Borders College Start -Up Project:
Six-Month Impact Report
Executive Summary
Over the past six months, Borders College has delivered a transformational Start-Up Project that has embedded entrepreneurship within the student experience and connected the college to regional and national enterprise networks. Through engagement with over 350 students, 35 staff, and 50 businesses, the project has achieved its objectives, including the successful establishment of a Start-Up Hub, the creation of a sustainable online Start-Up community, and the development of student-led businesses with regional impact. Key partnerships with South of Scotland Enterprise (SoSE), Business Gateway and CodeBase/Techscaler were central to this success, with SoSE directly supporting the initiative and progression through the Pathways Project, where five competition entrants are now actively engaged in the next phase of their entrepreneurial journey. Notably, the project supported a Scottish Edge Wildcard Finalist – a female-led sustainable haulage business – marking national recognition of the entrepreneurial talent emerging from Borders College.
1. Introduction
Borders College’s Start-Up Project was launched in 2023 to inspire, support, and develop student entrepreneurs across diverse sectors, initially funded by Scottish Enterprise. Running from December 2024 to May 2025, this term funding was secured for scaling up the initial project from South of Scotland Enterprise. The project has delivered inclusive, practical, and sustainable enterprise experiences for students, staff, and the wider community.
2. Key Milestones (2023/24 vs 2024/25 Progression)
Key Metric 2023/24 2024/25
Students Engaged 180 Engagements
Student Sectors Limited
Student Demographics Limited Reach
School Engagement Minimal
Businesses / Organisations Engaged 10-15
Events Held 1-2
Events Attended 2-3
Success Stories Launch of Support
350+ individual students engaged, including regional schools and Heriot-Watt.
Multi-sector (beauty, sport, construction, animal care, hospitality, business, computing, engineering)
Inclusive across ages, backgrounds, and curriculum areas
Multiple schools actively engaged and participating
50+
5+ (Competition, Enterprise Week, Networking)
10+ (local, regional, national)
Multiple (Scottish Edge Wildcard Finalist, Pathways Project entrants)
Success Stories
• Competition Final: 32 took part in the final, these included a Borders College lecturer, a Heriot-Watt University student, Dumfries and Galloway students, Earlston and Berwickshire High School students along with our own Borders College students.
• Scottish Edge Wildcard Finalist: Supported a female-led sustainable haulage business that gained national recognition.
• Pathways Project Progression: Five student businesses are now progressing through SoSE’s Pathways Project.
• New Student-Led Enterprises: Student-led businesses now operating with regional impact and ongoing mentorship.
• Sector-Specific Impact: Student projects from beauty, construction, sport, catering, hairdressing, business and animal care sectors demonstrated tangible enterprise outcomes.
• Enterprise Week Impact: Successfully delivered a multi-sector Enterprise Week engaging students, staff, businesses, and enterprise agencies.
• Student Visits: Including Robotarium Visit for Engineering and Computing Students, Usher Institute for Health Students, Beirhope Alpacas for Business and Tourism Students, South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA) Annual Conference along with the Scottish Business Network Conference (SBN).
3. Achievements
• Key Partnerships and Industry Engagement:
• Collaborated closely with South of Scotland Enterprise, Business Gateway, CodeBase, University of Edinburgh, DYW and local businesses.
• SoSE ensured ongoing progression through the Pathways Project supporting five students.
• Delivered Borders Tech Connect, Enterprise Week, and sector-specific workshops. Maintained strong regional visibility through Scottish Government case studies.
• Student Engagement and Impact:
• 350 students engaged from diverse disciplines.
• 32 student competition entrants, including schools.
• Delivered bespoke workshops and out-of-hours opportunities.
• Provided extensive 1-1 and group support.
• Start-Up Infrastructure and Sustainability:
• Launched the Start-Up Hub.
• Created a sustainable Start-Up Zone online to signpost.
• Created the 30 step roadmap as an on-going tool.
• Embedded competition and enterprise pathways into long-term student support.
