RSE Unlocking Ambition Enterprise Fellowship

Funding area: Commercialisation Support

Backed by Scotland’s First Minister, Unlocking Ambition is a £4m challenge fund created by the Scottish Government as part of the Programme for Government ‘A Nation with Ambition‘. Unlocking Ambition supports 40 highly ambitious entrepreneurs based on their individual entrepreneurial potential, the quality and innovation of their business and the contribution they can make to an inclusive, Scottish economy. Unlocking Ambition fully aligns with the Scottish Government’s agenda on inclusive growth and the CAN DO movement, underpinning Scotland’s ambition to position the nation as a world-class hub for entrepreneurship.

The RSE’s Unlocking Ambition Enterprise Fellowship programme has supported 20 outstanding, early-stage entrepreneurs, enabling them to establish and develop 20 new, high-growth businesses based in Scotland.

Through the programme, they have received:

  • £25,000-£50,000 maintenance grant
  • Up to £20,000 business development fund
  • Tailored, cutting-edge business training
  • A dedicated mentor
  • Hosting status at a Scottish University or Research Institute
  • Free Membership of Entrepreneurial Scotland (inc businesses mentoring)
  • Free Membership of Scotland House in London
  • Access to the GlobalScot network and the Scottish Investment Bank

 

Meet the RSE Unlocking Ambition Enterprise Fellows 2018-19

unlocking ambition cohort

Fund deadline passed

This fund is currently closed for applications.

Unlocking Ambition – strand two with Scottish Enterprise

There are two programmes to Unlocking Ambition: both are focused on supporting 40 highly ambitious entrepreneurs based on their individual entrepreneurial potential, the quality and innovation of their business and the contribution they can make to an inclusive, Scottish economy. The RSE Unlocking Ambition Enterprise Fellowship programme is for 20 talented earlier stage start-ups hosted by a number of Scottish Universities or Research Institutes led by the RSE Enterprise Fellowship and the Scottish Enterprise programme is supporting 20 established entrepreneurs to help them accelerate the growth of their business and develop their personal potential as the leader of a scalable business.

SME entrepreneurs participating in the Scottish Enterprise programme in Unlocking Ambition are:

Alan Mahon – Brewgooder (Edinburgh); John Robertson – Drinkly (Edinburgh);
Calum Haggerty – Coco Chocolatier (Edinburgh); Kenny Arthur – Kaliaaer Ltd (Strathaven);
Celia Hodson – Hey Girls (Edinburgh); Lisa Thomson – Purpose HR (Edinburgh);
Deborah Wake – MyWay Digital Health (Dundee); Loral Quinn – Sustainably (Edinburgh);
Douglas Martin – MiAlgae (Edinburgh); Paul Blackler – Drink Baotic (Glasgow);
Hannah Fisher – The Start-Up Drinks Lab (Glasgow); Scott Dickson – Phox Water (Glasgow);
Iain Findlay – Aurora Sustainability Ltd (Moray); Scott Simpson – IndiNature (Edinburgh);
Ian Arbuckle – Linian Supply Co Ltd (Glasgow); Scott Weir – Pillow (Kilmarnock);
Jo Halliday – Talking Medicines Limited (Glasgow); Stephanie Terreni Brown – Clean Water Wave (Edinburgh);
Joan Johnson – Bespoke Fabrics (Elgin); Steve Regis – ARX Maritime (Edinburgh).

For more on the above list visit Scottish Government.