Edinburgh’s Central Hall was in the spotlight yesterday evening as Turing Fest hosted its inaugural Scottish Tech Startup Awards.  

On the night, Edinburgh-based MedTech firm, Snap40, took the plaudits – winning both the Startup of the Year and the B2B Company of the Year awards.

The company has grown from strength to strength in 2018, and in July announced a seed funding deal which saw the company receive $8 million (£6.25 million).

The ceremony saw figures from across Scotland’s startup scene come together to celebrate and recognise some of the brightest companies and individuals in the sector. The awards received more than 200 nominations from around the country’s bustling tech sector, with a panel of tech leaders and investors choosing the winners.  

The Importance of Recognition 

Awards such as these serve two important purposes within the ecosystem. Primarily as a means through which to reward and recognise innovation, they also play a huge role in highlighting the vibrant nature of Scotland’s tech startup scene – which continues to draw global attention.  

Brian Corcoran, CEO of Turing Fest, believes that ecosystem building is a key challenge for the Scottish tech startup scene. Through events such as the Tech Startup Awards, the nation can begin cultivating a stronger tech sector.  

“I think that ecosystem building is a very valuable thing for anyone involved in the tech industry in Scotland,” he explains. “That is the main reason why we decided to create the Scottish Tech Startup Awards.

“It’s also crucially important to promote the companies that are essentially building the future of the Scottish economy. It’s important to recognise those people because they set the standards and drive the ambition level within the ecosystem.”

Tonight’s Winners

Startup of the Year Award  

Snap40 

Scaleup of the Year 

Nucleus Financial

Ecosystem Award 

Alisdair Gunn (Framewire)

Diversity in Tech Champion, presented by Care Sourcer 

Maria Gutierrez (Women Who Code Edinburgh)

CEO of the Year 

Ed Molyneux (FreeAgent)

Investor of the Year 

 Archangels 

Tech for Good Award 

Amiqus

B2B Company of the Year 

 Snap40

B2C Company of the Year 

CareSourcer

Agency of the Year

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