The biggest winner on the day was RotoMotor Ltd, which became the second business to win the Scottish EDGE’s highest prize of £150,000 in the Higgs EDGE category, following the success of Epipole in December’s funding round. An Aberdeen-based business founded by Jonathan Marsh, RotoMotor have invented the world’s first three-dimensional pump, a revolutionary concept in pump design changing the way we think about the pump and renewables markets. RotoMotor technology offers game changing potential to a $70 billion industry, by producing multiples of flow rates and higher pressures than centrifugal pumps.
Scottish EDGE Chief Executive Officer Evelyn McDonald said:
A Scottish EDGE final is always a day to remember and today was no different. We received a total of 239 applications for Scottish EDGE round eight from around the country, representing businesses in every business sector. For those who didn’t win this time round it’s not a no, it’s a not yet. We look forward to opening round nine in August and encourage new and old applicants to apply for Scottish EDGE funding and support.
Gordon Merrylees, Scottish EDGE board member and Head of Entrepreneurship at Royal Bank of Scotland and Natwest, commented:
the Scottish EDGE has had a huge impact on Scotland’s economy, with our alumni having generated an additional £31.80m in turnover, secured £28.36m in additional investment, and created 641 jobs since receiving their Scottish EDGE funding and support. We’re looking forward to continued success as today’s winners join our group of high-achieving alumni.
Sir Tom Hunter, renowned Scottish entrepreneur and philanthropist, said:
100% of the net new jobs in the UK will come from businesses less than five years old – the winners at Scottish Edge are the job creators of today… We need to invest in them and nurture them in any way we can to build our economy and to provide the quality jobs our people deserve. We need to build a far greater pipeline of high growth businesses if Scotland is to succeed, Scottish Edge is one critical element of that pipeline and I commend all the entrants – not winners yet – and the winners for their commitment to building great entrepreneurial businesses.
The Scottish EDGE winners were:
- Blind Spot Gear – Developed ‘Scorpion Light’ and ‘Tile Light’ for film making industry – Glasgow – £45k
- BLUSHO – A social-shopping platform for beauty, driven by user generated content – Glasgow – £35k
- Cutitronics – Developed game-changing skincare technology that measures skin health – Glasgow – £55k
- Deepwater Oil Tools – Developed SeaCure Cementing, an innovative technique for casing cementation in Oil & Gas sector – Aberdeen – £40k
- Dry Ice Scotland – Company whose dry ice process removes contaminants using frozen carbon dioxide – Perthshire – £100k
- eoSurgical – Created simulators to train surgeons to help make surgical procedures safer – Edinburgh – £100k
- EuroBiotix CIC – Community interest company that aims to expand access to Faecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) – Aberdeen – £40k
- Freedom Brands – A producer of coconut-based innovative healthy food and drinks – Glasgow – £30k
- Glaze & Save – Award winning product which turns single glaze windows into double glazing – Perth – £25k
- OTAQ – Developed an innovative seal deterrent system for fish farms – Oban – £100k
- Particle Analytics – Develop solutions for analysis of numerical simulations of particles and bulk solids – Edinburgh – £40k
- Phoenix Instinct – Develop life enhancing travel products for the active wheelchair user – Nairn – £50k
- Robotical – Created ‘Marty’ – a robot to inspire the next generation of engineers and scientists – Edinburgh – £60k
- Uuni – Innovative and portable outdoor wood-fired oven for cooking pizza – West Lothian – £50k
- Vanilla Blush – Developed an underwear range for people with Stomas – Glasgow – £50k
