SCOTLAND’S most promising new businesses have been recognised at a new awards ceremony last night. The StartUp Awards National Series debuted this year to highlight the dynamic startup scene across the country that skyrocketed during the pandemic, and has been rolled out in nine UK nations and regions, supported nationally by BT, EY Breakthrough Incentives, Clearco, Dell Technologies & Intel, Moblox, Fearless Adventures and with regional support from Glasgow City Council, GS1UK and the Moja Group.
The Scotland final was held at SWG3 in Glasgow and saw twenty-three awards given out to the new businesses in categories including Digital StartUp of the year, Green Startup of the year, the Rising Star Award for businesses less than 12 months old and Young Entrepreneur of the year.
The awards were judged by a panel of prominent Scottish judges, including successful entrepreneurs and their supporters; Laura Birrell of Sticky Heelz, Danny Campbell of Hoko, Emma Macdonald of The Tartan Blanket Co. and Russell Dalgleish of Exolta Capital Partners.
The Scotland Startup of the Year was won by Potr which provides busy plant-lovers with hassle-free, self-watering plant care via flat-pack POTR Pots and Vases, delivered through their letterbox. Their innovative self-watering system allows plants to self-regulate their water intake for up to three weeks and the flat-pack design drastically cuts the carbon footprint associated with transport due to the reduction in volume, weight and the elimination of single-use protective packaging.
Originally formed as the Wales StartUp Awards in 2016, the Awards Series has joined forces with the Great British Entrepreneur Awards to take the celebration of newly formed businesses nationwide. Creator of the awards Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE said the inaugural event not only celebrated the best new firms in Scotland but recognised the amazing entrepreneurial talent across the nation.
“We’re so proud of the amazing reception the first year of the StartUp Awards National Series has had across the country, from initially calling for entries right up to awards night. There are some exceptional stories of dedication and passion from Scotland’s new entrepreneurs, and it was an honour to showcase them and their achievements in Glasgow last night.”
“It’s been fantastic to see so many people who are truly happy in the work they are doing and have shown courage to build themselves a career path that drives them to get out of bed every morning. The importance of always being inspired and stimulated in whatever you do should not be underestimated – it’s clear that our Scottish finalists have been spurred on to succeed by tapping into their own passions and talents, setting and reaching goals which are meaningful to them.
“A huge congratulations to all the category winners and especially to the team at Potr in becoming the Scotland Start-up of the Year and in driving both innovation and sustainability in a traditional sector. We look forward to seeing what’s next for these phenomenal businesses and wish them all the best for many more years of success.”
Alan Lees, BT director for corporate and public sector in Scotland, said: “It has been a privilege to be a judge for the Start Up Awards National Series and I was very impressed by the high quality of the entries across the different categories.
“BT in Scotland is committed to supporting small businesses and start-ups which are vital to our economy. It’s inspiring to see the passion, innovation and determination among the start-up community in Scotland and I’m pleased we’re able to sponsor these awards which shine a light on the fantastic work they are doing.”