4. Key Metrics
• Students Engaged: 350
• Staff Engaged: 35
• Businesses Engaged: 50
• Competition Entrants: 32
• Bespoke Workshops: 5
• Schools Engaged: Yes – Galashiels Academy, Berwickshire High School and Earlston High School
• Industry Events: Enterprise Week, Borders Tech Connect, Networking Events
• Pathways Project Progression: 5
• External Experiences: Robotarium, Ushers Hall, DDI Hubs
5. Case Studies: Student Success Stories
Attached are the case studies for:
• Shauni Scholfield – Elysium Beauty
• Bernadette Oliver – B’s Travel
• Sam Bruce – Sam’s Sweetie Fix
• Kieara Ross – Heart and Leash
Case Study Reflections: Conclusion
The student case studies featured in this report powerfully demonstrate the personal growth, entrepreneurial ambition, and diverse journeys that the Borders College Start-Up Project has inspired. While each student came from a different background, sector, and starting point, their stories share common threads that showcase the project’s deep and lasting impact.
Across all case studies, students consistently highlighted:
• Increased confidence and self-belief
• Practical enterprise skills that turned ideas into real businesses
• The value of mentorship and personalised support
• The importance of feeling heard and supported in a safe, inclusive space
Each student also provided honest reflections on areas for development. Common suggestions included:
• Starting the project earlier in the academic year to allow more time for idea development
• Offering flexible workshop times, including after college hours and weekends, to improve access for students with work, family, or placement commitments
• Providing sustained post-competition support to help students transition from idea to trading business
• Increasing opportunities for cross-sector collaboration and exposure to relevant industry events
These reflections will directly inform the future delivery and continuous improvement of the StartUp Project. The student voices clearly articulate the power of this programme not just in developing businesses, but in transforming lives, building resilience, and unlocking potential.
The Start-Up Project has proven to be much more than a competition. It is a catalyst for confidence, community, and enterprise across Borders College and the wider south of Scotland region.
6. Attracting Investment and Expanding Regional Buy -In
For the first time, the Start-Up Project attracted interest from investment partners who typically focus their support on universities and businesses in Scotland’s central belt. This marks a significant shift, demonstrating the potential for Borders College to position itself as a serious player in the regional enterprise landscape.
Moving forward, the project will actively pursue strategies to:
• Attract Investment to the south of Scotland:
Continue building relationships with investors and funding bodies who may not have previously engaged with colleges in the Borders, with the goal of redirecting investment towards rural innovation and student-led enterprises.
• Promote the Regional Opportunity:
Develop clear messaging and promotional materials that showcase the untapped entrepreneurial potential within Borders College and the south of Scotland. Emphasise the value of investing in grassroots, community-based start-ups that can have a national impact.
• Offer Investor Access:
Future networking events, such as the planned Tourism and Social Care events, will create opportunities for investors to connect directly with student entrepreneurs, opening doors for early-stage investment in local businesses.
• Strengthen College-Industry-Investor Collaboration:
By positioning the college as a bridge between students, local businesses, and investors, the Start-Up Project can play a central role in driving inward investment to the region.
This targeted investment approach will help to further embed the Start-Up Project as a credible, sustainable part of the Scottish entrepreneurial ecosystem.
7. Sustainability and Self-Sufficiency
As Borders College continues to build the Start-Up Project, it is essential to consider long-term sustainability to ensure the project can thrive beyond initial funding cycles. The vision is to develop a self-sustaining enterprise model that generates its own income streams while remaining accessible and impactful for students.
Proposed Self-Sufficiency Strategies:
• Sector-Focused Networking Events:
From 2025/2026, the project will introduce two flagship annual networking events focused on priority sectors: Agritourism (Tourism) and Aging Frailty (Health & Social Care). These events will attract students, local businesses, industry agencies, and regional partners, positioning the college as a key connector in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Hosting these events on campus will raise the profile of the Start-Up Hub and create new partnership opportunities.
• Paid Professional Workshops:
Building on the success of student workshops, bespoke training sessions and business start-up workshops will be offered to local businesses and industry professionals for a fee. This provides a valuable service to the wider community while generating revenue that can directly fund future Start-Up activities and resources.
• Enterprise-Linked Membership Model:
The project will explore the development of a membership scheme for local entrepreneurs and alumni, offering benefits such as discounted access to college-run workshops, mentoring opportunities, and reserved spaces at networking events. Membership fees could contribute to covering ongoing operational costs.
• Embedded Curriculum Delivery:
To ensure sustainability, Start-Up pathways will continue to be embedded into curriculum delivery, which allows the programme to leverage core college resources and staffing, reducing reliance on external funding streams.
• Sponsorship and Partnership Development:
Borders College will actively seek sponsorship from local and regional businesses to support key events, competitions, and student initiatives. In return, sponsors will benefit from visibility, branding opportunities, and direct engagement with future talent.
