Five brilliant projects from the University of the Highlands and Islands have made it into Scotland’s premier academic enterprise initiative, Converge 2025, placing them shoulder to shoulder with the country’s brightest sparks in innovation.
Chosen from a record 300-plus applications representing all 19 of Scotland’s universities, the selected 125 entrepreneurs are now set for a transformative journey of training, mentorship and support.
From turning sign language into speech to purifying water with carbon sponges, the UHI entrants are nothing short of remarkable.
This year’s cohort showcases a fresh wave of creativity fuelled by purpose, with a powerful emphasis on sustainability, accessibility and community-centred innovation.
Four of UHI’s five entries emerged from the university’s own business competition and were nurtured through the application process.
It’s a shining testament to UHI’s growing influence in the innovation ecosystem and its commitment to empowering homegrown talent.
Vicki Nairn, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of UHI, celebrated the news with warm praise.
She said it was fantastic to see UHI so well represented and commended the strength and ambition these projects embody.
One standout is Gestura, a real-time translation app that bridges the communication gap between spoken and sign language.
Created by Christopher Kaan Caudwell, a student at UHI Perth, it was born from a dream to make everyday interactions more inclusive.
With Converge backing, Gestura moves one step closer to a world where no one is left out of the conversation.
Then there’s Heilan, founded by Fergus Leith in Inverness, which blends beeswax and biodiversity.
Inspired by the Cairngorms, the business harvests honey and crafts natural cosmetics while actively restoring the wild.
Fergus sees Converge as a springboard to expansion, and says he’s excited to share ideas and learn alongside other changemakers.
From UHI’s Environmental Research Institute, Szabolcs Pap’s CassioPeia offers a clever solution to a pressing global issue.
Using biochar to draw excess phosphorus from water and repurpose it as fertiliser, it helps tackle pollution and protect food security in one elegant sweep.
Meanwhile, Professor Andrew Rae’s Alis Apta takes aim at the aviation sector.
His retrofit engine upgrade lets aircraft fly on more sustainable fuels, cutting emissions by up to 80 percent and slashing costs.
And finally, there’s PowerPlant, the green vision of Holly Richardson from Perth.
Her artificial tree captures pollution and churns out clean energy, offering councils a low-maintenance way to save money and improve air quality.
Together, these UHI projects form a powerful showcase of what happens when creativity, purpose and academic rigour collide.
As Adam Kosterka, Executive Director of Converge, put it, this year’s cohort isn’t just promising in a commercial sense.
They are inventing the kind of future we’d all like to live in.
