Converge & Cisco Announce New Collaboration

Converge and technology leader, Cisco, have announced a new collaboration designed to accelerate the pipeline of technology start-ups emerging from Scotland’s universities.

The alliance will enable Converge, Scotland’s leading academic company creation programme, to deliver an enhanced package of support, not currently available anywhere else in Scotland. This will include mentoring, access to the Cisco DevNet and Innovation programmes, and also access to Cisco Webex collaboration technologies for all participating entrepreneurs. 

Scotland has the potential to be a world-class technology sector, with a new generation of high-growth, innovative tech companies leading the nation’s economic recovery as we emerge from the Covid-19 crisis. Nurturing the pipeline of new technology start-ups coming out of Scotland’s universities is an essential step in making this ambition a reality and the collaboration between Cisco and Converge will help to drive this forward.   

Claudia Cavalluzzo Director of Converge, comments: “As highlighted in the recent Mark Logan review, Scotland is on the brink of becoming a major tech-ecosystem with global reach, providing much needed jobs and putting the country firmly back on the road to economic growth.  

“For this ambition to be realised, we need a healthy pipeline of technology start-ups coming out of our universities and our new collaboration with Cisco, one of the world’s leading technology companies, will help us to provide an enhanced level of support, unavailable anywhere else in Scotland.

Our track record in technology start-ups is remarkable, as evidenced by the companies we have supported over the years, including Shot Scope, Current Health, and Cyan Forensics. By collaborating with Cisco, we hope to encourage an even greater number and diversity of academic entrepreneurs – across the widest range of technology sectors – to commercialise their research and ideas”.  

Shane Heraty, Regional Director, Cisco Ireland and Scotland, adds: “We are incredibly excited to partner with Converge, to help the next generation of innovators turn their ideas into commercially viable businesses that help Scotland thrive.     

“After over 30 years of connecting the UK, Cisco is in a great place to help accelerate its digital future. Nearly every Internet connection in the UK touches Cisco technology and we’re investing in projects across Scotland to support innovation, from transport and healthcare, to cyber-security and digital skills.”