SIX aspiring entrepreneurs are through to the final of an £18,000 pitching competition organised by Scotland’s first female angel investment group.
Investing Women’s AccelerateHER attracted more than 100 entries with the finalists winning the approval of a panel of judges at Napier University’s Business School.
The winner of the Chiene and Tait-sponsored competition will be announced by Annabelle Ewing, Minister for Youth and Women’s Employment, following a final round of pitching at the Investing Women’s Ambition and Growth conference in Edinburgh next month.
Finalists are online booking specialist Appointedd; Edinburgh-based French macaron maker Mademoiselle Macaron; personal attack alarm designer Pick Protection; online development firm InclusIQ; dementia app firm MindMate; and Borders-based FINDRA which designs performance lifestyle outdoor clothing.
The winner will receive vital assistance in taking their business idea to the next level with a package which includes a £5,000 cash prize, accountancy and legal support, and mentoring assistance from established business angels.
Neil Norman, entrepreneurial partner at chartered accountants Chiene and Tait, said: “The range and quality of the pitches we saw makes me excited about the future of Scottish enterprise and entrepreneurialism. Each person had to pitch their business in great detail to four experienced judges – not an easy thing to do, and yet they all did exceptionally well. I tip my hat to them all, especially our six fantastic finalists.”
Sam McFarlane, business engagement manager at Napier University’s Bright Red Triangle, said: “It’s been a pleasure working with Investing Women to facilitate this stage of the AccelerateHER competition. The quality of the entries and the semi-finalists is testament to the ideas and talents of the female-led businesses who entered and they are a credit to Scotland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
The Ambition and Growth conference at Dynamic Earth on March 7-8 coincides with International Women’s Day and brings together 200 emerging female-led businesses with angel investors who can provide financial investment and mentoring.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here