Data-Driven Innovation Programme Annual Review

The University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University’s Data-Driven Innovation (DDI) initiative has published its latest Annual Review, showcasing achievements from the academic year 2023-24.

Twenty in depth case studies feature in the review, covering start-ups and spin-outs, research, and partnerships delivering positive impacts for a range of industry sectors.

The DDI initiative launched in 2018 as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, and was set ambitious targets for increasing data skills, industry partnerships and entrepreneurship.

The Review provides a snapshot of recent activity across six DDI hubs, all now open and located at the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University, and delivering impact across ten industry sectors, from Argritech and Creative, to Fintech and Healthcare.

The review includes examples of how staff at the Bayes Centre and Edinburgh Futures Institute helped housing and homelessness teams at City of Edinburgh Council improve services. Also featured is a partnership from the Creative Informatics team, which enabled an arts organisation to enhance digital skills and data capabilities.

In the 2023-24 academic year, the DDI initiative delivered £160million in research activity and saw a 24% increase compared with the previous year. 80 early-stage data-centric companies were supported, surpassing DDI’s unique company end-of-programme target by 25%.

23-24 also saw the initiative surpass its entrepreneurship goal by four times the initial target. Since launch, 550 entrepreneurs have been supported through DDI, together securing more than £200 million of investments. Half of this funding has remained local, with businesses in the Edinburgh and South East Scotland area.

With all DDI hubs now open, the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University are able to increase learning opportunities for a variety of communities and organisations, additionally offering residency spaces for companies where they can benefit from University collaboration.

Expanding partnerships, and increasing engagement with business, remains a core future goal for the DDI initiative; the opening of all six DDI innovation hubs is a significant milestone in helping deliver that ambition.

View the Annual Report

Watch the video

Using Data to Support Public Services

 Team members from The City of Edinburgh Council's Housing and Homelessness department have been participating in the University of Edinburgh's The Data Lab - Innovation Centre Data Management Fundamentals course, aiming to enhance decision-making, develop more insights, improve efficiency, and ultimately, service delivery.

The course provided an excellent introduction to data management, specifically designed for professionals whose primary role wasn't data-centric but involved handling data. From managers to technicians and clerical support workers, this course offered key insights and tools to manage and analyze data effectively.

 Developed by The Data Lab - Innovation Centre, in collaboration with Bayes Centre, The University of Edinburgh, effini, and the DDI Data Skills Gateway, it was an invaluable resource for those seeking to improve their data proficiency.

You can watch other videos which show how the City Region Deal’s projects and programmes are helping people, in the Annual Report 2023/24

Data Skills Credit Case Study Video

Part of the City Region Deal’s Data Skills Gateway strand, the Data Skills Credit scheme is delivered by The DataLab and has surpassed 1000 participants. It is focused on improving the data and digital skills of people in the region. DataKirk applied to The DataLab for the Data Skills Credits, allowing them to deliver courses for disadvantaged communities.

You can watch other videos which show how the City Region Deal’s projects and programmes are helping people, in the Annual Report 2023/24

Bus Driver Recruitment Campaign - Case Study Video

The Workforce Mobility Project, Integrated Employer Engagement team, bus operators and regional employability partners delivered a series of bus driver recruitment roadshows across the city region through May and June 2024.

Launched by the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, the roadshows were a great example of collaborative working across the region to help operators overcome a shortage of bus drivers, while creating new connections with employability partners. It has also showcased the importance of bus drivers to support our communities and economy, while highlighting the fantastic career opportunities that are available with operators across our region.

Watch the short video featuring the Minister, operators, drivers and SEStran (South East of Scotland Transport Partnership) to find out more:

You can watch other videos which show how the City Region Deal’s projects and programmes are helping people, in the Annual Report 2023/24

GOVE TOURS EDINBURGH’S NATIONAL ROBOTARIUM TO SEE LEVELLING UP AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION IN ACTION

Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove today (24 February 2022) toured a state-of-the-art research facility for robotics and artificial intelligence in Edinburgh, which is backed by £21 million in UK government funding.

Mr Gove saw some of the innovative research projects being developed at the National Robotarium including a demonstration from the facility’s resident robot dogs. These four-legged robots will be used to support people working in hazardous environments like energy inspection and disaster recovery as well as making the construction process safer, more efficient, and sustainable.

The funding, which is provided through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal with an additional £1.4 million from the Scottish Government, is supporting the National Robotarium to create cutting-edge solutions to many of the challenges we face in everyday life. Examples of projects include the development of a train cleaning robot that can complement existing staff while reducing health risks, a robotic coach to aid the process of long-term rehabilitation after stroke, and underwater robots to support safer inspection and repair of offshore wind turbines. Mr Gove also heard more about the facility’s growing partnerships with industry, healthcare organisations and its support for entrepreneurship.

Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Michael Gove MP said:

“Levelling up is not going to be an easy task. To be successful, it requires a huge collaborative effort as we have seen here in Edinburgh where governments, local authorities, partners from academia and private sector come together to delivery real results.

“The National Robotarium is the perfect example of what is possible when we work together, and it has been fantastic to see some of the innovative projects being developed here that genuinely have the potential to change people’s lives for the better.”

Based at Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh campus, the new facility is due to be completed this year, bringing with it jobs and prosperity to the region.

The Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal draws on a combined total of £600 million in funding from both Scottish and UK Governments to invest in projects over a 15 year period focussing on research, employability and skills, transport, culture and housing.

Professor Mark Biggs, Vice-Principal, Heriot-Watt University said:

“Backed by the combined experience of Heriot-Watt and the University of Edinburgh, we’re demonstrating how Scotland and the UK can lead global developments in robotics and AI, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and addressing some of industry and societies biggest challenges.

“We look forward to working closely with governments to ensure the National Robotarium makes a positive impact by accelerating growth, attracting investment and acting as a catalyst for entrepreneurship and job creation.”

This comes less than a month after the UK Government set out an ambitious plan to level up the whole of the United Kingdom. In addition to existing City Region and City and Growth Deals, our Levelling Up White Paper set up further plans to harness innovation, including £100 million in funding to set up three innovation accelerators across the UK, including one in Glasgow. These will create “Silicon Valley” set ups which will harness research and development in the area.

We have already seen investment as part of the UK Government suite of levelling up funds. £1.7 billion was invested throughout the UK in round one of the Levelling Up Fund including £172 million on 8 projects in Scotland.

While in Edinburgh, Mr Gove also visited the flagship UK Government Hub in Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth House, and spoke at the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and Improvement Service Annual Conference 2022. He also appeared before a Scottish Parliamentary Committee.

Further information

· The National Robotarium is a world-leading research facility for robotics and artificial intelligence, the largest and most advanced of its type in the UK. 

·  Opening on Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh Campus in 2022, the purpose-built building will have unrivalled facilities, adding high precision manufacturing and dedicated laser labs to existing laboratories in ocean systems, human-robotic interaction and assisted living.

· Home to world-leading experts in data analytics, the National Robotarium is exploring collaborative interaction between humans, robots and their environments, translating cutting-edge research into new technologies, underpinned by an ethical approach.

For more information, please visit www.hw.ac.uk/nationalrobotarium

Follow Twitter: @NRobotarium / LinkedIn: @The National Robotarium