Morgan Stanley Design Day
For the first time this year, the four schools taking part in the 2024/25 START programme came together under one roof for a Design Day held at Morgan Stanley.
Pupils participated in workshops from Design Professor, Tom Inns, and took part in a Q&A with Scottish EDGE CEO, Evelyn McDonald, where they had the chance to learn more about early-stage business building and the realities and rewards of launching a start-up. It was a hugely inspiring day for all involved! The full story can be found by clicking the ‘Read More’ button.
Winter 2024
Funding announcement
START has reached a milestone with funding of £65,405 being awarded from the Scottish Government to help further develop the design thinking and entrepreneurship programme.
This funding forms one part of the Scottish Government’s Entrepreneurial Education Pathways Fund which totals £829,346 and aims to expand entrepreneurship in Scotland, giving pupils the opportunity to learn all about business.
Commenting, Philip Ford, Director of Innovation at The High School of Glasgow and founder of START, said: “The momentum is building for START and we are proud to announce this Scottish Government funding. It is a ringing endorsement for the programme and highlights the real potential it brings to develop the ecosystem of young entrepreneurs in Scotland.
Our country has a rich history of innovation and invention, START aims to equip young people with the skills, the confidence and the connections to create the businesses, social enterprises and solutions of the future. We’re just getting started.”
START is currently running in four schools across Glasgow: The High School of Glasgow, John Paul Academy, St Thomas Aquinas and Knightswood Secondary and plans are afoot to widen access to the programme to more schools across Scotland.
Scottish EDGE Pitch Final
HSOG START pupils attended the Scottish EDGE Pitch Final in late November held at the RBS Conference Centre in Edinburgh. Here, they heard from many inspiring entrepreneurs who pitched their early stage businesses to a panel of judges, hoping to secure a share of £1 5 million of funding available
It was an event packed with learnings for the START cohort who left supercharged and ready to apply their new found knowledge to their own startups in the months ahead as they prepare for the START Pitch Final.
A huge part of the exciting story that is emerging through START is the power of connecting teachers who share a passion for advancing entrepreneurial education
START is driven by a desire to provide experiences for young people across Scotland that will prepare them for the economy of the future. Pictured above we have teachers from the four schools taking part in this session’s START programme: The High School of Glasgow, John Paul Academy, Knightswood Secondary and St Thomas Aquinas.
Another critical pillar of START is all about connecting entrepreneurs to schools Evelyn McDonald, CEO of Scottish EDGE, has been instrumental in facilitating introductions to a number of this session’s mentors who are helping our pupils on their startup journeys.
Pictured below are Rich Wilson, CEO and Co-Founder at Gigged AI and Danny Campbell, founder of HOKO Danny recently visited John Paul Academy for one of their mentoring sessions (pictured above)!
