#NoWrongPath – Robbie MacIsaac, Bellrock Technology

By Robbie MacIsaac, Bellrock Technology

When I left school, I didn’t quite have the grades to go straight to university to study engineering. However, alongside working at Tesco and a pub, I was fortunate to secure a spot in the engineering academy, where I earned a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in mechanical engineering. This qualification paved the way for me to study Product Design Engineering at the University of Strathclyde. During the period between leaving school and starting university, I continued my musical passion as a professional bagpiper and budding engineer. I launched my first business at age 18, which I had been working on since I was 14. I invented a product for bagpipes that reduced the risk of condensation within the instrument. During these formative years of commercialisation, I won two Scottish EDGE awards and a Converge creative award, and in 2023, I was recognised as the Scottish Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), and had an appearance on BBC Dragons’ Den.

Throughout my studies at the University of Strathclyde and an exchange program at Copenhagen’s Danish Technology University (DTU), I immersed myself in the entrepreneurship and technology ecosystem. I grew my venture internationally and now have a successful brand (FLUX) and an innovative product range for musicians, which integrates technology to alleviate condensation issues in the bagpipe, thus prolonging their health and lifespan – new tech for an ancient instrument and gearing for growth.

From not having the grades to enter university directly, I left academia being shortlisted for the Prince Philip Design Prize, and won a prize for the best manufacturing project of my year at Strathclyde. I also received a Hammermen of Glasgow award for my final year project. My final project involved designing a machine, supported by one of Scotland’s high-growth companies, CandleShack, to speed up the production process of plant-based wax candles by controlling the crystallisation process, enabling large brands to transition to sustainable waxes.

During my studies, I also had an industrial placement at Highland Spring Group, where I worked as a manufacturing management engineer, focusing on operational efficiencies and cost in relation to engineering processes. It was at this point I realised the importance of data and how my skills in engineering, technology, and business could intersect. I now thrive at the intersection of business and technology.

After university, I aimed to apply my skills to an entrepreneurial company with growth ambitions, so I joined Bellrock Technology. Here, I primarily focus on commercial development in line with innovation and technology. I develop partnerships with startups, SMEs, and academia to deliver successful data projects using AI, driving change and delivering impact at pace. I enjoy working alongside growing and ambitious businesses, leveraging my engineering skills to understand problems and construct solutions that foster innovation and provide operational and commercial value.

I place great importance on sharing my experiences of running businesses. As a result, I have become a supporter of the University of Strathclyde accelerator clients. I regularly speak at universities, schools, and corporate events, and I share my experience through mentorship. I look forward to the future and my further development as I continue to learn and apply my skills to the broader picture of growth, achieving success as part of a team.