What is your sector? Building management.
What is your solution? Data-driven simulations to reduce spread of infection through building design.
When were you part of the Data-Driven Entrepreneurship Programme? February – July 2020.
What are three words to describe your journey to date? Constantly adapting to change.
Which DDE initiatives are you being supported by? The AI Accelerator.
Being a part of this entrepreneurial community suddenly takes you from a small company of two people to 15 organisations
Data Innovation.AI
What led you to setting up Data Innovation.AI?
Robert: Craig and I met a decade ago, and at the beginning of lockdown we started talking about what we might be able to do that could be of use. From there, the idea for Data Innovation germinated as a way of combining our expertise in emerging techniques around data and smart building systems. What real-world challenge do you want to address?
Craig: The idea for Data Innovation is straightforward. We want to reduce the spread of infectious diseases in buildings – including but not limited to Covid. From the outset of Covid, it was clear that aerosol transmission is major, but we lacked a solution. We saw this as our opportunity – to work out how we could combine an understanding of how Covid behaves and human movement inside buildings to inform businesses and building designers on how to reduce aerosol transmission of diseases. “
What role does data play in Data Innovation AI?
Robert: We’re combining silos of data that have never been combined before – epidemiological data with human movement data.
Craig: Someone infected with a virus will breathe out hundreds of thousands of particles that stay in the air for hours. Our solution will track every single molecule as it moves around, creating huge volumes of data. And that’s where AI and machine learning come in, to understand how the particles function within that space.
What motivates you as entrepreneurs?
Robert: Feeling you can make a difference has always motivated us. It’s great to now apply that outside a big organisation and feel like we’re tackling, maybe even solving, real-world problems. What success have you seen so far?
Craig: The first success was seeing an embryonic idea on a whiteboard, and working out how we’d get from this to a proof-of-concept, and then to a prototype. Also, gaining a place on the AI Accelerator was massive for us as it adds credibility to what we do.
What role has the University of Edinburgh and the AI Accelerator played in your entrepreneurial journey?
Robert: As a startup, you have to do everything on your own. The access to training and support on a one-to-one basis has been incredibly valuable to helping us work out how to do this and hone our business model.
Craig: We’ve really benefited from the expertise of the cohort. Being a part of this entrepreneurial community suddenly takes you from a small company of two people to 15 organisations.


Data-Driven Innovation
Related posts
Interviews
Comment
Why innovation and marketing are the perfect partners to make changes that matter
With the rapid evolution of traditional marketing and the appearance of digital marketing, technology and innovation has become part of any marketer’s life without the need of working for a…
Transitioning to a four-day week – CEO’s vow to strike a healthier balance in the workplace
I came to Scotland nearly 20 years ago from Ireland, with no contacts but a lot of determination. While Ireland will always be my home, Scotland has given me amazing…
Women Lead: The female-led company championing intuitive working
Over the last two years, the pandemic forced a shift to more remote and flexible working practices. Whilst we might be seeing a “return to normal”, some companies are choosing…
Women Lead: My passion for young people to consider a career in digital
Twenty years ago, I stumbled across my career in digital marketing almost by accident. It was during my honours degree in marketing at Glasgow Caledonian University. I was on work…
Women Lead: Inclusive Silicon Valley cohort gives hope to entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds
Things are happening on the Scottish tech scene. Big and small initiatives are creating a fantastic ripple effect on the sector, bottom up and top down, thanks to the recommendations…
Women Lead: The story of an entrepreneurial scientist
I first arrived in Scotland over 20 years ago. I had £75 in my wallet and a scholarship offer to do a PhD at the University of Edinburgh. Sometimes I…
Please mind the gap… or healthcare may fall
Imagine sharing a lengthy train journey with others. From beginning to end, imagine how often you might hear ‘mind the gap’ messages about embarking and disembarking safely. Picture how navigating…
Women Lead: My journey from Dragons’ Den to Silicon Valley
Following her appearance on Dragons’ Den, Sheila Hogan, serial entrepreneur, founder and chief executive of digital legacy vault, Biscuit Tin, shares her experience of her time in the Den and…