Key Milestones

Some of our milestone moments from the last 11 years.

The year it started

  • Olga Kozlova launches Converge, a new business plan competition
  • 41 applications received
  • Global intellectual property expert, Murgitroyd, joins as our first partner
  • Bellrock Technology becomes our first ever winner

Adam Brown, Bellrock Technology

milestones_2011

The year it got official

  • The Scottish Funding Council and Scotland’s eight research-intensive universities pledge financial support
milestones_2013

Expanding our reach

  • Applications increase by 85% on the previous year
  • Christopher McCann, Founder of Current Health, wins the 2014 KickStart Challenge

Current Health Remote Patient Monitoring Device

milestones_2014

Making waves

  • Converge receives record number of applications
  • An independent economic evaluation shows Converge’s impact: 180 academic entrepreneurs trained, 69 companies created (87% of which are still active) & £30 million in follow-on investment raised by Converge alumni
milestones_2016

More universities on board

  • Robert Gordon University; the University of the West of Scotland and Edinburgh Napier University pledge their support
  • Within 8 weeks of winning the 2017 Converge Challenge category, Novosound raises £1.5million of investment

First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, presents Converge 2017 Awards

milestones_2017

A growing partner network

  • Social Investment Scotland joins the Converge family to launch the Impact Challenge
  • Converge surpasses 1,000 applications
  • Design & Creativity award winner, Kenoteq, develops the world’s first brick made from construction waste
milestones_2018

Backing of all 18 universities

  • All 18 of Scotland’s universities pledge their financial support
  • Claudia Cavalluzzo takes over as Converge Director
  • Converge expands its categories by launching the Creative Challenge

Claudia Cavalluzzo

milestones_2019

Boosting our economy and equality

  • Female-led businesses scoop all top three prizes at 2020 Converge Awards
  • Tech giant Cisco joins the Converge family
  • A fresh economic evaluation shows Converge’s impact: 220 companies supported, more than 500 jobs created & £100m in follow-on finding raised by Converge Alumn

Genevieve Patenaude, Earth Blox

 

milestones_2020

First successful exit and focus on net zero

  • Current Health sells to US retail giant, Best Buy, for £300million – the second largest digital health exit in Europe to date
  • New SSE-backed Net Zero prize won by Hydrowheel, pioneers of the world’s first inflatable waterwheel
  • Several Converge alumni invited to speak at COP26 climate change summit in November

Faisal Ghani, SolarisKit – named a COP26 climate leader

 

milestones_2021

Bigger team, better reach

  • Team expands to nine
  • University partners benefit from two new Enterprise Executives offering on-the-ground support
  • Launch of Net Zero and Create Change challenges
  • KickStart programme expands with more places and prizes than ever before

Emanuele Trucco, Eye to the Future & Rebecca Goss, X-Genix

milestones_2022

Our objective - most inclusive & diverse cohort yet!

2023