A SCOTTISH underwear entrepreneur is hoping to clinch a £100,000 investment in the finals of the Scottish Edge business competition.

With less than a week to go until the prestigious event, which aims to identify and support Scotland’s up-and-coming, innovative, high growth-potential entrepreneurial talent, Nicola Dames is brushing up on her business pitch.

Global brand Vanilla Blush, which makes lingerie for people who have had operations like colostomies, has made it to the finals on June 20 at the RBS conference centre in Edinburgh.

Dames said: “It is a massive privilege to get to such a prestigious final. I know it will be great to attract the maximum investment into Vanilla Blush, which is £100,000, but what really makes this business entrepreneur competition so brilliant is that you are not competing against other equally great Scottish companies, you are competing against yourself.

“What I’ve seen in all the other 22 Scottish companies is great innovation, great vision and great old fashioned courage.

“I only hope that Vanilla Blush can do itself proud, do the business panel of judges proud, and do the Scottish Edge organisers proud.”

Steven Hamill, chief operating officer for the Scottish Edge, said: “All 22 finalists have gone through several rounds of gruelling assessment by some of the highest profile names from Scotland’s entrepreneurial eco-system and they should all be extremely proud of getting to this stage.”