InProcess's groundbreaking technology secured the top prize at the Converge 2024 Awards, an annual event celebrating Scottish academic innovation. Co-founded by University of Strathclyde Researcher Momchil Vasilev, InProcess impressed the judges in the Converge Challenge award category, which recognizes novel business ideas with strong intellectual property, high commercial potential, and scalability. The company earned a £50,000 cash prize and £20,500 of in-kind business support.
This revolutionary welding inspection system offers a significant advancement in quality control, ensuring the production of high-quality products while minimizing waste and inefficiencies. InProcess's success highlights the innovative spirit and entrepreneurial potential of Scottish academia.
"Welding is an integral part of modern society and enables a number of crucial sectors, including the manufacture of net zero infrastructure like wind turbines where weld defects are very difficult to detect. Currently, these defects are usually found at the end of production, with up to 20% of assets needing further repairs," said Vasilev, co-founder and CEO of InProcess.
"We've created the first ultrasonic sensor capable of detecting these defects during manufacturing, potentially saving fabricators millions of pounds. We want to bring back manufacture of high-value components into the UK, and we want to create high-value and high-quality jobs here in Scotland."
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The Converge Challenge runner-up prize was awarded to PCAD, also from the University of Strathclyde. Led by Iain McDougall and Anthony McGarry, PCAD is transforming prosthetic care by replacing outdated, labour-intensive fitting methods with a digital approach. Its solution digitally captures the 3D shape of an amputee's limb, reducing fitting time from hours to seconds and improving patient comfort.
In the Create Change category, which focuses on creative, social, and impact-driven enterprises, KEPsoft Collaborative from the University of Glasgow secured the runner-up position. The not-for-profit spinout, co-founded by University of Glasgow academics, David Manlove and William Pettersson, and strategic consultant and renal transplantee, Vijay Luthrn, is developing a software platform to increase the number of kidney transplants by efficiently matching donors with recipients.
In addition to the main category winners, special awards were also presented including the Ventures Lab Award, presented by the Challenges Group. The prize went to Professor Sebastien Chastin from Glasgow Caledonian University, founder of MosaIQ, a pioneering training and consultancy agency facilitating collective, intelligence-driven solutions.
Adam Kosterka, executive director of Converge, commented on this year's cohort: "The calibre of innovation emerging from Scotland's universities continues to be world-class. InProcess, PCAD, and KEPsoft Collaborative are shining examples of how academic brilliance can lead to groundbreaking solutions with global potential. These emerging spinouts are pioneering technologies that could revolutionise industries from manufacturing to healthcare.
"At Converge, we're privileged to support innovative university founders by providing them with the business acumen and networks that complement their technical expertise. Together with Scotland's universities, we're helping to create an environment where transformative ideas can evolve into successful businesses, contributing to our nation's reputation as a leader of technological advancement and entrepreneurial spirit."
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: "Translating world-class research from our universities into new innovative technologies and businesses is key to delivering on Scotland's National Innovation Strategy to drive economic growth.
"Converge plays a vital role in providing a supportive environment for innovators and entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas and connect with investors, mentors and industry leaders.
"I congratulate this year's winners, who are addressing global challenges and bringing positive change across the country."
Funded by the Scottish Funding Council and a network of eight corporate partners, Converge works in partnership with 18 of Scotland's universities. Since its launch in 2011, the programme has trained over 670 aspiring founders and supported the creation of over 420 companies that enjoy an above-average three-year survival rate of over 80% (as of 1 June 2024).
Open to students, recent graduates, and staff, Converge supports new businesses through intensive business training, networking, 1-2-1 support, generous equity free cash prizes and expert, professional advice from its roster of industry partners.
