New Regional EDGE award invests £400,000 into entrepreneurs across Scotland

 

The Scottish Government has awarded £400,000 to entrepreneurs from four key regions

Twenty high-growth businesses set to make a positive impact on Scotland’s economy are celebrating being named shared winners of the Regional EDGE prize fund of £400,000. 

This new pilot award, aimed at businesses in Aberdeen, Perth & Kinross, Dundee and Angus, and the Highlands and Islands, is the latest initiative in the long-standing relationship between the Scottish Government and Scottish EDGE. Funds were allocated through a competitive process, which involved pitching to a panel of judges and delivered in collaboration with local partners Opportunity North East, Elevator, GrowBiz and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Perth and Kinross - L to R: Provost Xander McDade, FM John Swinney, Jackie Brierton (GrowBiz), Evelyn McDonald (EDGE), Kevin Walls (EDGE)

The award ceremonies took place across four weeks in each of the regions’ hometowns, with industry leading keynote speakers in attendance including First Minister of Scotland John Swinney for the Perth and Kinross awards.

Of the 48 shortlisted finalists, eight entrepreneurs were awarded £10,000 including Little Birdie Foods, multi award-winning Coffee Roaster, and Brigid Bio for their biotech treatment of high-risk fungal infections.

Soumya Palliyil of Brigid Bio - Scottish EDGE North East Winners

Eight further entrepreneurs secured £15,000 funding each including Ovis, for its wool pellet gardening alternative to plastic, and The Green Company, for condensed, eco-friendly cleaning solutions.

MedAscend took home a main prize of £50,000 for a training platform allowing medical students to improve their communication and diagnostic skills, as did Rescue Winch, for revolutionary paddlesport safety equipment.

Ahmed Sharaf and Hannah Woods of MedAscend with Rachel Ross CEO Elevator

 As well as financial support, all winners will also benefit from becoming EDGE Alumni, granting them access to the organisation’s network of contacts and business acumen.

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “The partnership between the Scottish Government and Scottish EDGE has long driven our ambition to become a world-leading start-up nation. The new, Scottish Government-funded regional awards have been piloted to help fledgling businesses outwith the central belt develop and grow while capturing the competitive essence of entrepreneurism.

“I am delighted to see such a wide range of projects and businesses across all four regions being successful and hope the tangible injection of investment they have secured will help them take the next steps to growing and scaling their business propositions.”

Regional EDGE HIE - All winners

Evelyn McDonald, CEO of Scottish EDGE said; “"As Regional EDGE reaches its conclusion, we celebrate the incredible innovation, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit that have flourished across Scotland’s diverse regions. With the invaluable support of the Scottish Government and our dedicated delivery partners, Regional EDGE has empowered ambitious start-ups in key areas, providing vital funding and mentorship to turn bold ideas into thriving businesses. The impact of this initiative will continue to be felt as these entrepreneurs drive growth, create jobs, and inspire the next generation of innovators across Scotland." 

Salaura Founder Morven Shaw with FM John Swinney and Jackie Brierton (GrowBiz)

Jackie Brierton, Co-CEO of GrowBiz Scotland said; “We were delighted to have the opportunity to work with the Scottish EDGE team to deliver one of the first Regional EDGE competitions. The response we received from businesses in Perth & Kinross highlights the strong entrepreneurial culture and diversity of enterprise sectors in the area – which GrowBiz will continue to support and develop.”

Regional EDGE Dundee - All winners with Regional EDGE Judges

Rachel Ross, CEO (designate) of Elevator said: Elevator and Scottish EDGE both inspire and support entrepreneurship, innovation and transformation of regional opportunities. The Regional EDGE partnership has enabled ambitious businesses in Dundee and Angus to access an incredible opportunity to secure funding for their ideas. The strong entry response is testament to the entrepreneurial culture prevalent in the region and the accessibility that a regional competition enables. A huge congratulations to all the award winners and we look forward to further supporting them on their entrepreneurial journeys as they use the Regional EDGE funding to drive their growth”. 

Kevin Walls (EDGE), Audrey Sheal (ONE), Evelyn McDonald (EDGE), Jane Macleod (ONE), Karen O'Hanlon (ONE)

Jennifer Craw MBE, CEO of Opportunity North East (ONE), said: “ONE and Scottish EDGE both inspire and support entrepreneurship and innovation, with ONE building the entrepreneurial ecosystems in the region’s growth sectors. The Regional EDGE partnership created a new opportunity for ambitious and innovative startups in North East Scotland to secure funding to advance their ideas. Congratulations to all the finalists and winners – we look forward to seeing how they use Regional EDGE support to drive their growth.”

