With more than 1,000 attendees, 40 exhibitors and 25 speakers across 3 stages at Assembly Rooms, Startup Summit was definitely the place to be.
During her keynote speech, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon celebrated Scotland, praised the energy on the day and encouraged innovation.
Nicola Sturgeon praised the actions of Young Enterprise Scotland towards the education of the younger generations as well as Entrepreneurial Scotland and Entrepreneurial Spark for their continuous support to the Scottish entrepreneurial system. Having attending the Business Women Scotland and Women’s Enterprise Awards the previous week, she also highlighted the need to boost female entrepreneurship.
The people that you hear from today, those who have travelled the journey that you are about to travel, I hope that inspires and motivates you to take your ideas and turn them into in the companies and solutions of the future. - Nicola Sturgeon
Nicola Sturgeon mentioned that one of the most important things the Scottish Government are doing is their support of entrepreneurship: "Our prosperity, today and in the future, depends on successful new ideas and new businesses being created here in Scotland, so it stands to reason that entrepreneurs will be fundamental to generating jobs and future economic growth."
Each year, up to 40 individuals will be chosen "by established entrepreneurs and on the basis of their own potential, the quality of their ideas, and the contribution that they might make to our economy and to wider society" to make the CAN DO Unlocking Ambition Challenge. The individuals who are successful will receive intensive support and advice from established entrepreneurs, and help with living costs, for at least a year. This initiative will be funded by the Scottish government, up to £4 millions.
This is an invitation to entrepreneurs from Scotland and from right across the world to submit ideas which have the potential to be transformative. You don’t have to be in Scotland or Scottish – you can be anywhere in the world to apply. The only condition is you agree to relocate or establish your business here in Scotland. - Nicola Sturgeon about the Unlocking Ambition Challenge
The entrepreneurial mentors who will select the candidates, include:
- James Watt, co-founder of BrewDog
- Leah Hutcheon, founder of online scheduling business Appointedd
- Cally Russell, founder of multi-retailer shopping app Mallzee
- Chris van der Kuyl, co-founder of videogame developer 4J Studios
- Amy Livingstone, co-founder of baby products company Cheeky Chompers
FutureX is proud to be supporting this initiative, along other prestigious partners such as Virgin, Entrepreneurial Spark, Entrepreneurial Scotland, Elevator and EDGE.