Start-up funding competition Scottish EDGE has named the 24 finalists in its latest round of awards totalling £1.5 million in grant and loan support.
Contending across a variety of categories, the firms will pitch their business concepts to judges on December 6 and 7 after which the winners will be announced. This is the 20th round in the eight years of the Scottish EDGE competition, which has to date invested £20m in more than 500 businesses.
The 20th round will include the return of Net Zero EDGE, which launched last year with backing from the Royal Bank of Scotland to coincide with COP26. Finalists include ethical fashion designer Beira Moda, reusable plant-based water bottle maker S’wheat, and bespoke reusable face mask creator Mask Logic.
Scientific and digital innovation will also be recognised with BioLiberty’s robotic glove, data-collecting robots from PicSea, and Yaldi Games’s community-driven life simulation video game on the list of finalists.
READ MORE: Glasgow's ReCover seals Scottish EDGE funding award
A new award has been introduced to recognise the efforts of an enterprise that has made a positive contribution to the wellbeing of its community. Arising out of a crowdfunding campaign, the award totals a value of up to £20,000 and will be decided by public vote.
Scottish EDGE chief executive Evelyn McDonald said organisers were "thrilled" to continue their support for the nation’s entrepreneurs.
“We are particularly proud to be contributing to the Scottish Government’s mission to tackle the climate emergency with the Net Zero Award, which is made possible by the generous funding of the Royal Bank of Scotland," she added.
"It is also heartening to see that public enthusiasm for supporting Scottish entrepreneurship has enabled the Scottish EDGE Community Award, which will allow us to recognise the ceaseless hard work of those contributing to their local communities.”
Along with the Royal Bank of Scotland, the awards are supported by The Hunter Foundation, the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise.
The full list of finalists:
Argyle IT & Education
EDTech blended learning platform to meet West African higher education needs
BearHammer Games
Adventure Fitness VR – A virtual reality fitness game
Beastly Brews t/a Panther Milk
The world’s first oat milk ready-to-drink cocktail
Birken Tree (Scotland)
World's first dedicated Birchwater specially created for pairing with fine whiskies
Eleon Products
Innovative tool for cleaning teeth next to gaps
Fitabeo Therapeutics
Developing oral thin films as an enhanced way of delivering medicine
Mask Logic
Designs individual, bespoke, re-usable and scientifically proven facemasks to healthcare and other sectors
Meander Apparel
Outdoor clothing brand making ethical garments for everyday adventures
Microplate Dx
Specialise in antibiotic susceptibility testing diagnostics reducing antimicrobial resistance
Palaemon Maritime
Provide anti-piracy barriers on a rental basis for ships, costing less than razor wire
RIVAL SC
Tech platform that sets out to revolutionise supply chain management for SMEs
Today Agency
Student-driven media agency connecting businesses with creative local students
Ailsa Reliability Solutions
Utilise cutting edge technologies to eliminate unplanned downtime of client's critical assets
Beira Moda
Crafts ethical limited edition womenswear from discarded high-end fabric
BioLiberty
Soft robotic glove and digital platform to help stroke survivors with remote rehabilitation
GaitAR
Developing mobility solutions for Parkinson's patients, in the form of Smart Glasses
Hoolr Education
Technology company that helps organisations manage, scale and understand their coaching cultures
PicSea
Ocean digitisation provider that uses its swarms of underwater robots to collect data
Rutland Square Gin
Worlds first and only Chai Spiced Gin aimed at Indian market
S'wheat
World's first reusable bottle made from plants
Thistle Rocketry
Space launch start-up currently developing scalable rocket systems for cube satellites
Two Birds Fitness
Created a range of functional drinks which combine speciality coffee/tea with vitamins and antioxidants
Unbaggaged
On-demand luggage storage platform that picks, stores and returns bags where and when needed
Yaldi Games
Mission-led game developer who have developed a community-driven life simulation game called Wholesome
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