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In the latest in a series inviting innovative startups to tell their stories, Microelectronics UK features Forensic Eyes, an Edinburgh-based company which applies materials science to understand how and why failures, or other anomalies, occur. This then lends itself to ensuring better product reliability and longevity for clients - identifying potential issues early - and accelerating the development of new products and processes. Founded in 2024, the company's leadership team consists of CEO Suzanne Costello, CCO Donald Girvan, and CIO Laurie Costello. 

You can find out more about Forensic Eyes here. Many thanks to Suzanne Costello for providing these answers.

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In one sentence, what does your company do?

We provide failure analysis services, consultancy and training to the electronics sector helping to solve manufacturing, reliability and product development problems.

How did the business come about?

After 15 years investigating product failures, I saw that many companies struggled to access the right expertise at the right time. Some needed a fast answer to a critical failure, others needed strategic support to improve reliability and accelerate product development, while larger organisations wanted to build their own internal capability.

Forensic Eyes was created to bridge that gap. We help companies understand how and why failures occur, using advanced materials analysis to uncover the evidence hidden within products. Our goal is not only to solve today's problems but also to help businesses prevent future failures, innovate faster, and build lasting technical expertise.

What industry problem are you solving?

Many organisations need specialist materials expertise and advanced analytical capabilities, but it rarely makes commercial sense to maintain those resources in-house. As a result, technical problems can take longer to solve, product development can slow down, and valuable lessons can be missed.

Forensic Eyes provides on-demand access to the expertise, analytical techniques, and tailored training that businesses need to make confident decisions. We combine deep technical knowledge with an understanding of commercial pressures, helping organisations solve problems faster, reduce risk, improve reliability, and accelerate innovation.

Why is this problem becoming more important right now?

The AI revolution is creating unprecedented demand for advanced semiconductor technologies. The UK's opportunity is not in competing on high-volume chip manufacturing, but in areas where it already excels: chip design, compound semiconductors, photonics and advanced packaging. Government strategy and investment are increasingly focused on these strengths.

As semiconductor packaging and integration become more complex, understanding how materials and processes affect performance and reliability becomes critical. We provide the specialist expertise that helps companies solve problems faster, reduce technical risk and bring innovative products to market with confidence.

What makes your approach different from existing solutions?

We bridge the gap between advanced materials science and real-world business challenges. By combining specialist expertise, access to cutting-edge analytical techniques, and a solutions-focused mindset, we help organisations solve problems faster, reduce risk, and build lasting capability. Our clients get the insight they need without the cost and complexity of maintaining these resources in-house.

What has been the biggest challenge in scaling the business so far?

The biggest challenge has been growing in a way that preserves the qualities that make us different. Our business is built on specialist expertise and close collaboration with clients, so scaling isn't simply about adding headcount. It's about finding the right people, investing in capability, and putting the right structures in place without losing the flexibility and responsiveness that our customers value. It's a challenge, but it's also an exciting part of building a sustainable business for the long term.

What has been your biggest milestone to date?

For me, the biggest milestone hasn't been a single project or contract; it's been building a team that genuinely cares about our clients' challenges and approaches problem-solving with the same curiosity, determination, and enthusiasm that inspired me to start the business.

Seeing the team take ownership, deliver exceptional work, and help clients make better decisions has been incredibly rewarding. It marks the point where Forensic Eyes became more than a business founded by one person—it became a team capable of creating lasting impact.

What excites you most about the future of the microelectronics industry?

We're at a point where simply making transistors smaller is no longer the whole story. The future of microelectronics will be shaped by advanced packaging, chiplets, photonics, new materials, and AI-enabled systems. That creates huge opportunities for innovation, particularly in high-performance and high-reliability applications where the UK has real strengths.

What excites me is that success will increasingly depend on understanding materials, manufacturing processes, and reliability from the outset. The companies that can bring those disciplines together will be the ones that turn great ideas into successful products.

What’s next for the business over the next 12 months?

The next stage for Forensic Eyes is about scale and capability. We want to grow a business that combines deep technical expertise with the flexibility and responsiveness our clients value, driven by a talented, multidisciplinary team.

We're expanding the range of expertise available to our clients, particularly in areas that complement our materials and failure analysis strengths, such as electrical characterisation and reliability testing. Whether through recruitment, collaboration, or strategic partnerships, our aim is to provide the support our clients need.

As technologies become more complex, we see a growing need for independent experts who can help organisations solve problems, reduce risk, and innovate with confidence.