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
The year it got official
- The Scottish Funding Council and Scotland’s eight research-intensive universities pledge financial support
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Our objective - most inclusive & diverse cohort yet!
