FOUR young Scots entrepreneurs are among the winners of the national Young Innovators Award this year.
The winners have started the New Year with a boost after winning a coveted award for their new business projects.
The Scots innovators‘ ideas include a body-powered bionic hand for amputees to using onion skin instead of single use plastic waste.
The four Scots winners are:
- Fergal Mackie, 25, from Edinburgh, who has developed Metacarpal – a body-powered bionic hand to give those with upper-limb amputations a better experience, using no electronics.
- Martina Tuskova, 29, from Paisley, Glasgow, who has created Eco Devana. The business makes non-slip reusable period pads with a wider mission: to end period taboos, educate women about their bodies, and build confidence and encourage open dialogue.
- Renuka Ramanujam, 28, from Oban, Argyll and Bute, who is developing HUID, a material innovation that uses onion skin instead of single use plastic waste. Renuka is currently at the R&D stage, working in collaboration with universities to improve and test the material.
- Richard Campbell, 28, from Edinburgh– who is creating a barrel-aged, non-alcoholic whisky for sober-curious consumers. The whisky, currently in its early stages, will eventually be barrel-aged for the same length of time as traditional whiskies.
The Scotland winners will each take a share of the £1.25m prize fund.
They join a cohort of 94 young people aged 18 to 30 with business ideas that could change the world and will benefit from a £5,000 grant, one-on-one business coaching and an allowance to cover living costs.
The Young Innovators Awards recognise young people with great business ideas who have the potential to become successful entrepreneurs and future leaders in innovation.
In addition to the awards, Innovate UK delivers workshops and briefing events to provide practical business advice to a network of over 12,500 young people across the UK.
Commenting on his award and project Dacture Education, Fergal Mackie, said “Being from a technical background with next-to-no industry experience, creating a business from scratch is a fairly monumental task.
“I am ecstatic to be part of the Innovate UK’s Young Innovators Award cohort.
“The advice and funding, which allows me time each week to dedicate to the business, will be crucial Metacarpal’s success.”
Emily Nott, Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Programmes at Innovate UK said: “The level of creativity, passion, and commitment to positive change within our society and environment in this year’s Young Innovators Award winners is beyond inspiring.
“Knowing that Innovate UK is creating opportunities and providing support to enable these young people from a wide range of different backgrounds across all parts of the UK to grow and develop their businesses makes me very proud.
“With the financial uncertainty this year brings, it’s fantastic to see these entrepreneurs starting businesses that will improve the world and boost innovation in the UK.
“We can’t wait to see what they will achieve next.”
UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord said: “It’s fantastic to see young people from Scotland working on such bold and exciting ideas.
“These projects have the potential to both stimulate economic growth and deliver positive changes in society, and I’m very pleased that they will now benefit from UK Government support via Innovate UK.
“I look forward to hearing further updates on their progress and I hope they can serve to inspire further innovation and entrepreneurial spirit across Scotland and the whole United Kingdom.”
