Highlands and Islands Enterprise
An Lòchran, 10 Inverness Campus, Inverness, Inverness-shire, IV2 5NA, United Kingdom
Overview
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is the Scottish Government's economic and community development agency for a diverse region which covers more than half of Scotland and is home to around 450,000 people. HIE's role is to develop sustainable economic growth across the region. To achieve this it creates infrastructure for future investment, assists large and small businesses with growth aspirations and has a unique role strengthening communities, particularly in fragile areas. As part of this HIE supports communities to acquire and develop land and other assets. HIE supports the growth ambitions of business and social enterprise clients by creating close working relationships in order to accelerate growth in turnover, profitability, wage levels, exports and therefore Gross Value Added (GVA) in the HIE area. HIE also invests in transformational projects across the region to make the Highlands and Islands a more competitive and attractive place to live, work, study and grow.
- Total investments
- 3
- Lead investments
- 0
- Investments · 12mo
- 0
- Active investors
- 1
Investment portfolio
- AccuNostics
Participated · Grant · Sep 2011
AccuNostics develops and manufactures self-monitoring diagnostic devices focused on diabetes and blood glucose analysis as well as other blood analytes. The company is based in Forres, UK and was founded in 2008 by CTO/COO Olly Davies and CEO Giles Hamilton. It has recently made a number of appointments and is actively recruiting for a further 15 staff. AccuNostics raised new funding and a grant to support growth plans. The funds are intended to be used to grow the business and expand operations. No operating metrics were disclosed in the article.
- Aquapharm Biodiscovery
Participated · Equity · Mar 2010
Aquapharm Biodiscovery, based in Oban, UK, develops natural products derived from a library of over 7,250 marine micro-organisms. Its core product portfolio includes small-molecule and peptide natural products that are already being exploited commercially with major partners in the personal care and pharmaceutical sectors. The company is pursuing new collaborations to apply its marine-derived compounds in nutrition. Management changes accompanied the financing: entrepreneur Simon Best was appointed CEO while founder Andrew Mearns Spragg becomes Chief Technical Officer. The recent financing will be used to further develop and commercialise its product portfolio and to build a large marine-derived compound library with molecules sized and structured for potential drug development. Aquapharm is focusing that library principally on the anti-microbial field. Aquapharm Biodiscovery harvests and cultures marine microbes and screens them for new biochemicals that could serve as drugs or additives for food and cosmetics. The company focuses on discovering antibiotics and antioxidants from marine organisms. It is based near Oban in the European Centre for Marine Biotechnology. The firm completed a second funding round that raised $8.3 million (£4 million). Proceeds are intended to support its ongoing screening and discovery efforts. No operating metrics were disclosed in the article.
Team
Liam Orr
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