This year's Converge Challenge has seen the biggest-ever number of entrants from the University of Glasgow.

The Converge Challenge is Scotland’s leading company creation competition and start-up development programme for students, graduates and staff from the country’s universities and research institutes.

When the period for entries closed last week, the competition had received 211 applicants from 19 of Scotland’s universities and research institutes, including entries for the first time from Scotland's Rural College; the James Hutton Institute in Dundee; and the Roslin Institute, Edinburgh.

The University of Glasgow has lodged its largest number of entrants to date with 19 applicants across all three categories. There are nine Converge Challenge applicants, seven applications under the KickStart category and three Social Enterprise entries.

MindMate

After winning the KickStart Digital Entrepreneur award in 2015 Susanne Mitschke, a graduate of University of Glasgow was announced as joint winner of the main Converge Challenge prize last year with the now famous MindMate, an assistance platform for people with dementia, their caregivers and family members. The prize included £30,000 in cash and £19,000 in-kind business support.

Overall this year the Converge Challenge applicants represent a range of core sectors including: the creative industries, FinTech, life sciences and food & drink, with a third of all entries focusing on the technology sector, demonstrating Scotland’s strength in this important area.

The winners of each of the three categories will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Glasgow Science Centre on 28th September 2017.

First published: 16 April 2017

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