Entrepreneurship has its ups and downs
Let us guide you through the twists and turns of starting a new business. We can provide you with the skills, support, guidance and funding to springboard your big idea from concept to reality.
Who we are
Working in collaboration with Scotland’s universities, we uncover emerging spinouts and start-ups, acting as a catalyst to accelerate the creation of innovative products and services that will improve lives and safeguard our planet.
Open to university staff, students and recent graduates across Scotland, our programme is designed to springboard new businesses through intensive business training, networking, 1-2-1 support, generous equity-free cash prizes and expert advice from our roster of industry partners.
We run four challenge categories tailored to developing business across all sectors and stages of development.
500+
Entrepreneurs trained300+
Companies created500+
High value jobs created£200m
Follow-on funding raisedFind your challenge
- £50k top prize
- £20k runner-up
- All sectors and enterprise types
Converge Challenge is open to high-calibre, innovative projects with serious growth potential. If you have a ground-breaking idea, this is the challenge for you.
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- £30k top prize
- 2 x runner-up prizes £10k
- Creative & social
If you're a social shaker or creative thinker looking to change the world for the better, then this challenge is for you.
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- £30k top prize
- £10k runner up
- Clean tech & environmental
Designed to support Scotland’s efforts in becoming a carbon neutral nation by 2045, we welcome projects that can deliver maximum impact for Scotland’s net zero goal.
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- £10k top prize
- 2 x runner-up prizes £7.5k
- 3 x special prizes £5k
- Early-stage business ideas
KickStart Challenge is a first step towards commercialisation for early-stage business ideas. It’s designed to test the robustness of your idea, equip you for the realities of entrepreneurship and prepare you for our more advanced challenge categories.
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It's the best thing I've done in my career. The PR it created allowed the business to grow very quickly by drawing in significant investment.
Dave HughesNovosound, 2017 Winner
Welcome to the family
Hundreds of aspiring academic entrepreneurs have been through the Converge programme. We think of them as family and are behind them every step of the way, supporting their journey and celebrating their success.
Supporting you, every step of the way
We are an experienced, hands-on, approachable team ready to help make your business idea a reality. We work closely with participants from Scotland's university network on their journey from academia to entrepreneurship, supporting them every step of the way.
Meet the teamOur latest news, thoughts and events
NEWS Academic Innovation Takes Centre Stage at Converge Awards 2021
A new company developing medicines for patients with debilitating chronic conditions; an innovative digital platform bringing the craft of knitting into the 21st century; a lightweight robotic glove empowering patients with hand weakness - these are just some of the ideas that triumphed at the 2021 Converge Awards, Scotland’s annual celebration of academic innovation and entrepreneurship.
Academic Innovation Takes Centre Stage at Converge Awards 2021
NEWS Successful Exit for Current Health
Leading Scottish medical technology company, Current Health, has been acquired by US retail giant, Best Buy Health. The sale comes on the heels of 3,000%+ growth in year-over-year revenue, making Current Health one of the fastest growing healthcare companies. The company, founded by Chris McCann, a computer science graduate who went onto medical school at […]
Successful Exit for Current Health
THOUGHTS
Achieving Real Equality in Society
How do we create a world and a Scotland where equality is a reality beyond social media and diversity and inclusion training?
Achieving Real Equality in SocietyEncouraging New Ideas to Meet Net Zero Ambition
What role can renowned industrial giants like SSE have in encouraging new ideas to tackle net zero?
Encouraging New Ideas to Meet Net Zero AmbitionFunding Scotland’s Tech Start-ups
Paul Atkinson, Founding Partner of VC firm Par Equity and Converge Board Chairman, on why we need to think bigger about funding Scotland's tech start-ups.
Funding Scotland’s Tech Start-ups
Celebrating more than a decade of economic impact and job creation
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