By Silicon Scotland editorial
Published 25 May 2026
Eleven academic innovators connected to the University of Aberdeen have been selected for the 2026 cohort of Converge, Scotland’s national university entrepreneurship programme, following a record-breaking number of applications from universities across Scotland.
Converge gives selected projects intensive entrepreneurial training led by experienced founders, live pitching experience, peer-to-peer networking, and access to a £400,000 prize fund for the most promising ventures. The Aberdeen cohort members will begin the programme later this month.
In the Net Zero Challenge category, Aberdeen is represented by Catalyst Neuromorphic, a neuromorphic processor project aimed at providing an alternative AI hardware path at a time when data centres are projected to triple their energy demand by 2030 and GPU shortages are running beyond six months. Also in the Net Zero category are CCS Ecosystem, a carbon capture and storage software platform for CO₂ project developers, and RapidSOH, a software platform that enables battery refurbishers to assess within minutes whether used electric vehicle batteries should be reused or recycled.
In the KickStart Challenge, DermaSetu AI is an AI-driven dermatology tool designed to shorten NHS diagnostic waiting times by providing automated analysis of skin conditions. HyCCS-Materials is developing novel protective coatings, composite liners and wellbore-compatible formulations to unlock asset reuse across carbon capture, storage and underground hydrogen storage projects. LDW Technologies is developing a rapid in-field soil nitrate sensing platform for precision agriculture. Belonging Quotient is a research-led spin-out concept providing a standardised accessibility audit and accreditation service for organisations. Unyvo’s Apt-Aura platform, an AI-powered workspace that matches students, graduates and early-stage startups with opportunities based on goals and context rather than keywords, completes the KickStart selection.
Three projects enter through the main Converge Challenge: TauBioGenix, developing a monoclonal antibody treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and related conditions; Scensai, building an affordable handheld electronic nose for beverage quality control; and WellBrain Ltd, which is developing a brain-health assessment tool that combines brain activity recordings with advanced data analysis for early dementia detection.
Dr Heather May Morgan, Vice-Principal for Regional Engagement and Innovation at the University of Aberdeen, said: “It is hugely encouraging to see such strong representation of University-led innovation in this year’s cohort, reflecting both the depth of talent within our academic community and the real-world impact of our research.” She added that transforming ideas into viable businesses is “a vital part of how we deliver societal, economic and environmental impact.”
Adam Kosterka, Executive Director of Converge, said: “Each year the quality of applications to our programme astonishes us with the breadth and depth of innovation displayed. The 2026 cohort is very strong and we are looking forward to working with them as they take the next steps towards making their ideas a commercial reality.”
The Aberdeen showing arrives in a year when Converge received a record number of applications nationally. For the North East’s innovation ecosystem, having eleven projects across AI hardware, cleantech software, health tech and life sciences in a single cohort is a meaningful signal — Aberdeen’s research base is producing commercially-oriented spinout activity well beyond its traditional energy-sector heartland.
