PARTNERSHIPS
Future-ready graduates, thriving start-ups
Heriot-Watt’s Edinburgh Business School is generating graduate advantage by providing a game-changing experience where business education meets business growth.
Standing out in today’s world of modern business demands more than a high-quality degree. Future-ready graduates need a real competitive edge. The innovative Practice Excellence Network is creating this edge by connecting students with start-ups to deliver positive benefits for both.
“I think our Practice Excellence Network (PEN) model is probably unique for a business school,” explains Alistair Pryde, Assistant Professor, Marketing and Operations, at Edinburgh Business School and manager of PEN. “It sees high performing postgraduate students help achieve growth for start-up and spin-out businesses, while creating added value for their future employability.”
Through PEN, students studying on a range of MSc programmes gain valuable insight and experience, while the businesses they are partnered with benefit from academic talent in the form of consultancy and advisory projects they would otherwise struggle to implement or afford.
Connecting talented students with start-ups to drive growth and boost employability.”
Alistair Pryde, Assistant Professor
Her work validated a target market for us and led us to pivot to assistive technologies that meet unmet needs.”
Mittran Krishanan
Heriot-Watt alum, Mittran Krishanan, a Process and Sustainability Engineer and Founder and CEO of JFX Technology, found being part of PEN revelatory. Matched with Digital Marketing MSc student Dagmara Franus he describes her input as “a foundational contribution”. JFX were developing sensory-enhancing shower systems and Dagmara’s research led them to the realisation they could significantly help autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals. “Her work proved the commercial need for a sustainable technology solution in the neurodivergent market, and identified what the community actually required,” Mittran explains.
Dagmara’s insights revealed that the biggest barrier when showering for these individuals wasn’t the task itself but the initial start and end process of transition. “Her input fundamentally changed our approach to focus on solutions that ease the critical transition points,” Mittran adds. “She validated a target market for us and led us to pivot to assistive technologies that offer practical solutions to unmet need.”
For Dagmara, now working at Boston Scientific as a Corporate Communications graduate, involvement in PEN was “never just an academic exercise”. She describes it as an opportunity “to contribute, in a small way, to the growing field of sensory research” and as part of “an incredibly transformational, challenging, but also highly rewarding” time as a student at Heriot-Watt.
We know that Heriot-Watt alumni are creating and managing start-ups and spin-outs around the world. With its focus on experiential learning and knowledge exchange, the Practice Excellence Network could be of help to solve some of their business challenges.”
Alistair Pryde, Assistant Professor
New energy and fresh perspectives
PEN brought new energy and fresh perspectives, making a real contribution to our business.”
Professor Michael Crichton
“I don't think it’s an exaggeration to say that we are seeing a seismic shift in employer expectations of graduates’ work readiness,” comments Alistair, “and PEN provides an opportunity for students to achieve that all important differentiator in their educational experience that employers value.” Working on a defined problem for a start-up business, the PEN experience offers an alternative to undertaking a classic research-based dissertation. For participants and start-ups, it is proving invaluable.
Professor Michael Crichton is a MedTech Innovator. His award-winning biotech Heriot-Watt spin-out company, TissueMetrics, is developing a groundbreaking vibroacoustic skin sensor. “Our technology uses surface vibrations to measure tissue elasticity and fluid content, providing objective, dermatologist-quality data to treat inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis,” he explains.
PEN allowed him to access additional skills and expertise, and brought “new energy and fresh perspectives,” Michael comments. “We wanted to expand our engagement with pharmacists and patients to understand what they would pay, and how they would want to see a pharmacy service introduced. We were also looking for visibility and marketing messaging to explain the values and quality of what we do at Tissue Metrics. We were incredibly fortunate to have Theodora Georgia Koufalitaki and Millie Owens tackle these business issues that we would’ve struggled to do ourselves. And they smashed it!” Michael enthuses.
Theodora worked on the early go-to-market pathway “which helped our proposed engagement with pharmacists” Michael explains, while Millie explored how strategic branding and positioning could support communication with patients, clinicians, and partners. “They provided fantastic insight and made a real contribution to our business,” he adds.
Commenting on her PEN experience, Theodora said: “It was one of the biggest highlights of my amazing time at Heriot-Watt. A significant learning experience through which I produced work I’m proud of, it also helped me grow both personally and academically.” Millie was equally enthusiastic about her experience: “I was thrilled to work with TissueMetrics. It deepened my passion for marketing strategy and the intersection between psychology and innovation.” Millie went on to work for the company after graduating “conducting strategic research to support their brand development” she explains, alongside her role at Talking Medicines, a fast growth digital health business.
Maximising impact
Theo, who is currently an Audit Associate at PwC, studied International Business Management. Through PEN he worked with the Continuum Flow Lab at Heriot-Watt, which pioneers enabling technologies for industrial manufacturing and environmental sustainability using advanced continuous flow chemistry.
“My project aimed to help the Lab transition from a purely research focus to a commercially viable business, and shape its future,” Wojciech explains. The findings from his project contributed to a research grant proposal centred on positioning the lab as a national focus for flow chemistry, process chemistry and inline reaction monitoring. “Our potential impact lies in accelerating the transition to eco-friendly consumer products, optimising green manufacturing, and driving Scotland's circular economy agenda,” Dave Ellis, a director of the Continuum Flow Lab, explains. “Wojciech’s input helped us to see where and how we could maximise that impact.”
“During the final meeting, one of the Lab team described my contribution as delivering ‘an epiphany moment’. It was wonderful to experience that,” Wojciech adds.
My project helped the Lab transition from a purely research focus to a commercially viable business.”
Wojciech Salski
Do you have a business challenge the Practice Excellence Network could help with?
We are keen to hear from start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs that are facing challenges with business analysis, marketing, or supply chain and logistics issues.
www.hw.ac.uk/ebs/business-and-industry/practice-excellence-network
Please get in touch with us!
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