Who We Are
We're a group of experienced software engineers and problem solvers based in Edinburgh. With a combined 50+ years in biotechnology, engineering and manufacturing we have a wide range of skills to rely on to get the job done.
Firefinch started in 2017 when four senior R&D members from a biotech multinational decided to go their own way. Founded with the aim to get software development right we use best practice and experience to get the right balance between cost and complexity for every customer. We've since grown to fourteen people by bringing in specialist skills from other sectors.
Team Firefinch






Our Board of Advisors
We asked the mentors who guided the development of our careers to help oversee and advise the Firefinch enterprise. With strong backgrounds and expertise in product and business development, engineering, marketing, and academia, our board of advisors continue to provide us with their insight and wisdom.

Dr. James Hopgood
James is the Director of Electronics and Engineering at the University of Edinburgh. He works in the disciplines of Data Science and Machine Learning within the field of Statistical Signal Processing. Since September 2011, James has been the Editor-in-Chief for the IET Journal of Signal Processing. James has worked closely with the Firefinch team since 2014 on a Data Science research project.

Dr. Donna McDade Walker
Donna is Senior Director, Global Marketing at Twist Bioscience. She is an accomplished Commercial Leader with over fifteen years experience in the biotechnology & life science industries. Skilled in marketing strategy, brand development and R&D within fields such as DNA Sequencing, Molecular Diagnostics, and Synthetic Biology, Donna has worked with the Firefinch team since 2020.
Carbon Audit




Firefinch have a commendably low emissions footprint. As a company they clearly prioritise efficiency and have instituted savings across their carbon footprint through conscious choices in the ways they travel, produce and work as a company.
They are a clear exemplar for the ways that lean, efficient technology organisations can embed sustainability principles and act responsibly to minimise their impacts on the surrounding environment and economy.
Williamson Consulting would have no hesitation in recommending Firefinch for project involvement in public sector work given often progressive overarching regional and national emissions targets. With an acute understanding of how organisations are structuring sustainability programmes, we have confidence that collaboration with Firefinch will benefit these processes and help to reduce emissions.
We'd love to hear from you, send us a message!
Medicinal microrobots could help physicians better treat and prevent diseases. For the first time, researchers have used lasers to precisely control neutrophils — a type of white blood cell Find out more via @ACSPublications pubs.acs.org/doi/ful… pic.twitter.com/IzyC…
#DYK that today is #WorldElephantDay pic.twitter.com/uMkY…
Robots that engage with people in a human-like manner are more likely to be perceived as having their own thoughts and beliefs, a study carried out at the Italian Institute of Technology has found. Find out more via @sciencefocus sciencefocus.com/new… pic.twitter.com/SLK9…
#DYK that #OnThisDay in 1887 Erwin Schrödinger was born, Austrian theoretical physicist who shared the 1933 Nobel Prize for Physics nobelprize.org/prize… pic.twitter.com/mgCK…
Engineers at the @Penn have developed a system of microrobots that can change shape to form bristles or floss. They don’t just brush plaque away, but release antimicrobials to kill bad bacteria. Find out more via @nwtls newatlas.com/health-… pic.twitter.com/0LOM…