Virgin StartUp has launched a competition to find the best small businesses in Scotland, with the judging panel including Scottish tech entrepreneurs Leah Hutcheon (Appointedd) and Cally Russell (Mallzee).
The search will see four leading Scottish entrepreneurs compile a definitive list of the 10 top start-ups in Scotland.
In doing so, they aim to “shine a light on the 300,000+ unsung heroes of the Scottish economy who are running SME’s which provide more than 1.2m jobs across the region.”
Virgin StartUp are looking for both “innovative businesses that have high-growth potential” and “entrepreneurs who are making an impact on their local communities and have battled against the odds to build a sustainable small business.”
The judging panel is made up of Cally Russell, CEO and Founder of shopping app Mallzee; Leah Hutcheon, CEO and Founder of online booking system Appointedd; Jackie Waring, Founder and CEO of Investing Women; and Bob Keiller, Chairman of Scottish Enterprise.
The overall winner will receive:
- Mentoring sessions from the judges
- Marketing and PR support from Virgin StartUp
- Free advertising space from a large outdoor advertising company
- Pro bono legal support from a large Scottish law firm