The University of Edinburgh’s institute for data science and artificial intelligence has selected 32 high-growth potential start-up companies to take part in a tech investor conference in June.
The Bayes Centre, in partnership with the Data-Driven Innovation initiative, also located at the university, has chosen a range of firms from emerging tech sub-sectors to participate in the annual EIE investor round in June.
Company founders will pitch for investment from seed level to over £2 million at the virtual event on June 10 – representing sectors including AI and Data Science; Energy, Climate and Cleantech; Digital Health and Medtech.
EIE has supported over 500 tech startups since 2008 who have collectively raised around £750 million from seed through to Series A and later stage funding – with Current Health (who secured a £9 million Series A round in December 2019), FanDuel (Scotland’s first billion dollar-valued tech startup or ‘unicorn’), Celtic Renewables (who have raised over £33 million since 2011), Amiqus, Two Big Ears (acquired by Facebook in 2016), Speech Graphics, pureLiFi (backed by Singapore sovereign fund Temasek) and mLed among EIE alumnus companies.
The sector categories for EIE21 are: AI and Data Science; Energy, Climate and Cleantech; Digital Health and Medtech; Fintech and Cybersecurity; Smart Cities and Mobility; Robotics and Autonomy; Internet of Things, and; Creative Design and Media Tech. In 2021, EIE also has a ‘Wildcard’ category for the first time. Featured companies include: satellite data specialist Earth Blox; OnGen, a tech platform that helps companies cut energy costs and carbon emissions; University of Edinburgh spin-out Net AI whose AI-driven analytics aim to revolutionise the management of virtual mobile networks, and; Oceanium, a startup developing sustainably-farmed seaweed into plant-based foods and packaging.
Steve Ewing, Director of Entrepreneurship at Bayes Centre and EIE21 lead, said: “We are excited to see so many fascinating companies and products underpinned by both innovation and ambition at this year’s EIE, companies who are aiming to solve real-world problems and meet some of the biggest challenges facing our societies in 2021 and the years ahead.”
Michael Rovatsos, Professor of AI, Deputy Vice Principal of Research and Director of the Bayes Centre at the University of Edinburgh, said: “Bayes has already established itself as a beacon in an evolving landscape of data science and artificial intelligence, and it’s our mission to remain on the frontier of academia and industry working in a collaborative way. Entrepreneurship is one of the core pillars of Bayes’ strategy to boost the university’s impact across the city and region, and the EIE programme is central to this overall approach, demonstrating our commitment to support the wider tech startup ecosystem in Scotland.” The full list of companies selected for EIE21 is: AiM; Bendi; Beta Bugs; BLK Global; Boxergy, Bridgeweave; Crack Map; Earth Blox; Danu Robotics; Data Innovation.AI; Decblue; DTIME; GoBubble; iLoF; Innovatium; Intelligent Reality; Ionburst; iOPt; Libereat; Looper; Nebu-Flow; Net AI; NIQS Technology; Nomad Energy; Oceanium; OnGen; Open Banking Reporting; REOptimize Systems; theo Health: Transwap Technologies; UrbanTide, and; Voicekey.