Shortlist revealed for student entrepreneurs contest

Converge Challenge director Olga Kozlova, centre, with Rebecca Pick of Strathclyde University and Edinburgh University's Richard Walker. Picture: Lesley Martin

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Converge Challenge, the company-creation competition and start-up development programme, has revealed its 2016 shortlist, with nominees vying for a Â£150,000 prize fund.

The initiative is for students, graduates and staff from universities north of the Border in a bid to create a new generation of entrepreneurs in Scotland, and finalists cover sectors including renewables, food and drink, education, apps, beauty and medical device digital healthcare.

Launched in 2010, the event is funded by the Scottish Funding Council and eight research-intensive universities. The awards cover three categories – Converge Challenge, for those with an established idea; KickStart, for early-stage ideas; and Social Enterprise, for those aiming to have a positive impact on social and environmental issues.

Converge Challenge lists top 60 university start-ups

Converge Challenge director Olga Kozlova said: “Converge Challenge is becoming a vital opportunity for start-ups to engage with and it’s not only good for them, it’s good for Scotland’s economy. Over 80 per cent of Converge Challenge companies go on to secure follow-on funding with alumni having secured over £34m of funding and employing over 150 staff since 2011.”

Winners are set to be announced at an awards ceremony at Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms on 22 September.

FULL LIST OF NOMINEES

Converge Challenge

Edinburgh Napier University: Bruce Ramsay, Cyan Forensics

Heriot-Watt University: Marc Desmulliez, MicroSense Technologies

University of Aberdeen: Alasdair Mort, MIME Technologies; Leigh Cassidy, ENREN

University of Dundee: Deborah Wake, MyDiabetesMyWay

University of Edinburgh: Alexander Enoch, Robotical; Andrew Herbert, H Guard

University of Glasgow: Susanne Mitschke, MindMate; Tomasz Sadowski, Opinew

University of Strathclyde: Chris Hughes, Estendio

KickStart

Edinburgh Napier University: Richard McAdam, McAdam Technology

Glasgow Caledonian University: Catherine CA Truel, Alegrant

University of Dundee: Yuri Belotti, Automated Time-Resolved Cell Stretcher; David Foley, Elementary Therapeutics

University of Edinburgh: Douglas Martin, MiAlgae; Salman Malik, μSpray Technologies; Valentin Radu, Deep Context

University of Glasgow: Ravinder Dahiya, SmArtLimb

University of St Andrews: David Harris-Birtill, Beyond Medics

University of Strathclyde: Calum MacKinnon, OutLoud

Social Enterprise

Glasgow Caledonian University: Pedro Santos, Re-Make

University of Aberdeen: Erika Grant, Project Turnkey; Fiona McIntyre, Greyhope Bay

University of Dundee: Christopher Murray, The Comics Studio

University of Strathclyde: Heather Guyan, Classmate

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