Big #EDGE15 wins for ECCI start-ups
Former and current ECCI-supported start-ups have bagged a whopping £85k in the finals of Scottish EDGE - Scotland's longstanding competition for innovative, high-growth start-ups.
Current EIT Climate-KIC Accelerator start-ups Seawater Solutions - who work with farmers around Scotland and Vietnam to develop innovative sustainable farming techniques, using seawater, to grow salt-tolerant crops - and Waterwhelm - who are commercialising a patent-pending technology for self-powered treatment of wastewater - won £15,000 and £10,000 respectively in the Wild Card category.
ECCI Accelerator alumni East Africa Sisal took home the Circular Economy Award and £60,000. East Africa Sisal Company makes sustainable textiles from sisal, a super-strong, highly sustainable fibre crop - helping small-scale farmers in East Africa trade their way out of poverty by buying sisal fibre from them for a fair price.
Founding Director of Waterwhelm Alireza Abbassi Monjezi (pictured) said: "Reaching the Wild Card Finals amongst 122 applications is an important endorsement for Waterwhelm enabled by support and mentorship from the Climate KIC Accelerator at ECCI.
“Given the fierce competition from other early-stage businesses, we are very proud of receiving the £10,000 grant. It will enable us to bring in more talent and accelerate the commercialisation of our technology. I am grateful to the Waterwhelm team and our advisors for making this possible.”
Founder and CEO of Seawater Solutions Yanik Adam Nyberg said on reaching the finals: "We're thrilled to have been supported along the way by our partner farmers around Scotland and by the Edinburgh Centre for Climate Innovation who have hosted us this year and been instrumental in connecting us with like-minded people."
John Ferguson, Founder of the East Africa Sisal Company said:
“We started our low carbon journey in ECCI and are excited to be making the Circular Economy a reality."
"Sustainable insulation products are a key piece in the jigsaw of tacking Climate Change and we are delighted to be recognised by Scottish EDGE.”
Scottish EDGE is the UK’s biggest funding competition for potential high growth businesses, it supports Scotland’s early stage businesses in cash and provides a business support packages that include mentoring, support and signposting to alternative finance.
The EIT Climate-KIC Accelerator is ECCI’s three-stage programme for low carbon entrepreneurs and start-ups in the UK - getting entrepreneurs and start-ups investment-ready by offering the knowledge, resources, tools and coaching you needed to grow into a great business. Since launching in 2017 ECCI's Accelerator businesses have secured more than £1.75m worth of investments and won more than 50 awards.