By diversifying income through event hosting, professional development services, and strategic partnerships, the Start-Up Project can become a sustainable, self-funded model that continues to inspire and support the next generation of entrepreneurs in the Scottish Borders.
Conclusion
The Start-Up Project has exceeded expectations in student engagement, partnership development, and entrepreneurship support across Borders College. It has provided students with the confidence, skills, and opportunities to explore and develop their business ideas in a supportive and collaborative environment.
However, student feedback has been clear: to maximise impact, the project must start earlier in the academic year. Embedding Start-Up activity from the outset will allow students more time to develop their ideas, build relationships, and fully participate in workshops and networking events.
Students also highlighted the need for greater flexibility, including more out-of-hours and weekend sessions to accommodate work, family, and placement commitments. There is a strong desire for increased cross-sector collaboration, more business-specific workshops, and sustained support beyond the competition stage.
These valuable insights will directly shape the next phase of the project. The focus will be on embedding Start-Up into the core curriculum, expanding networking opportunities, and creating sustainable pathways that continue to drive student enterprise and regional impact well into the future.
Borders College is committed to listening, evolving, and leading the way in supporting entrepreneurial ambition in the South of Scotland.
Objective / Activity Status
Work with key regional figures to create student engagement opportunities (e.g. Enterprise Week) ✅ Delivered
Signpost students and staff to businesses and regional support networks ✅ Delivered
Highlight businesses started from project ideas
Develop marketing materials for Start-Up identity and entrepreneurial space
Grow the alumni network in the Start-Up Zone (Canvas)
✅ Delivered
Evidence of Delivery
Borders Tech Connect and Enterprise Week successfully delivered; multi-sector student engagement achieved
Ongoing signposting through workshops, 1-1 support, and promotion of local enterprise agencies
Supported businesses including Scottish Edge Wildcard Finalist and other student-led enterprises
✅ Delivered Start-Up Zone on Canvas created with branded identity and marketing materials
✅ Delivered Alumni now part of the Start-Up Zone, providing continuity and peer support
Lead on Enterprise Week, engaging all curriculum sectors ✅ Delivered Enterprise Week successfully delivered with college-wide participation
Hold 2 x networking events at Borders College
Identify funding mechanisms to scale the project (SoSE, Scottish Enterprise, etc.)
Engage staff and students in external enterprise events, conferences, and workshops
Strengthen University of Edinburgh partnership and identify DDI Hub excursions
Connect Pathway Coaches to students engaged in enterprise activity
✅ Delivered
✅ Delivered
✅ Delivered
Borders Tech Connect and on-campus networking events completed
SoSE Pathways Project progression secured; external funding options identified for future scaleup
Participation in Scottish Business Network Conference, South of Scotland Destination Alliance Conference, Robotarium Visit, Usher Institute Visit
✅ Delivered Established student excursions to Bayes Centre, Usher Institute, and Robotarium
✅ Delivered Pathway Coaches actively supporting five progressing student businesses
Identify a dedicated physical Start-Up Hub at Borders College ✅ Delivered Start-Up Hub space successfully established within the college
Host a Reflection/Celebration Dinner with key partners
✅ Delivered Reflection and Celebration Dinner held with students, staff, and external partners
Run a fully inclusive student competition with enterprise development workshops ✅ Delivered
College-wide competition delivered with 32 entrants across schools, colleges, and universities; workshops provided
Objective / Activity Status
Engage schools and provide them with competition entry and enterprise support
Involve key judges and panel members from the entrepreneurial landscape (e.g. Scottish Edge, SoSE)
Create a sustainable online competition environment on Canvas and promote the Start-Up Zone
Report on competition participants and project engagement
Deliver targeted sectorspecific workshops (e.g. beauty, construction, animal care, sport)
Provide 1-1 support for students engaged in startup activity
Continually build and update case studies to maintain project visibility
Evidence of Delivery
✅ Delivered Schools engaged: Galashiels Academy, Berwickshire High School, Earlston High School
✅ Delivered Judges from Scottish Edge, SoSE, Business Gateway and business participated
✅ Delivered
Start-Up Zone fully operational on Canvas, designed for future years with competition model embedded
✅ Delivered Comprehensive reporting on 350+ students, sectors, demographics, and school participation
✅ Delivered
Bespoke workshops piloted in beauty, construction, animal care, sport, catering, hairdressing, business
✅ Delivered Extensive 1-1 mentoring and tailored enterprise support provided to student entrepreneurs
✅ Delivered
Multi-format case studies developed and shared, including internal and external promotion (Scottish Government case studies)