Keith Wilcox of Rescue Winch - Regional EDGE HIE Winner

 Caroline Maclellan, senior innovation manager at Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), said: “Regional EDGE showcases the incredible innovation and entrepreneurial spirit thriving in our region. It offers ambitious entrepreneurs with crucial funding and support needed to bring their visions to life. We are proud to support these high-growth businesses as they contribute to a vibrant and sustainable economy. We’re delighted to be working with our partners to deliver the new Regional EDGE programme. It’s a great opportunity for rural entrepreneurs and we look forward to helping them win a share of the prize pot.”

Scottish EDGE last month launched Round 25 of its country-wide funding competition, with 247 businesses applying for awards of up to £150,000. Details of the live pitching finals will be released in the coming weeks at: www.scottishedge.com.

Fill list of Regional EDGE Winners:

Aberdeen

  • Brigid Bio - £10,000 - Brigid Bio is a biotech company developing novel, first-in-class drugs to improve outcomes in patients at high risk of serious, drug-resistant fungal infections

  • Sherriff & Hope - £10,000 – Scottish-made Miso, Shoyu and Hot sauce direct to consumer, to restaurants and wholesale.

  • Ovis - £15,000 - Ovis produce sustainable wool pellets designed to be used by gardeners to improve water retention in soil as an alternative to plastic granules

  • Windstorm Holdings Ltd - £15,000 - Windstorm is developing an enhanced wind turbine system which will reduce the space required for wind farms by up to 99%

  • InGlaze Ltd - £50,000 - Manufacture of internal acrylic magnetic secondary glazing with thermally efficient seal made from recycled plastic. Customised project solutions for reducing energy loss

Perth and Kinross

  • Enriched Being - £10,000 - Nutrient-rich microgreens year-round through innovative indoor farming and producing cold-pressed microgreens into nutrient-packed shots

  • Little Birdie Foods Ltd - £10,000 - Multi award-winning Coffee Roaster, with a selection of premium products, including freshly roasted coffee, fine teas and luxury hot chocolate

  • Bookr – SaS - £15,000 - Bookr is a software as a service scheduling platform for the healthcare education industry

  • Nowhere Sauna - £15,000 - Nowhere Sauna is a wood-fired sauna based by the mill pond at Comrie Croft, Perthshire. Communal and private hire sessions are available

  • Selaura Ltd - £50,000 - Selaura focuses on women's health. Their first product is a food supplement formulation supporting all 48 symptoms of perimenopause and menopause

Dundee and Angus

  • AgriAudit - £10,000 - AgriAudit is a mobile app & web platform designed to streamline & simplify farm audits through removing duplication, saving farmers time and reducing anxiety

  • Konglomerate Games - £10,000 - Video games company specialising in creating games to help people, taking the best parts of games and applying them to non-game scenarios

  • Murdoch Wood Ltd - £15,000 - Providing professional tree services to domestic and commercial customers using modern, high end equipment to make work as safe and efficient as possible

  • The Green Company - £15,000 - The Green Co. is at the forefront of a burgeoning industry, condensed cleaning solutions, eco-friendly cleaning supplies, delivered directly door to door

  • MedAscend - £50,000 - A training platform allowing medical students to improve their communication skills, ability to diagnose and create tailored treatment plans through virtual consultations with AI patients

Highlands and Islands

  • Thistle and Cloth - £10,000 - More than just a brand; it's a celebration of tradition, innovation, and the timeless beauty of Scotland. 

  • Highland Domes - £10,000 - We design and manufacture geodesic structures from greenhouses to PassivDoms.

  • Crofter’s Kitchen - £15,000 - A 5-star-rated, outdoor farm-to-fork and dock-to-dish eatery in the North West Scottish Highlands offering affordable, fresh, locally sourced dishes.

  • Haar Sauna - £15,000 - The original outdoor sauna company in Scotland. We connect nature, community, and wellbeing through the power of deep heat.

  • Rescue Winch Ltd - £50,000 - Rescue Winch, using the brand Lodestone Leashes, is a paddlesport safety equipment company, developing innovatively engineered products.

 
Jack Proctor