A further £1.5 million will be invested in high-growth potential firms by Scottish EDGE as the 20th round of awards invites 24 finalists to pitch their ideas.

The organisation has already invested £20 million in over 500 businesses in the past eight years, and the awards are welcoming back categories including Net Zero EDGE, which launched last year with backing from the Royal Bank of Scotland to coincide with COP26.

In line with the Scottish Government’s commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2030, businesses with a sustainable and ethical ethos at their core will all be contenders in this category.

Finalists include ethical fashion designer Beira Moda, reusable plant-based water bottles maker, S’wheat, and bespoke reusable face mask creator, Mask Logic.

Scientific and digital innovation will also be amplified amongst this year’s finalists, with BioLiberty’s robotic glove and digital platform, designed to help stroke survivors with remote rehabilitation, PicSea Ltd’s data-collecting underwater robots and Yaldi Games’s community-driven life simulation video game featuring on the list.

The Scottish EDGE Awards are supported by The Hunter Foundation, the Royal Bank of Scotland, the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise.

In a further boost to entrants, a community-based award has also been introduced, which will recognise the efforts of an enterprise which may have otherwise missed out.

Exclusive to the twentieth round of Scottish EDGE, the award totals a value of up to £20,000. It credits businesses which have made a positive contribution to the wellbeing of their communities and the planet, with the winner decided by public vote.

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Evelyn McDonald, CEO of Scottish EDGE, added: “We are thrilled to continue to reward the innovation of the nation’s entrepreneurs, having previously supported over 500 businesses to achieve their goals and expand their visions ever further.

“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.

“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.”

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