What Interface does

Interface is a publicly-funded innovation brokerage and knowledge connection service that links Scottish businesses, public sector bodies, and third sector organisations with expertise from all 23 Scottish Universities and Research Institutes. Founded in 2006 and hosted by Edinburgh Innovations Limited (a wholly-owned subsidiary of the University of Edinburgh), Interface operates from Edinburgh with regionally deployed Business Engagement Executives covering the whole of Scotland from the South of Scotland to the Highlands and Islands. The service is free and impartial to end users, funded by the Scottish Funding Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, and Scottish Enterprise.

Interface's core offering is a facilitated matching service in which a regional executive works with an organisation to understand its goals, identify innovation needs, and route the request to the best-fit academic institution. This matching is complemented by Innovation Voucher funding programmes (Standard vouchers around £5,000, Advanced vouchers, Workplace Innovation Vouchers, and Horizon 2020 SME Engagement Vouchers), which Interface administers on behalf of the Scottish Funding Council. Additional productised services include the Academic Validation Programme (launched in 2021 with Edinburgh Napier University) and the Entrepreneurial Campus Blueprint delivered with Connect-Ed Network, Colleges Scotland, and CDN under Scottish Government funding.

Interface has no proprietary technology platform and does not charge customers; revenue mechanics are grant-based rather than commercial. It does not have venture capital or external private investors, operating instead as a partnership programme embedded in Scotland's public innovation infrastructure. Reported impact includes £88.9m annual GVA and 1,595 jobs supported (Interface Annual Review 2023/2024), with named engagements spanning healthcare, life sciences, energy and renewables, construction technology, digital health, hospitality, heritage and tourism, and people analytics.

Name

Interface

Legal name

Interface – The knowledge connection for business (hosted by Edinburgh Innovations Limited)

Website

https://interface-online.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Interface is a publicly-funded Scottish brokerage that connects businesses, public sector, and third sector organisations with expertise from all 23 Scottish Universities and Research Institutes, providing free matching services and Innovation Voucher funding since 2006.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Innovation brokerage and knowledge exchange services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Learning, EdTech Enablement & Connectivity for Education (BPADAKAH)

Keywords

• Business-academic matching
• Innovation brokerage services
• Knowledge exchange facilitation
• Academic partnership brokering
• Innovation voucher administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public funding and grants: Interface is funded by Scottish public bodies including the Scottish Funding Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, and Scottish Enterprise. It provides free services to businesses and does not charge for its brokerage and matching services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Interface is a free, publicly-funded knowledge connection service that brokers partnerships between Scottish organisations (businesses, public sector bodies, and third sector organisations) and academic expertise across all 23 Scottish Universities and Research Institutes. Its core deliverable is matching organisations with the best-fit university or research institution for their innovation needs, supported by administration of the Scottish Funding Council Innovation Voucher Scheme and related funding programmes such as Standard, Advanced, Workplace, and Horizon 2020 SME Engagement Vouchers.

Product overview

Interface is a facilitation service organization that connects businesses, public sector, and third sector organizations with Scottish universities and research institutions. The organization does not offer a unified software product or platform but rather provides a portfolio of services including: business-academic matching and partnership facilitation, Innovation Voucher funding administration (Standard, Advanced, and Workplace Innovation Vouchers), guidance on collaboration processes, and access to case studies demonstrating successful partnerships. The service is free and impartial, helping organizations identify academic expertise needs and broker appropriate connections across Scotland's higher education institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business-Academic Matching Service A free facilitation service that connects Scottish organisations (businesses, public sector bodies, and third sector organisations) with relevant academic expertise across Scotland's 23 universities and research institutions. Regional Business Engagement Executives work directly with clients to understand goals, identify needs, and find the best academic match.
• Innovation Voucher Funding Programme A funding programme administered by Interface on behalf of the Scottish Funding Council that supports Scottish organisations in accessing academic expertise through various voucher types including Standard Innovation Vouchers (£5,000), Advanced Innovation Vouchers for more complex projects, Workplace Innovation Vouchers for workforce development, and Horizon 2020 SME Engagement Vouchers for European collaboration.
• Academic Validation Programme A programme launched in 2021 in collaboration with Edinburgh Napier University and UK universities to independently evaluate research outcomes and validate academic-industry partnerships facilitated through Interface.
• Entrepreneurial Campus Blueprint - Entrepreneur in Residence Programme A Scottish Government College Capacity Building programme delivered by Interface in partnership with Connect-Ed Network and Colleges Scotland that places Entrepreneurs in Residence at Scottish colleges to support enterprise skills development and entrepreneurial learning across the college network.

