We were pleased to attract a fantastic 252 applications to Round 16 of Scottish EDGE in late February this year but within a matter of weeks the world began to feel like a very different place and the challenge of judging these businesses when we
didn’t know what was coming up led to sleepless nights for the team.
And while there is still uncertainty and challenges ahead we feel it is time to move forward in a spirit of optimism and once again announce to the world or at least to the Scottish entrepreneurial ecosystem that we want to fund and support Scotland’s
early-stage, innovative, high growth potential business talent.
The round will be open to our original Round 16 entrants but also to brand new applicants to the competition who we know have been working on their business ideas during lockdown.
If you’ve applied before, you will be invited to revisit your original application on the EDGE portal and update or amend your information reflecting both the feedback you received in early April and what’s happened to your plans in the intervening months.
All applicants will also be asked to answer a brand-new question on the impact or opportunities Covid-19 is having on your plans. New applicants will simply log in to the portal and work on their application. Online webinars will be set up to guide
both existing and new applicants through the process.
Having paused the competition for three months we’re itching to get going and we don’t want to stroll there, we want to sprint so this is going to be our fastest round yet!
The application window will shrink from five weeks to two weeks for a start so you’ll need to be quick too and we’re going to shorten the 1st Stage assessment process to get ourselves, and our applicants, semi-final ready by early
September putting us in a position to hold a two-day pitching final on the 23rd and 24th of September (to be confirmed).
Mindful of our health and yours, judging will be done remotely and on Zoom (so get ready to pitch from your home or garden!) and our final will follow social distancing guidelines with a live audience on social media rather than in person.
So it’s fair to say there will be a few changes but what I can guarantee is the same engaged and enthusiastic team helping you in whatever way we can, the same high standard of judging from judges who know their stuff, a £1 million prize pot and a passion
to support some wonderful businesses to follow in the footsteps of our Alumni and make an impact socially and economically in Scotland.
It’s good to be back!
Evelyn McDonald - CEO
