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Insider UK
Insider UK
Business
Peter A Walker

Scotland StartUp Awards 2023 winners announced

The Scotland Start-Up Awards, held at the SWG3 Studio Warehouse in Glasgow, saw 24 different fledgling businesses recognised.

This year, more than half of the awards were won by women-owned businesses, including the Startup of the Year for Scotland, VR Hive.

The company offers immersive learning experiences combined with health and wellbeing resources, an animated AI coach and automated assessments.

Anne Widdop, the founder and chief executive at VR Hive, said: “We are driven by a mission to harness the power of AI and immersive learning to create a better future for all, and these awards are a testament to our work towards this goal.

“We will continue pushing the boundaries of what's possible, and we are honoured to receive this recognition to validate our efforts.“

The StartUp Awards were established in 2022 to highlight the success of start-ups across 10 UK nations and regions.

The Scotland awards are sponsored by First Port for Social Entrepreneurs and Glasgow City Council, as well as national sponsors Starling Bank, Blackfinch Group, British Business Bank, BT, Creative Ideaz, Dream Factory, GS1 UK, Jeeves, Join Talent, Mountside Ventures, OVH Cloud, the Purposeful Project and ScoreApp.

Professor Dylan Jones-Evans, creator of the awards, said the events have celebrated the best new firms in the UK and recognised the amazing entrepreneurial talent across the nation.

“In the second year of the Scotland Startup Awards, we have seen yet again the incredible contribution of new businesses to job creation, innovation, and prosperity across the whole of this entrepreneurial nation.

“It’s been an honour and a pleasure to read the stories of the finalists from across Scotland who have spotted the opportunity and taken the risk to launch their own venture, especially at a time when the economy is still fragile after the pandemic.”

The full list of winners is as follows:

  • The VR Hive - Overall Winner
  • Integro Design Engineering Associates - Business-to-Business Services StartUp of the Year
  • Selki Store - Consumer Services StartUp of the Year
  • The VR Hive - Creative StartUp of the Year
  • Ethical Intelligence - Digital StartUp of the Year
  • Nuisance Drinks - Drink StartUp of the Year
  • Studio Lutalica - Edinburgh StartUp of the Year
  • Predictiva - Fintech StartUp of the Year
  • Frangipane Bakery - Food StartUp of the Year
  • GCM Recruitment - Glasgow StartUp of the Year
  • Rutland Square Gin - Global StartUp of the Year
  • Grand Bequest - Green StartUp of the Year
  • The VR Hive - Innovative StartUp of the Year
  • OK Positive - Medtech and Healthtech StartUp of the Year
  • Raven Botanicals - Online Retail StartUp of the Year
  • Locum Scottish Health - Professional Services StartUp of the Year
  • Minerva Innovation Group - Rebel StartUp of the Year
  • GLORIAH - Rising Star Award
  • Gutsy Health - Rising Star Award
  • Great Glen Distillery - Rural StartUp of the Year
  • Man On! Inverclyde - Social Enterprise StartUp of the Year
  • Unbaggaged - Technology Services StartUp of the Year
  • Megan Keith of Stretch Social -Young Entrepreneur of the Year

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