The second cohort of Unlocking Ambition Enterprise Fellows have been announced by the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE).

The start-ups cover a broad range of industries and sectors, but with a strong underlying focus on technology and data. Companies range from a novel online education platform for children to aid financial learning, to creating new breeds of commercially farmed insects; from an innovative food business following the FODMAP diet to a cost-effective eco-brick; and from a new learning management system for the aviation industry to a resource to aid the visualisation of venues to improve the delivery of events.

Diversity, inclusion and social good are strong themes within the cohort. There are four social enterprises included in the 20 start-ups and 30% of these new Enterprise Fellows are female.

The founders behind the start-ups are equally diverse, with nationalities of founders including Azerbaijani, British, Indian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Nigerian and Scottish.

13 of Scotland’s leading universities and research institutes are providing visiting status to the founders, enabling each start-up to benefit from their expertise and experience.

And aiding the development of the 20 new RSE Unlocking Ambition Enterprise Fellows are 13 of Scotland’s Scottish Universities and Research Institutes who provide visiting status to each.

The £4 million Unlocking Ambition Challenge is delivered by key stakeholders from Scotland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem as part of the Scotland CAN DO initiative, backed by First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon.

Economic and Social Impact

The programme provides funding support to 40 entrepreneurs chosen for their individual potential, the quality of their ideas and the contribution their companies can make to the Scottish economy and wider society.

There are two programmes within the Unlocking Ambition Challenge: both are focused on supporting innovative, purpose-driven entrepreneurs:

• The RSE Enterprise Fellowship programme is for 20 earlier stage start-ups which will be hosted by a number of Scottish Universities or Research Institutes, led by the RSE
• The Scottish Enterprise programme – a scaling development programme for 20 successful SMEs is led by Scottish Enterprise

By coming together, the 40 participants will receive mentoring from established and successful entrepreneurs and business advisors, as well as networking opportunities and
peer-to-peer support.

The 20 RSE Unlocking Ambition Enterprise Fellows will benefit from a tailored business development training programme,  to help them to bring their propositions to market.

Jamie Hepburn MSP, Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills said:

“Applications for Unlocking Ambition opened in March this year and only three months later, with the addition of the RSE Enterprise Fellowship entrants, this first cohort is ready to begin its journey.

“This demonstrates the appetite for growth and the innovation potential of businesses in, or wishing to locate in, Scotland. It is particularly pleasing to note this international talent that Unlocking Ambition is attracting and retaining.

“They are showing faith in our vision for the Scottish economy and we will ensure that through Scotland CAN DO our business support and the business environment is the best in the world.”

Edward Cunningham CBE FRSE, Chairman, The Royal Society of Edinburgh Enterprise Fellowship Programme commented:

“We have the potential and we have the ambition to enable innovation in Scotland’s future investment and internationalisation. The RSE will draw upon our strengths and multidisciplinary expertise to match the ambition and ingenuity of the Unlocking Ambition programme to work with our new Enterprise Fellows to develop and launch new businesses and help them become outstanding entrepreneurs.”

Over a year the RSE Unlocking Ambition Enterprise Fellows will receive:

• Total grant funding of up to £900,000 (up to £45,000 grant per Fellow – between £25,000 – £50,000 maintenance grant and up to £20,000 business development fund);
• A total of over £150,000 worth of comprehensive and cutting-edge training personally tailored to develop business skills to turn vision into reality;
• A dedicated mentor for each Fellow
• Access to professional, financial and entrepreneurial networks
• Visiting status at a Scottish University or Research Institute is provided for the duration of the programme
• RSE Entrepreneurs’ Club networking
• Unlocking Ambition showcase
• Entrepreneurial Scotland membership
• Immersive events – collaborations with Scotland’s thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem

The 20 entrepreneurial start-ups participating in the RSE Unlocking Ambition Enterprise Fellowship programme are:

• Rachael Bews – ALICAS
• Roy Bitrus – RAB Microfludics
• Colin Campbell – Unlocking Potential
• Alan Clark – Take Your Marks
• Thomas Farrugia – Beta-Bugs Ltd
• Pooja Jain – CogniHealth
• Joan Kangro – Kingdom
• Tadas Labudis – Prodsight
• Barry Leaper – LiberEat
• Lauren Leisk – Fodilicious Ltd
• Claudio Marturano – Nubis Aviation Training Ltd
• Louise McHattie – KENOTEQ Ltd
• Ross McLeod – Specialist Safety Systems Ltd
• Cavid Nadirov – GETGUIDED Ltd
• Elijah Nazarzadeh – AcuWave
• Lorna Paul – Giraffe Healthcare
• David Phin – Paragon Inspection
• Anna Renouf – Orrin Equestrian
• Stephen Roe – Stageport
• Usman Yaseen – Sonik Pocket

The first set of entrepreneurs participating in the Unlocking Ambition Challenge can be found here.