There was no shortage of north and north-east successes to celebrate at the 22nd Scottish Edge Awards.
The competition recognises high-potential early-stage businesses in a range of categories.
This year also saw the introduction of a new Scottish Government-backed £100 ,000 Pathways Award to support ambitious women entrepreneurs.
It was presented to Good Nude Food, a multiple award-winning producer of sauerkraut run by Shetlander Evonne Morrison.
North-east winners
Aberdeenshire-based SIPit, which produces structural insulated panels, was also among the night’s biggest winners, taking home a prize worth £85,000.
Two other north-east businesses, Planner Bee VA Services and Tabrifics, enjoyed success in the Young Edge category for firms whose founders are under 30 years old
Planner Bee VA Services is a virtual assistant service supporting sustainable and ethical businesses in their digital marketing. It won £10,000.
Tabrifics is a new “small-batch” tablet-maker and it came away from the Glasgow awards ceremony with £15,000.
More Highlands and Islands success
Highland Domes, of Dingwall, also won a £10,000 Young Edge award. The firm builds innovative greenhouses that are said to be more resilient, better insulated and more space efficient than traditionl structures.
Other £10,000 prizewinners in the Scottish Government-backed competition include Orkney firm Feverfew Garden Company, which specialises in gardenwear for women.
A total of £1.5 million is being invested into 38 early-stage businesses through this latest edition of the Scottish Edge Awards.
The scheme’s other backers include The Hunter Foundation, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Scottish Enterprise (SE).
Scottish Edge chief executive Evelyn McDonald,said: “As businesses across Scotland find themselves facing challenging circumstances, there’s never been a more urgent need to drive creativity and innovation.
‘Incredible potential’
“The winners of the 22nd round of Scottish Edge are testament to the incredible potential within Scotland’s start-up landscape.”
Sir Tom Hunter, of the Hunter Foundation, added: “Bold, brave and brilliant – those are the characteristics of Scottish Edge winners. All the evidence points to Scotland needing far more of these businesses.”
Judith Cruickshank, managing director, commercial mid-market at RBS, said: “The
Scottish Edge awards continue to showcase the remarkable innovative talent present
within Scotland’s entrepreneurial community.”
Jane Martin, managing director of innovation and investment at SE said the awards were an important part os Scotland’s “entrepreneurial ecosystem”.
She added: “By supporting innovative, high growth potential start-ups, together we can drive Scotland’s future economic prosperity and create purposeful, scaling companies of the future.”
Conversation