Tag: enterprise hub

Bright Red Triangle’s new Start up Studio will bring ideas to life

New space for Napier University’s entrepreneurs to grow their businesses

Bright Red Triangle – the enterprise hub at Edinburgh Napier – has launched a new Start up Studio in the city centre.

By the Union Canal and close to the University’s Bainfield student accommodation, the studio will provide a space where entrepreneurial students, staff and alumni can come together to connect and develop their enterprise skills.

As well as offering a base for exciting new collaborations to flourish, it will give them a place where they can build valuable relationships with the capital’s wider entrepreneurial community.

Bright Red Triangle has already supported a community of more than 600 innovators in developing enterprise skills, exploring ideas and capturing opportunities. The hub supports ideas from launch to long-term growth and sustainability, supplying the tools needed to successfully start and run a business through one to ones, bootcamps, workshops and networking opportunities.

The Start up Studio, which will operate on a hot-desk basis, initially Mon-Fri 9-5, will take its activities to a new level by giving members a dedicated, larger, more open and central space to meet, work, engage and grow their ventures.

They can simply turn up, plug in and enjoy access to all the necessary resources and support to kickstart a business, including PC access, fast, reliable and secure wi-fi, printing services, communal desks, meeting space and a tea and coffee station.

Fledgling entrepreneurs will also get access to a community of like-minded people, business advice, mentoring support and the University’s resources and networks.

Although the space is primarily to help students, staff and alumni establish businesses and boost their potential for success, BRT staff are also keen to meet people, nationally and internationally, who want to develop ties with the incubator and the University in general.  

The Start up Studio was officially launched on Thursday 31 March 31 with a networking event and lunch.

The launch also saw the first in a series of new Bright Red Sparks monthly Pitch Competitions, which give University students, staff and alumni the chance to pitch an idea and win a cash prize of £500.

Participants are given two minutes to outline their idea for a startup, after which they get feedback and insights from a panel of fellow entrepreneurs, expert judges and business advisers.

Bright Red Triangle staff believe the studio will be an invaluable asset as they continue working to support the entrepreneurial ambitions of staff, students and alumni.

Peter McLean, Bright Red Triangle Business Adviser, said: “In person interaction is key in business and sadly that has been missing for the last couple of years.

“We are delighted we can bring the BRT community back together in an amazing space.” 

Fellow Bright Red Triangle Business Adviser Victoria Bradley added: “The whole BRT team can’t wait to get into the Start up Studio.

“The space will be an incredible hub where our community can work, collaborate and grow their entrepreneurial ambitions.” 

Nick Fannin, Head of Bright Red Triangle, said: “Edinburgh Napier University has a great track record in supporting our student and graduate entrepreneurs over the years, and we are committed to working with our partners across the entrepreneurial ecosystem to build the next generation of entrepreneurial talent. 

“This new investment will enable us to make a significant contribution towards new graduate outcomes for our students and to post-Covid economic recovery In Edinburgh and beyond.”

Edinburgh Napier’s Bright Red Sparks 2021 winners announced

Ozone is Business of the Year at annual celebration of innovation and enterprise

A clothing venture which has sustainability embedded into its entire business process was the big winner at the annual Bright Red Sparks awards.

An underwear designer, a social enterprise and a business driving energy efficiency in rented housing were also among those honoured at the event, which showcases innovative products and services developed by start-ups, spinouts and entrepreneurs.

An initiative of Edinburgh Napier’s Bright Red Triangle enterprise hub, the awards saw students, staff and alumni within five years of graduation compete across five categories for business coaching and more than £20,000 in cash prizes. 

Ozone, founded by Edinburgh Napier Business School student James Bruce (above), won first prize in the Business of the Year category.

Its colourful apparel is developed with sustainability in mind, from initial resources to final products. This includes the sustainable sourcing of materials, carbon offsetting, fully compostable and recyclable packaging, and an ethically accredited supply chain.

Shortlisted enterprises across all five categories were assessed for everything from the viability of their ideas and clarity of planning to potential for growth. Business of the Year this year replaced the Going for Growth category, with 11 successful applicants participating in an intensive accelerator programme of three three-day sprints over a seven-week period.

Each participant in the category received £1000, with judges Lindsey McArthur, Relationship Manager at Santander Universities UK, and Dr Rosemary Allford, Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at Edinburgh Napier, deciding how to split a further prize pool of £7000 following an online pitching session.

Bright Red Sparks Awards 2021 winners

Business of the Year (£11,000 plus £7000 prize pool)

The big award for businesses or rigorously tested business ideas with global growth potential went to James Bruce’s Ozone, which scooped £3000 from the prize pool, as well as the £1000 which went to all 11 ventures which successfully applied to participate in the category.

The judges made further prize pool awards to second prize winner Matthew Porter’s skate equipment enterprise Ogle Skate (£2000) (above) and joint third prize winners Kat Kuritcina and Jason Shields’ Top Trend Blend Coffee and Dr Abdelfateh Kerrouche’s Autonomous Robot for collecting data from underwater surveys. (£1000 each from the prize pool)

Bright Ideas (£1000)

Product design graduate Kat Pohorecka came top in this category for exciting early-stage business ideas within one year of trading. She created Mude – a brand of underwear for insulin pump users. The collection of six nude-coloured bodysuits allow women affected by type 1 diabetes to wear an insulin pump with any type of clothing.