Quantifiable outcome

• £88.9 million annual GVA impact
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

29 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• All 23 Scottish Universities and Research InstitutescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterface is delivered through a partnership of all 23 Scottish Universities and Research Institutes. These institutions provide the academic expertise that Interface connects businesses with, forming the foundation of the service.
• Edinburgh Innovations LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdinburgh Innovations Limited hosts Interface. It is a company incorporated in Scotland (number SC148048) and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the University of Edinburgh, responsible for industrial engagement, technology transfer, consultancy services, and company formation.
• University of EdinburghcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Edinburgh is the parent institution of Edinburgh Innovations Limited, which hosts Interface. The university provides industrial engagement, technology transfer, and research capabilities that support Interface's mission.
• Edinburgh Napier University (Scottish Crannog Centre project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdinburgh Napier University partnered with The Scottish Crannog Centre via Interface to document the reconstruction of the new crannog through a filming placement, capturing traditional skills, community participation, and the ambition to create a national museum.
• Heriot-Watt University (Scottish Crannog Centre project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeriot-Watt University engineering students collaborated with The Scottish Crannog Centre via Interface to design interactive model crannogs made from sustainable materials, translating Iron Age engineering into playful contemporary learning.
• University of Glasgow (Scottish Crannog Centre project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Glasgow partnered with The Scottish Crannog Centre via Interface to measure social impact and sustainability, examining community engagement with local youth, mental health organisations, and refugees.
• University of the West of Scotland (Scottish Crannog Centre project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of the West of Scotland partnered with The Scottish Crannog Centre via Interface to deliver immersive technology and interpretation projects including VR experiences, augmented exhibition spaces, and branding/marketing.
• University of Glasgow (Seluna Ltd project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterface linked Seluna Ltd to University of Glasgow for an Innovation Voucher project to develop a novel AI algorithm pipeline for identifying sleep apnoea from wearable cardiorespiratory signals. The collaboration continues to drive R&D activities.
• University of Strathclyde (Sentiental/Sentinel project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Strathclyde partnered with Welbot Ltd via Interface in 2018, which evolved into Sentiental Limited (Sentinel). The partnership developed AI-powered trauma support for frontline workers and has grown into a strategic long-term collaboration with NHS and international partnerships.
• Edinburgh Napier University (Airglove Medical Ltd project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdinburgh Napier University partnered with Airglove Medical Ltd via Interface to develop a second-generation Airglove device, including Airglove LEG for PAD treatment and Airglove ARM for DIVA, using expertise in product design, electronics, and biomedical devices.
• University of Glasgow (Therme UK project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterface facilitated an initial connection between Therme UK and University of Glasgow, leading to a feasibility study funded through the Inward Investment Catalyst Fund for a global Centre of Wellbeing Research Excellence (WellEX) in Glasgow.
• Glasgow Caledonian University (Glen Mhor Hotel project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlasgow Caledonian University's School of Engineering, Computing and the Built Environment partnered with Glen Mhor Hotel via Interface to develop an economic model for the hotel's water source energy centre, assessing carbon emissions saved.
• Edinburgh College (Glen Mhor Hotel project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdinburgh College partnered with Glen Mhor Hotel via Interface through a Workplace Innovation Voucher to devise a new recruitment policy and inclusive job advert template, prioritising inclusivity for neurodivergent staff.
• University of Edinburgh (Kionnali Living Systems project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Edinburgh partnered with Kionnali Living Systems via Interface through a PhD student collaboration examining how the company's adaptable foundation and lightweight construction could reduce impact on soil compaction and biodiversity.
• University of Aberdeen (Kionnali Living Systems project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Aberdeen partnered with Kionnali Living Systems via Interface, with Professor Alireza Maheri of the Centre of Energy Transition conducting a feasibility study to verify the Kionnali Net-zero Energy System concept.
• University of Strathclyde (Kionnali Living Systems project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Strathclyde partnered with Kionnali Living Systems via Interface, connecting them to the Advanced Materials Research Lab to develop a unique high efficiency, lightweight insulation system.
• Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) (Kionnali Living Systems project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSRUC partnered with Kionnali Living Systems via Interface as part of the company's multiple research collaborations to test net-zero energy system concepts for rural and farming communities.
• University of Stirling (Nectis Ltd project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Stirling partnered with Nectis Ltd via Interface as part of CivTech 5 challenge, with a Data Science for Business MSc student working on data visualisation for the Unlocking Potential (U>P) platform.
