DDI 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.