On Wednesday evening, we celebrated the culmination of the 2025/26 START programme with our Pitch Final at the Glasgow Science Centre. Teams from nine schools took part, with our eight finalists pitching their ideas to a panel of industry judges, while semi-finalists showcased their startups in an exhibition.
This year’s judging panel, made up of Evelyn McDonald, CEO of Scottish EDGE; Jessica Geddes-Scott, Executive Director at Morgan Stanley; and Professor Ross Tuffee, founder of Connect-Ed Network and co-founder of MotionLabs, had the challenging task of selecting the winners.
A massive congratulations to the winning team from The High School of Glasgow, Homebite. Their automated dispenser delivering authentic Asian meals addresses a need for international students across the UK: a convenient and nutritious taste of home. Congratulations also to Books for Better from John Paul Academy and Pill Pal from Notre Dame High School, who were deemed highly commended by the judges.
Over the past nine months, START has brought the startup incubator experience to thirteen schools across Greater Glasgow. Pupils have developed real-world entrepreneurial skills through design-thinking workshops, inspirational mentoring from startup founders, and opportunities to attend business events held by our partner organisations.
By connecting young people to Scotland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, START provides a unique learning experience that equips participants with skills that will be invaluable in whatever career path they choose. The Pitch Final was the final step in their START journey, and both we and our audience were inspired by the confidence, creativity, and entrepreneurial talent on display.
A huge thank you to everyone who supported us this year and made our Pitch Final such a success:
The Scottish Government University of Strathclyde Danny Campbell Stephen O’Donnell Simon Coyle Caroline Wylie Alicja Dzieciol Daniel Brown Alison Stobie Tracey Aitken David Carboni Colette Beagan Ryan Carenduff Reece Devlin Suzy Peach Chris Peach Thomas Devaney Christopher Howe Lorraine Maginnis inspirent Oga Chan David Rush Skillfluence City of Glasgow College Manjit Mooker Tom Inns Danni Cohen
We are so excited about the future of START, and we are exploring expansion beyond Glasgow next session. Please contact info@startforschools.com if you’d like to discuss becoming involved as a partner school or mentor.