Aspiring projects will become reality thanks to venture

Two UHI Perth projects have been selected to join a national programme aimed at making academic ideas a reality.

- ALASTAIR MCNEILL

The two Perth schemes are among five UHI initiatives chosen for the 2025 Converge entrepreneurial venture.

Participants will take part in an intensive programme of business training and mentorship, with finalists advancing to the Converge Awards in October, where a record prize fund of £400,000 is up for grabs.

The UHI Perth projects are: Gestura – HND Computer Science student Christopher Kaan Caudwell and PowerPlant-HNC Bioscience alumni Holly Richardson.

Gestura is an Al-powered app that translates sign language into speech and speech back into sign.

It works in locations like hospitals, banks, and on public transport where interpreters are often unavailable.

PowerPlant is an artificial tree that captures pollution using enzyme-enhanced algae, while generating renewable energy with built-in solar panels.