Kirsty Buchanan

As the Knowledge Transfer Adviser for the North of Scotland, I am responsible for developing and managing a portfolio of successful Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) between businesses and academia.

My nominated institutions are the University of the Highlands and Islands, the University of Aberdeen, and the James Hutton Institute.

I bring a wealth of experience in bridging the gap between industry and academia. Before joining our team, I led the Scottish Regional Hub for Innovate UK’s ICURe programme, which provides funding and support for academic spinouts.

My expertise includes managing complex multi-stakeholder partnerships, securing substantial funding, and implementing innovation strategies that deliver tangible results. Before this, I spent five years at Interface, linking businesses with expertise from Scotland’s academic institutions. Additionally, I serve as a Non-Executive Director for the global life science and clean tech startup, Better2Earth.