Scottish EDGE opens next funding competition round

Scottish EDGE, the UK’s largest business funding competition, has launched its latest competition for innovative entrepreneurs. 

Over its past 11 rounds, Scottish EDGE has awarded over £10m to startup businesses throughout Scotland, generating a huge impact on Scotland’s economy. Past winners have collectively generated an additional £79.78m in turnover and created 2,214 jobs.

Prizes of up to £150,000 are available in round 12, in a mix of grant and loan funding. All applications will be assessed by a number of independent, expert panels before being shortlisted to participate in a Scottish EDGE semi-final, or the final of the subsidiary competition categories, Young EDGE and Wild Card EDGE.

Applications will be accepted through the competition online portal until 7 March 2018 at 2pm, requiring a completed application and a short video pitch.

Finalists will take part in a full day pitching on 31 May 2018, with winners being announced at the newly introduced awards dinner on 14 June. Additionally, two deserving businesses – one within the science, technology or engineering sector and another within the creative sector – will be awarded the special Higgs EDGE and Creative EDGE awards, carrying potential prize offerings of up to £150,000 and £100,000 respectively.

Scottish EDGE CEO Evelyn McDonald commented: "Just two months after awarding over £1m to 38 businesses in our 11th round, we are kicking off 2018 by inviting Scotland’s next wave of innovative startups to apply for Scottish EDGE funding and support.

"Our recently completed Cutting EDGE video project captured the emotional and rewarding journey experienced by those who come in to Scottish EDGE, as well as the life-changing impact that providing that much needed growth capital can have. We look forward to sharing that with you throughout this round.

"Having received a total of 240 excellent applications in our last competition round, we expect the standard of the competition to be high. I wish everyone applying for EDGE 12 the very best of luck and I can’t wait to see the exciting business ideas that come our way."

An article on Scottish EDGE appeared in the January 2018 Journal.