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Funding through the Scottish Inward Investment Catalyst Fund will support collaboration with international company
Abertay University is one of six Scottish universities awarded funding in the latest round of the Scottish Inward Investment Catalyst Fund (IICF), a programme designed to support collaboration between academia and businesses based outside Scotland.
The fund, managed by Interface and the Scottish Government, provides up to £10,000 for research and development projects that align with Scotland’s goals for a fair, sustainable, and innovative economy.
The Abertay-led CoSTAR Realtime Lab will collaborate with Satore Technology—an international company with bases in England, Portugal, and the US—to develop new technologies and production practices for virtual film environments. The project will explore the integration of virtual and physical model sets and props, advancing the capabilities of virtual production.
The CoSTAR Realtime Lab launched earlier this year and is part of a £75.6 million UK-wide R&D network focused on convergent screen technologies and performance in real time. With sites in Dundee and Edinburgh, the Lab brings together world-leading academic expertise and industry experience from Scotland’s globally significant gaming sector. It supports innovation in areas such as motion capture, virtual humans, AI-driven production processes, and advanced scanning technologies.
Minister for Business, Richard Lochhead, said:
Inward investment plays an important role in ensuring Scotland’s economy grows and prospers... The talent, innovation and expertise offered by our world-class universities play a key part in attracting investors to Scotland.
Howell Davies, Head of Strategic Programmes at Interface, said:
It is encouraging to see the range of universities and ambitious companies focused on key priority areas for Scotland around societal, sustainable and technology challenges.
Since its launch in 2021, the Inward Investment Catalyst Fund has supported 40 projects across sectors such as health tech, energy, and digital innovation, with companies from countries including South Africa, Singapore, and the United States. Several recipients have gone on to establish a permanent presence in Scotland, demonstrating the fund’s role in fostering long-term investment and collaboration
The next round of the Inward Investment Catalyst Fund is now open, inviting companies considering Scotland as a base to collaborate with Scottish universities, colleges, research institutes, and innovation centres. Applications close on 7 November 2025.
