[15/11/2024] Scotland’s tech showcase, EIE25, started by the School of Informatics in 2008, will co-host the Tech Tour’s Growth Deeptech event next year, bringing later-stage companies and investors from across the EU to Edinburgh in May. Organised by the University of Edinburgh, EIE curates a selection of the most exciting companies founded upon research from Scotland’s world-class universities, and invites investors to an exclusive networking event the night before. Next year’s event will also focus on demonstrating emerging tech innovations, in future-orientated strength areas like quantum, semi-conductors, space and artificial intelligence. The Tech Tour event, to run concurrently, is the culmination of the Tech Tour Growth Deeptech 2025 Investment Programme, designed to showcase and connect high-potential later-stage tech companies with leading investors, industry experts, and strategic partners. The event will spotlight more than 30 exceptional companies from across Europe and Scotland, selected from a competitive pool of applicants by a panel of active investors through a collaborative scouting and review process. These companies are at the forefront of deeptech innovation, developing ground-breaking solutions with the potential to transform industries and address global challenges. Starting life in 2008 in Appleton Tower with 10 companies pitching to 50 attendees, EIE has grown and evolved to become Scotland’s largest data-driven technology investor showcase and the largest event of its kind outside London. So far it has supported over 550 enterprises, many at seed stage, which have gone on to secure more than £1.2 billion in finance. School of Informatics fintech startup Aveni.AI was part of the EIE cohort 2019, and has since gone to raise £18 million in investment for its large language models (LLMs) and AI products for the financial services industry. Our recent Series A investment was one of the largest achieved in Scotland in 2024. A core part of that investment was to focus on the development of specific AI models, achievable because of the access we have to the world-leading knowledge and skills found in Scotland.This demonstration of partnership between academia and business continues to drive our company and attract national early-stage investment, allowing companies like ours to grow, employ more people and develop industry-leading innovations. Dr Lexi Birch School of Informatics, Aveni co-founder Related links EIE website Link to the story on the Edinburgh Innovations website Publication date 14 Nov, 2024
