What is it?
*The Creative Challenge will open for applications on 26 February 2020*
The Creative Challenge is aimed at new or prospective businesses that rely on creative talent and/or design skills of the founding team to create an original product or service that can be turned into a sustainable business with growth potential.
The award is applicable to businesses operating in any of the recognised Creative Industry sectors. To be eligible, applicants need to demonstrate that their company can start trading within twelve months of the Converge Awards Ceremony in September 2020.
Prize package
First prize: £20,000 cash (plus £21,000 in kind support)
Runner-up: £10,000 cash (plus £9,000 in kind support)
All semi-finalists: Three days of intensive business training and bespoke business advice
Who can apply?
The Creative Challenge is aimed at innovative ideas that demonstrate individual creativity, skill and craft and which have the potential to develop into financially sustainable businesses. The category is open to both product and service-based ideas.
To be successful, your proposal must demonstrate that the growth of the business depends upon effective trading based on your creative or cultural idea in the form of a clearly defined product or service. Applicants must also be able to demonstrate the ability to start trading within 12 months of the Converge Awards (held annually in September).
To be eligible, all applicants must be either staff, students or recent graduates* of a Scottish Higher Education Institution.
* up to 24 months after graduation from the initial application date
Judging criteria
You will be judged on:
- Innovation: unique selling point; competitive advantage
- Sustainable social or environmental impact
- Market validation: customer engagement; viable route to market; market fit
- Team: relevant experience; planning for future team
- Resource planning: understanding of market readiness requirements including funding, expertise and operations
What’s involved?
If your application is successful, you will be asked to:
- Attend a three day course of intensive business and pitch training
- Pitch live at our Pitch to your Peers event
- Attend our Elevator pitch event
- Attend one full day of financial planning and impact assessment training
- Attend a full day business masterclass with our network of partners
- Submit a business plan, financial forecast and one-minute video pitch
Then, if you’re lucky enough to be shortlisted as a finalist, you will also be asked to
- Take part in a promotional film and photography shoot
- Pitch live to our judging panel
- Attend the Awards Ceremony
2020 Programme Dates
Programme Launch – 26 February
Application Deadline – 6 April (12 noon)
Business Training – 9, 10, 11 June
Pitch to your Peers Event – 10 June (evening)
Elevator Pitch Event – 11 June (evening)
Financial Planning & Impact Assessment Training – 25 June
Business Masterclass – 26 June
Business Plan Submission – 30 July
Finalist Filming Day – 7 September
Live Pitching to Judging Panel – 15 September
Awards Final – 24 September
Judging panel
Prof Janice Kirkpatrick OBE
Co-founder & Creative Director, Graven
Janice Kirkpatrick co-founded Graven with her architect husband Ross Hunter in 1986. The design studio is expert in branding and workplace design and operates in over thirty countries. She is a member of D&AD, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and sits on the Advisory Board for V&A Dundee and The Scottish Government’s Creative Industries Advisory Group.
Clive Gillman
Director of Creative Industries, Creative Scotland
Clive Gillman works as the Director of Creative Industries for Creative Scotland, the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland. He has a background in contemporary art and media, having worked as an artist exhibiting internationally and across the UK. He was previously Associate Director of FACT in Liverpool, before becoming the Director of Dundee Contemporary Arts (2005-2015).
Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne
Founder, Genius Gluten Free
Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne is Founder of Genius Gluten Free, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and a Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence at Edinburgh University. In 2018, she was included in the Maserati Top 100 Innovators and in the top 100 Women to Watch by Cranfield University.
Nick Kuenssberg
Chairman of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Nick Kuenssberg is chairman of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Klik2Learn and Frog Systems. He is also a business angel and mentor. Nick has held numerous international business positions for companies including Coats Viyella, Stoddard International and Scott & Fyfe .