• Edinburgh Napier University (Nectis Ltd project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdinburgh Napier University's School of Computing partnered with Nectis Ltd via Interface through an Advanced Innovation Voucher for security and anonymised data cloud analysis, leading to an SE SMART grant of £92k.
• Robert Gordon University (ZAZA & CRUZ Skincare project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRobert Gordon University partnered with ZAZA & CRUZ Skincare via Interface to research whether antioxidants and enzymes from whisky distillation could be extracted as natural skincare ingredients, proving beneficial for skin rejuvenation.
• University of Strathclyde (Renewable Parts Ltd project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Strathclyde partnered with Renewable Parts Ltd via Interface, combining Electronic and Electrical Engineering, SIOM, and SIR expertise to investigate wind turbine component remanufacturing, enabling RPL to create a new manufacturing base in Argyll.
• Glasgow Caledonian University (Scotmas project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlasgow Caledonian University partnered with Scotmas via Interface for bacteriological and viral testing of water treatment products, resulting in a sustained partnership and subsequent testing work.
• Heriot-Watt University (Scotmas projects)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeriot-Watt University partnered with Scotmas via Interface on multiple collaborative projects including corrosion studies, microencapsulation, and two Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs), with 94% of the university's research judged world-leading in REF 2014.
• Robert Gordon University (Scotmas 2020 project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRobert Gordon University partnered with Scotmas via Interface in 2020 to develop an innovative method of producing disinfectants without harmful by-products, funded through an Advanced Innovation Voucher and winning Innovation of the Year at Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards 2021.
• Carbon Literacy ProjectminorOthersThe Carbon Literacy Project accredited the Carbon Literacy training completed by Interface's entire team. The training raises awareness of carbon costs and impacts and empowers participants to make informed changes to reduce emissions.
• Connect-Ed NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnect-Ed Network, the entrepreneur in residence network, partnered with Interface as part of the Scottish Government's College Capacity Building programme to deliver Entrepreneur in Residence positions across Scottish colleges.
• Colleges ScotlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerColleges Scotland partnered with Interface and Connect-Ed Network in shaping the Entrepreneurial Campus Blueprint programme, contributing to the Scottish Government's drive to make entrepreneurship a core life skill across education.
• College Development Network (CDN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDN partnered with Interface to shape and share learning outcomes from the Entrepreneurial Campus Blueprint programme across the Scottish college sector.
• The Data LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Data Lab partnered with Interface to deliver the Trailblazing AI Collaboration Award at the Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards, supporting recognition of responsible AI collaborations in Scotland.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Catapult Network: UK network of not-for-profit technology and innovation centres connecting businesses with universities and research expertise. Comparable as a publicly-funded business-academic partnership facilitator with similar brokerage mandate.
• Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN): UK-wide knowledge exchange and innovation networking organisation (now Innovate UK Business Connect). Direct comparable as a publicly-funded intermediary connecting businesses with academic expertise and funding programmes.
• Connected Places Catapult: UK Catapult centre focused on transport and place innovation, facilitating business-academic partnerships. Comparable as a Catapult-network innovation intermediary operating under publicly-funded model similar to Interface.
• The Data Lab: Scotland's innovation centre for data and AI, partnering with Interface on knowledge exchange awards. Comparable as a Scottish publicly-funded innovation intermediary connecting industry with academic expertise in a defined vertical.

Broad incumbents

• Innovate UK: UK's national innovation agency funding business-academic R&D collaborations. Comparable in mandate to drive innovation through business-academic partnerships, though operating at national rather than regional scale.
• Fraunhofer Society: German applied research organisation operating contract research on behalf of industry through a network of institutes. Comparable as a publicly-funded applied research / industry-academic collaboration model, though much larger and global in scope.

Regional players

• Enterprise Ireland: Irish state agency supporting indigenous business innovation and academic collaboration. Comparable as a regional publicly-funded innovation intermediary facilitating business-academic partnerships.
• Northern Powerhouse: UK government initiative promoting economic growth in northern England through business-academic and business-business collaboration. Comparable as a regional economic development vehicle leveraging university partnerships.
• Scottish Enterprise: Scotland's national economic development agency and a co-funder of Interface. Comparable as a publicly-funded body stimulating business growth and academic collaboration in Scotland.

Others

• Scottish Funding Council: Primary public funder of Interface and Scotland's tertiary education and research. Comparable as the source of Innovation Voucher funding that Interface administers, representing the funder-side counterpart to Interface's brokerage service.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/InterfaceOnline

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments6 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Interface