Business for Good (£1000)

School of Computing graduate Viana Maya won the category for businesses that have an environmental or social purpose at their core. Viana is the founder of pRESPECT – a social enterprise empowering minority ethic and other marginalised people through tailored personal and professional development, so they may gain sustainable and progressive employment.

Freelancer of the Year (£1000)

School of Engineering graduate Adam Al-khateb came top in the category for individuals who are self-employed, consistently develop themselves, and have ambitious plans for their freelance career.

His AAL Property Solutions was founded in September 2020, and its mission is to drive energy efficiency in the private rented housing sector and support customers throughout the lettings process. It offers fast, sustainable, and cost-effective solutions to an energyinefficient sector with increasing regulation and responsibility.

Enterprising Educators (£1000)

Maggie Anderson, who has worked at the University for more than 20 years, won the category forEdinburgh Napier staff who get students involved in enterprise activities. 

She has been a driving force in developing the University Short course programme, an innovative suite of modules designed to introduce entrepreneurship and innovation to the leaders of the Ministry of Defence from across the UK, using a variety of learning and teaching approaches. The prize money goes towards the winning programme. 

Nick Fannin, Head of Enterprise at Edinburgh Napier, said: “Bright Red Sparks shines a light on all of the enterprising students, staff, and alumni from Edinburgh Napier University and recognises their hard work, determination, and outstanding achievements.  

“This year we wanted to provide more guided support for as many entrepreneurs as possible, and so we put them through three deep-dive bootcamps to find our Business of the Year.  

“The remaining four categories saw impressive early-stage business ideas, ambitious freelancers, social entrepreneurs, and our very own Edinburgh Napier educators who support our students to develop their enterprise skills.  

“We couldn’t have done it without the amazing support from Santander Universities. From all of us at Edinburgh Napier and our entrepreneurs, thank you.”

Lindsey McArthur, Relationship Manager, Santander Universities UK, said: “Through the Universities programme, Santander is committed to supporting entrepreneurs and student start-ups.

“We have supported the Bright Red Triangle at Edinburgh Napier for a number of years and I am always impressed by the standard of the businesses taking part as well as the commitment, passion and hard work demonstrated by the students involved.

“A huge well done to the winners this year, a fantastic achievement.  I look forward to hearing updates as your businesses grow and wish you all the very best for the future.”

£25 million for regeneration projects

Go-ahead for Granton Station and Nourishing Leith Hubs

More than £25 million is going to disadvantaged and remote communities around Scotland to support regeneration and employment projects. Two Edinburgh projects, Granton Station Enterprise Hub (above) and Nourishing Leith Hub, will receive funding of over £2.2 million.

The money from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) will go to 26 projects all over Scotland to tackle inequalities and deliver inclusive growth.  

Over 400 business and organisations will benefit from the projects which will support or create more than 1220 jobs as well as thousands of training places by refurbishing and bringing back into use 26 empty buildings to provide space for community enterprises.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “Together with COSLA we have invested almost £200 million through this fund since 2014 in support of locally-led regeneration projects which help to build the resilience and wellbeing of communities. I am pleased that a further 26 projects will benefit from the fund as we look to a period of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have had to lead our lives locally, pulling together more as communities, to see off the many challenges arising from coronavirus. This latest round of investment into local projects continues our ongoing support for vibrant and accessible town centres and communities.”

Earth in Common (formerly Leith Crops in Pots) were delighted to hear that their funding application has been successful at last. The Leith initiaitve recieves £944,744.

A spokesperson for the community project said: “Our team are over the moon with this news today! After many years and huge effort we finally done it. Our pixies went on one small outing today and look what they managed to achieve. Must have been all that fairy dust. They ‘Saved the PAV’!”

COSLA’s Environment and Economy spokesperson Councillor Steven Heddle said: “This work has never been more important as we look to rebuild from the devastating impact of COVID-19. Recovery from the virus must be fair to our communities and promote inclusivity, growth and wellbeing.

“The innovative projects announced today can empower our communities to deliver better places to live and work.”

While many of the awards are for projects based in urban areas, there’s funding for initiatives in some far-flung communities too

Among the projects being funded this year is The Old Clyne School Redevelopment Project in Brora, Highland. It will redevelop a derelict C-listed building to become a community-owned museum and heritage centre, and to be a base for the Clyne Heritage Society.

Dr Nick Lindsay, Chairman of the Clyne Heritage Society said: “This is the best news that we could have hoped for, in what has been a very difficult year. This should unlock the final ‘brick-in-the-wall’ funds from other funding partners, so we can deliver this major development for Brora.

“We can now fulfil our dreams by regenerating the Old Clyne School into a must-visit destination, transforming a current eyesore into a welcome attraction for the whole community and future generations.”