Rising stars awards reveals shortlist
● Competiton with £10,000 total prize pot to take place online on 14 April
The shortlist has been revealed for the third Bright Red Sparks awards, which this year will take place online.
The awards, an initiative of Napier University’s Bright Red Triangle enterprise hub, showcase innovative products and services developed by start-ups, spin-outs, fledging companies and entrepreneurs.
They will take place as a Facebook live event on the evening of Tuesday 14 April.
“Trailblazing” students, staff and alumni from across the university community will compete for more than £10,000 in prizes, with food, clothing, cleaning and media businesses among a wide range of projects hoping to impress the judges.
The 19 shortlisted enterprises across six categories will be assessed for everything from the viability of their ideas and clarity of planning to thoroughness of research and potential for growth.
They include tableware hire service Foxbox, High Tide film and video production, and clothing brand 10T.
Nick Fannin, head of Bright
Red Triangle, said: “The Bright Red Sparks Awards are a salute to all the enterprising students, staff and alumni from Edinburgh Napier University. We are in awe of the creativity, determination and energy of all of our university community to solve problems, to capture opportunities and to build businesses with purpose.
“Due to the current lockdown we have taken the decision to cancel the awards ceremony but we wanted to announce the shortlist in line with our original timeline as ultimately we want to be able to award the prize money at a time when businesses and self-employed people really need it. It’s great to be able to reward hard work and we couldn’t have done it without the amazing support from our generous supporters and sponsors, Shepherd and Wedderburn, Morton Ward, Graphic Designer Pro, Santander Universities and the Moffat Charitable Trust.
“The package of support that our sponsors have offered will help our winners at a time when they really need it. We expect great things from all of those shortlisted, so watch out for their names in the future.”
The 2020 shortlist was drawn up after scrutiny of the entrants’ online application forms, business models and video pitches.
John Morrison, senior associate at law firm Shepherd and Wedderburn, said: “This year’s shortlist only highlights the continued quality of Bright Red Sparks entries, a showcase of the drive and innovative thinking that we need, now more than ever, to build successful businesses for the future. Congratulations to the finalists for reaching this stage, and we wish you all the very best of luck.”
Ewan Morton, managing director at creative agency Morton Ward, said: “It is inspiring to see such bold, brave and brilliant ideas coming from the Bright Red Sparks finalists. Not only do these entrepreneurial ideas represent sound business thinking but they also offer hope for the future by embracing digital technologies, the circular economy and environmental sustainability.”
Categories comprise Bright Ideas, Going for Growth, Business for Good, Active Citizens, Enterprising Educators and Freelancer of the Year.
“Thebrightredsparks Awards are a salute to all the enterprising students, staff and alumni from Edinburgh Napier University”
NICK FANNIN