SCOTS businesses were recognised for their high-growth potential at the 22nd round of the Scottish EDGE Awards in Glasgow last night.
The awards were attended by Simon Hannah in his first official engagement as Chair of the organisation, and Mark Scott, CEO of pet wellness brand Bella & Duke.
This year also saw the introduction of the new Scottish Government-backed £100,000 Pathways Award to support an ambitious female entrepreneur.
The award was presented to Good Nude Food, a probiotic fermented sauerkraut company.
Another big winner of the evening was Brose Oats, which triumphed in the Food and Drink Category, a new award sponsored by Food & Drink Scotland.
Conneckt Charging, an EV charging network, won in the Net Zero category, supported by Royal Bank of Scotland.
Both winners took home a prize worth £100,000
GLORIAH, a company manufacturing sustainable intimate care products for women experiencing menopause, won a prize worth £80,000 in the Circular Economy category.
Sustainability was also a theme for Oir Soap, who won £65,000 alongside the STV Award of £75,000 of advertising airtime, and who create luxury soaps using natural ingredients.
Biotech start-up Prozymi Biolabs won the £65,000 IBioIC award to further their quest to revolutionise the gluten-free market.
Edinburgh Open Workshop, which offers affordable and flexible access to workshop machinery and tools, was awarded £75,000 in the Social Enterprise category.
The Young EDGE category returned this round, supporting companies whose Managing Directors are under 30 years old.
Winners of the Young EDGE award ranged from Selki Store, which provides heat packs to people suffering from chronic pain, to confectionery companies Tabrifics and Chocolatia.
Sir Tom Hunter of the Hunter Foundation said: “Bold, brave and brilliant – those are the characteristics of Scottish EDGE winners.
“All the evidence points to Scotland needing far more of these businesses.
“EDGE is a brilliant supporter of high growth business and I’m sure could do a lot more for Scotland’s economy with the right Government support.”
Evelyn McDonald, CEO of Scottish EDGE, said: “As businesses across Scotland find themselves facing challenging circumstances, there’s never been a more urgent need to drive creativity and innovation.
“The winners of the 22nd round of Scottish EDGE are testament to the incredible potential within Scotland’s start-up landscape.
“The addition of further awards this round, both Pathways and Food and Drink, has allowed us to reward more businesses, and alongside our partner organisations we continue our commitment to help Scottish businesses not just survive, but to thrive.”
