prizes worth a total of more than £25,000 are available to University employees who can produce winning product and service ideas that will benefit human and animal health.

The Edinburgh BioQuarter 2012 Innovation competition is now open for entries for the second year running.

Supporting enterprise

University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian staff can apply for the awards to help turn their research-based innovations into commercial ventures.

Winning entrants will receive cash awards, iPad2 tablets, and legal and financial advice from the competition’s sponsors.

The awards deadline is 31 March 2012.

Business pitch

Five companies will be selected as finalists in April 2012.

The final five will pitch their concepts to a panel that will include business development staff from BioQuarter, and a leading bio-medical entrepreneur.

The winner will be awarded a £10,000 prize to develop their product or service.

Runners up will also be eligible for prizes, and a special ‘people’s choice award will be given to the finalist that attracts the most votes via an online video portal.

Previous success

Last year the Bioquarter Innovation competition attracted 25 entries from around the University and NHS Lothian.

Three of the shortlisted company concepts have since grown into businesses.

Last year’s winner was Pharmatics, a start-up concept developed by Dr Felix Agakov and Professor Paul McKeigue, both from the Centre for Population Health Sciences.

The duo developed software with the potential to dramatically reduce drug development time.